Short answer: alight at Bukit Batok MRT, walk into West Mall, go down to B1. I Love Taimei sits at #B1-K17, open 11am to 9.30pm daily. Taiwan fried chicken is $6.90, tea starts at $3.20, and everything is prepared with no pork, no lard. Coming from Little Guilin one stop up at Bukit Gombak? This is the easy refuel stop on the way home.
Where is Little Guilin, exactly?
It’s Bukit Batok Town Park, along Bukit Batok East Avenue 5. The lake you see in everyone’s photos used to be a granite quarry — Gammon Quarry — and when the digging stopped, rainwater did the rest. The Housing and Development Board turned it into a park in 1984 instead of filling it in. Forty-two hectares, one very photogenic rock face. (Bukit Batok Town Park — Wikipedia)
Getting there: Bukit Gombak MRT on the North-South line is the closest station, a short walk away. Buses 945 and 871 also stop nearby.
Two things worth knowing before you go. First, there are no official opening hours published for the park — it’s an open public space, so daylight is the practical window, and late afternoon is when the granite face photographs best. Second, that lake is a flooded quarry. The water is deep and it is not a swimming spot. Keep the kids on the path.
Then it’s one stop down to Bukit Batok, and West Mall is right at the station.
So what do you actually eat?
Here’s the thing about a park morning: you don’t want a whole restaurant sit-down, but a snack won’t cut it either. That’s roughly the gap I Love Taimei fills.
The chicken — four options, all $6.90:
- Original Chicken — plain, lets the marinade do the talking. Start here if it’s your first time.
- Extra Crispy Chicken — thicker batter, more crunch.
- BBQ Chicken — glazed, sweet-savoury, no heat.
- Taiwan Popcorn Chicken — bite-sized and basil-fried, which is the bit people remember. Easiest one to share.
It’s chicken thigh, not breast. Thigh holds the marinade and stays tender even after a hard fry — it’s the more expensive cut, and it’s the one that survives being fried properly. More on that in our guide to Taiwan fried chicken in Singapore.
Sides to go with it: Shake Shake Fries or Tofu Fries at $3.90, Golden Sweet Potato Fries at $4.60, Taiwan Seafood Tempura at $5.30.
Seasoning is free. Ask for Mala, Seaweed, Cheese, Garlic Seafood or Sour Plum on your chicken or fries. Spice runs non-spicy through extra hot. Sour Plum on sweet potato fries is the sleeper order — go try.
To drink, Brown Sugar Milk Tea is $3.90 medium, $4.90 large, and it’s the pairing that works after something fried. Toppings are $0.80 medium, $1.20 large.
One note so there’s no confusion: I Love Taimei is not halal certified. What we can say plainly is that all food is prepared with no pork and no lard, and no beef either — the full explanation is here.
Frequently asked
How far is West Mall from Bukit Batok MRT? The mall is directly beside Bukit Batok MRT station and the bus interchange. You walk in from the station, no crossing required.
What time does I Love Taimei at West Mall close? 9.30pm, seven days a week. It opens at 11am. That’s earlier than most of our other outlets, which run to 10pm — so if you’re planning a late supper, check before you make the trip.
Can I get there straight from Little Guilin? Yes. Walk back to Bukit Gombak MRT and take one stop south to Bukit Batok. Both stations are on the North-South line.
Is there anything for someone who doesn’t eat chicken? Tofu Fries, Golden Sweet Potato Fries, Mushroom Combo and Taiwan Seafood Tempura are all on the Side Kicks menu, plus the full drinks range.
Where else can I find I Love Taimei? There are 14 outlets island-wide. The full outlet list is here.
Before you go
I Love Taimei has been women-owned since 2009, co-run by Phoebe and Yadah, and we’ve been frying Taiwan night-market food in Singapore malls ever since. West Mall is one of 14 outlets.
West Mall (Bukit Batok) 1 Bukit Batok Central Link, #B1-K17, West Mall, Singapore 658713 Mon–Sun, 11:00–21:30 +65 6570 3878
Taste it for yourself — 14 outlets island-wide. No pork, no lard.
