JB Ah Meng

White pepper crab, at an hour when most of Singapore's kitchens have gone dark.

JB Ah Meng is the supper you plan a night around: three or four friends, cold drinks, a white pepper crab to wrestle with and a plate of san lou bee hoon to finish, on Geylang Road long after most kitchens have shut. It suits a group with an appetite and no plans afterwards. The compromise is that crab is priced at market rate and the practical details shift, so call ahead to check hours, payment and a table before you go.

Despite the name, it has nothing to do with the famous orangutan. The JB refers to its chefs, who come from Johor Bahru and cook in a Malaysian style, woks running hot. It started in the Geylang back lanes at Lorong 23, was listed as a Michelin Bib Gourmand in the 2016 guide, and at the start of 2017 moved to a more comfortable home at 534 Geylang Road, near Lorong 30. Late-night zi char is its own genre in Singapore, and this is one of its fixtures.

Two dishes do most of the talking. The white pepper crab comes coated in a Sarawak pepper sauce with ginger and spring onion. It is messy, hands-on eating, so abandon dignity early, and order one crab for the table rather than one each, because the bee hoon still needs room. The JB san lou bee hoon is thin rice noodles fried until crisp outside and soft inside, and it is the dish to finish on.

Round out the table with the garlic chilli clams while the crab is on its way, crispy pork belly or a salted egg prawn roll, and go carefully with the house-made belachan. Zi char at this hour is about plates arriving straight off a hot wok, so order in waves rather than all at once; the food is better and the table is less crowded.

How to do it well: call ahead to book and to check hours, and ask about payment, since it may be cash only. Ask the crab price when you order so the bill holds no surprises. Go late, go hungry and bring wet wipes, because the crab will win and the napkins will not be enough.

Good to know JB Ah Meng is at 534 Geylang Road, near Lorong 30. Older reviews list late-night dinner hours and cash-only payment; call ahead to check hours, payment and table availability. Crab is priced by market rate.

JB Ah Meng | 534 Geylang Road, Singapore 389490