JUMBO Seafood (Riverside Point)

JUMBO Seafood opened its first restaurant at the East Coast Seafood Centre in 1987 and has since become one of the best-known names in Singaporean seafood dining, with branches across the city and abroad. Its Riverside Point restaurant sits on the Singapore River opposite Clarke Quay, and the waterfront setting makes it one of the group's most popular branches with visitors.

Crab is the centre of the menu. Chilli crab, cooked in a sweet, tangy and gently spicy tomato and chilli sauce thickened with egg, is the dish Singapore is known for, and JUMBO's version is a reliable introduction. Black pepper crab, with a dry, fiery coating of cracked pepper, is the other classic. Order deep-fried mantou buns to mop up the chilli crab sauce, and round out the table with cereal prawns, steamed fish, salted egg yolk dishes and stir-fried vegetables, all meant for sharing.

Expect to get messy: bibs, crackers and wet towels are provided, and the best way to eat crab is with your hands. Crab is sold by weight at the market price of the day, so ask how much a crab will cost before you order, and let the staff suggest a size for your group. The restaurant is open daily from 11.30am to 11pm, with last orders at 10.15pm, and reservations can be made by phone or online.

This is a good choice for families, groups and celebrations, and for first-time visitors who want to try chilli crab in a comfortable, air-conditioned setting with English-speaking staff. Ask for a riverside table at dinner, when the lights of Clarke Quay reflect on the water. Booking is wise at weekends and for groups, as the restaurant is popular with tour parties. Prices are higher than at hawker stalls, mainly because of the crab. If chilli is a concern, the kitchen can suggest milder dishes, and the steamed fish and vegetables balance the richer sauces.

Riverside Point is at 30 Merchant Road, across the river from Clarke Quay, and Clarke Quay MRT station is a few minutes' walk away. After dinner, cross the bridge to the bars of Clarke Quay, take a Singapore River Cruise from the jetty, or walk along the river towards Boat Quay and Marina Bay.