Committee Dinners 101: The Ultimate YMAX 2025 Food Guide

By Chin Wei Han and Olivia Yeoh

An image of the Pho served at Paper Rice, Plaza Singapura, captured by Wei Han himself

“Motion for a 10-minute moderated caucus, 1 minute per speaker, to discuss where we should go for committee dinner.” In addition to committee debate, socials, and friendships, which are typically seen as the essential elements of a conference, another key component defining the vibe of a Model ASEAN experience is the food available throughout it. Whether it be the catered lunches, a committee bonding dinner, or even just a quick snack before debate is called into session that day, these bites are indispensable for recharging after a long day of debating or strengthening one’s bloc unity. 

Thankfully, YMAX 2025’s location has definitely “cooked” in this regard. Located in the heart of Orchard Road, at Singapore Management University (SMU), delegates have easy access to the numerous malls within walking distance (even while wearing the ever-uncomfortable Western Business Attire), as well as the various food options within SMU itself. Some delegates may already be familiar with the more popular food options in the area: Wingstop at Funan, Haidilao at Plaza Singapura, and Yakiniku Like at The Cathay. Others may even be aware of the bubble tea options nearby: Koi at Raffles City, Mixue at City Link, or Each a Cup in SMU’s underpass. However, should you wish to avoid the crowds and enjoy a mass council dinner with all 41 of your fellow Plenary-mates (though we doubt any restaurant would fit so many delegates), these lesser-known options (dare we say, hidden gems) could be scrumptious alternatives.

SMU Selections

First, SMU itself has a wide variety of restaurants and snacks to choose from. Designed to cater to university students, these food places prioritise affordability, and are conveniently located only an underpass away from each committee room. 

For example, Kuro Kare (School of Computing and Information Systems, #B1-65) serves Japanese Curry from $5.90. Their curries are cooked for 3 days to enhance the flavour, and offer options ranging from chicken to beef. If you wish to devour a hearty, steaming hot bowl of authentic Japanese curry after a long day of being cooped up in your frigid committee rooms, fret not, Kuro Kare is a mere stone’s throw away!

If you want to take a journey to the West, there’s no need for plane tickets. Canteen Bistro (School of Computing and Information Systems, #B1-61) serves up Western classics that will transport your taste buds right to New York, with their Crispy Chicken Burger ($14), or Italy, with their various pastas ($15). For those who are all about their proteins, they also offer various classics such as Grilled Chicken Chop ($13) and Fish and Chips ($13). So, if you need a temporary vacation away from ASEAN, Canteen Bistro can whisk you away to a Western culinary haven!

Need a quick and easy Pre-Conference snack? Waffles have never been more tempting, especially if they’re from TripletS (School of Economics, #B1-24A SMU Concourse). It’s impossible to get lost while searching for this Singaporean classic – the sweet, slightly caramel-like scent of the waffles is enough to allure you and lead you to the right place. Shockingly, it gets better. From go-to flavours like chocolate or peanut butter, to outrageous flavour combinations like blueberry cream cheese, we’re sure that there’s a flavour for everyone!

Southeast Asian Delights

Next, it would not be YMAX without appreciating the diverse cultures of Southeast Asia, and there is no better way to do this than through food. 

Paper Rice (Plaza Singapura, #01-55) has an unmistakable exterior with its bright pink decor and the van parked outside the restaurant, and is located right next to the mall’s entrance. While lying slightly within the upper band of prices (one set meal costs between $15 and $20), the price tags are worth it for the ultimate comfort food experience. Whether it be with a nice warm bowl of pho, a refreshing sip of egg coffee, or simply by collapsing into a plump pink pillow on the restaurant’s benches, a dinner at Paper Rice is sure to recharge you after a long day of debate. Do also check out their authentic Banh Mi and Vietnamese Spring Rolls (included in set menus) for a flavourful and traditional experience.

Starting to consider your fellow delegates to be as close as family? Well, what better way to strengthen those bonds than to enjoy some family-style Thai food for committee dinner! Jai Thai (27 Purvis St, #01-01 Ann Chuan Building) doesn’t just offer classic Thai cuisine with dishes like Tom Kha Chicken, but also features some of Singapore’s local culture with zi char dishes. Surely, it’s on the further side, but like the aphorism goes, it’s the journey that matters, not the destination. So, prepare your concession card and lobbying skills to advocate for and defend your dish choices. Maybe, you’ll be able to break the ice beyond diplomatic discussions. 

