New Bahru’s Factory Block food court opened its full line-up at the end of May 2026, and three stalls in the row are worth a special trip on their own facts: a heritage Nasi Padang counter, a wood-fired rice bowl kiosk from an established Bukit Batok name, and a bakmi outpost from a Haji Lane favourite. All three publish prices on their own channels, so here is what each one actually costs.
Last updated: 26 August 2026.
Kios Minang: Nasi Padang from $12
Kios Minang is the casual counter version of Rumah Makan Minang, a business New Bahru’s own site credits as recognised by the National Heritage Board and serving Nasi Padang in Singapore since 1954. The counter’s Nasi Padang Set is $12 for rice, one protein, one vegetable, one side, sambal belacan and emping crackers. Ordering a la carte, mains start from $7, vegetables from $3, sides from $2.50 and rice from $1.50, so a solo diner building their own plate can land well under the set price if they skip a course.
Good for a solo lunch or a quick weekday meal where you want to choose your own protein rather than take a fixed set. Less good if you want the full sit-down Rumah Makan Minang experience, since this is the counter format, not the restaurant.
Laifaba: wood-fired rice bowls from $12.80
Laifaba built its name on wood-fired roast meats and wanton mee from its original Bukit Batok outlet. The New Bahru counter is a more compact version, built around rice or noodle bowls: Wood Fired Pork Jowl, Wood Fired Crispy Pork Belly and Wood Fired Whole Chicken Thigh are each $12.80 with rice or noodles, and the Signature Wood Fired Duo Pork runs $14.80. A $3.50 set meal upgrade adds a pork collagen tofu broth and fried wonton strips.
Good for a quick solo meal or an office lunch where a single bowl is enough. Skip the set upgrade if you are not that hungry; the base bowl is already a full plate at this price.
Kulon: bakmi from $8.20
Kulon is better known for its sit-down bakmi and mie bakso shop at Haji Lane; the Factory Block counter is its first kiosk format, built around classic bakmi and a smaller, shareable tapas-style spread. Bakmi Bangka, with braised sweet soy sauce chicken, is $8.20. Bakmi Sambal Merah and Bakmi Sambal Ijo, the red and green sambal versions, are $9.20 each. Bakmi Crispy, with Javanese marinated fried chicken thigh, is $8.80, and Bakmi Empal is $10.80.
Good for sharing a few small plates with a friend, since the kiosk format leans more social than the original Haji Lane shop. Not the pick if you specifically want the full Haji Lane sit-down menu, which this counter does not replicate in full. For a sit-down Korean option in the same River Valley stretch, Whuchu at UE Square is a five to ten minute walk away.
What’s not covered here
The Factory Block’s food court also has Sushiro, which this site covered when it opened, plus Dumpling Darlings, Orh Gao Peh Gao, Parlour Gelato and a rotating Fico pasta pop-up. This piece sticks to the three counters not yet covered on this site, so a full lineup sits in our original opening-week roundup from May.
Details
New Bahru, Factory Block,
46 & 58 Kim Yam Road, Singapore 239351.
Nearest MRT: Fort Canning or Great World, both about a 10 to 12 minute walk; there is no MRT exit directly outside.
All three counters are walk-in only, no reservations. Weekday lunch around noon draws the office crowd from nearby River Valley offices, so an early or late lunch avoids the queue.
Kulon’s $8.20 bakmi is the cheapest single dish of the three, Kios Minang’s a la carte pricing is the most flexible for a solo diner, and Laifaba’s $14.80 duo bowl is the one worth it if you want two proteins rather than one. None of them need a reservation, which is the point of a food court format in the first place.
