While most restaurants typically have a range of dishes at different prices, Five Ten is one pocket-friendly eatery that bucks this tradition. Named after its unique pricing concept, all items on Five Ten’s menu are either valued at $5 or $10, which certainly makes calculating the bill easy.
In terms of appearance, this 70-seater restaurant, located directly across the iconic Sri Mariammam temple, looks nothing like its neighbours: tall dark-washed doors with broad panes of glass make for a dramatic first impression that clearly sets Five Ten apart.
Five Ten’s chic monochromatic exterior stands out from its neighbours along South Bridge Road.
On the inside, things are no different with a contemporary interior that fully embraces industrial chic. Measuring approximately 2,000 square feet, the restaurant’s dining space features plenty of visually appealing details that are all about conveying an edgy, cool atmosphere.
Inside the restaurant, it’s an industrial haven complete with exposed brick walls.
Raw concrete flooring, exposed brick walls and a palette of dark neutrals make up the defining characteristics of Five Ten’s decor. Meanwhile, the inclusion of overhead greenery helps to temper heavier architectural elements by bringing in a soft natural vibe; whereas classic encaustic tiles that centre the space, hint at the building’s heritage status.
Subtle details, like the exposed ceiling beams and classic encaustic tiles hint at the shophouse unit’s heritage.
Charming decor notwithstanding, Five Ten’s main draw is none other than its Taiwanese-inspired eats.
“For lunch, we have individually-portioned dishes and finger food. But for dinner, we offer a communal dining experience instead with larger servings that are meant to be shared,” says manager Tim Chew.
Popular lunch items include the steak rice bowl ($10), which comes with thick slices of sirloin and a sous vide egg on a bed of white grains; and fried chicken ($5) served alongside savoury seaweed mayonnaise. The dinner menu, on the other hand, consists traditional Asian favourites such as house-made Taiwanese sausage ($10) and”lu rou” braised pork ($10).
All items on the Taiwanese-inspired menu at Five Ten are priced affordably at $5 and $10.
For those who are in need of a caffeine hit, Five Ten’s cold brew coffees (black, white and brown, all $5) are also must-tries as they are made using highly-flavourful grounds, carefully processed across three days by Tim himself.
The eatery’s cold coffee brews are made in-house.
Five Ten
237 South Bridge Road
tel: 6924 9752
This was adapted from an article originally published in the October 2017 issue of SquareRooms.