Even SMU itself has several Southeast-Asian fusion snacks: Khoon Coffeehouse Express at the School of Social Sciences (#01-72) serves Thai Yaowarat buns with a range of fillings, including Western choices like Lotus Biscoff spread. This makes for a unique and filling breakfast snack for delegates wishing to reach their committee venues early. 

Other Recommendations

Feel like you’re a bit more creative and adventurous? Besides all the wonderful options above, you and your committee can explore the food haven that is Funan Mall’s basement, with options ranging from the more elusive Little Ribbons Pasta Co (#B2-K11) to Singaporean mall staples like Subway (#B2-10) or Stuff’d (#B2-K03). Additionally, Funan’s food court, Big Appetite (#B2-24), offers every cuisine imaginable – Korean, Local, Chinese – you name it, they have it. You need not worry about seating at Funan, just head over to the iconic steps that extend from the first to the second floor, the fountain at Basement 2, or even the rooftop garden (Level 7, accessible via Lift Lobby B) that offers a premium view of the city. 

In addition, food court offerings near SMU are certainly not limited – we’ll put them in the Annex for easy reference (as with all of our other recommendations). With the sheer diversity of food options within these flavour hubs, there is bound to be something for every delegate, and even bonding opportunities to learn about fellow committee-mates’ preferences.

We hope our extensive list of recommendations has aided you in solving the age-old question: where to go for committee dinner? Food offerings near SMU are endlessly diverse, and we hope that committee dinner isn’t just an avenue to lobby for solutions, and delegates will grasp these moments to bond with each other. Of course, the stomach is the way to a person’s heart: knowing each others’ unique tastes is the first step to forging bonds that persevere past the bounds of the YMAX Conference. An ASEAN Draft Declaration isn’t the only thing that needs a consensus to pass — the committee dinner is too. Hopefully, we’ve helped you reach an agreement on the latter!

Annex: Complete list of food recommendations mentioned in the article

Shop Name	Address	Food Served
Wingstop	Funan, 107 N Bridge Rd, Singapore 179105, #02-04	Fried Chicken (Fast Food)
Haidilao Hot Pot	Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238839, #04-01	Hot Pot
Yakiniku Like!	The Cathay, 2 Handy Road, Singapore 229233, #01-02	Yakiniku (Japanese Barbecue)
Kuro Kare	SMU School of Information Systems, 80 Stamford Road, 178902, #B1-65	Japanese Curry
Canteen Bistro	SMU School of Computing and Information Systems 1, 80 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178902, #B1-61	Western Cuisine
TripletS	Li Ka Shing Library Building, #B1-24, 70 Stamford Road, Singapore 178901	Waffles, Ice Cream, Snacks
Paper Rice	Plaza Singapura 68 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238839, #01-55	Vietnamese Cuisine
Jai Thai	Ann Chuan Building, 27 Purvis St, #01-01, Singapore 188604	Thai and local cuisine (Family Style)
Khoon Coffeehouse Express	School of Social Sciences and Economics, 90 Stamford Rd, #01-72, Singapore 178903	Coffee, Pastries
Koufu (SMU)	Li Ka Shing Library Building, #B1-26/28, 70 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178901	Food Court
Food Dynasty Food Court (Lazada One)	Lazada One, 51 Bras Basah Rd, #01-24/25, Singapore 189554	Food Court
Kopitiam (Plaza Singapura)	Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Rd, #06-15/20, Singapore 238839	Food Court
Big Appetite	Funan, 107 N Bridge Rd, #B2-24, Singapore 179105	Food Court
Malaysia Boleh! (Bugis Junction)	Bugis Junction, 200 Victoria St, #03-30, Singapore 188021	Food Court
Little Ribbons Pasta Co	Funan, 107 N Bridge Rd, #B2-K11, Singapore 179105	Pasta
Subway (Funan)	Funan, 107 N Bridge Rd, #B2-10, Singapore 179105	Sandwiches (Fast Food)
Stuff’d (Funan)	Funan, 107 N Bridge Rd, #B2-K03 Singapore 179105	Wraps (Fast Food)
Koi The Express	Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 N Bridge Rd, #B1-71, Singapore 179103	Bubble Tea
Mixue	CityLink, 1 Raffles Link, #B1-42A, Singapore 039393	Bubble Tea
Each a Cup	Li Ka Shing Library, 70 Stamford Rd, B1-45, Singapore 178901	Bubble Tea