From Korean fried chicken, we go on to another fowl and spicy dish! It’s widely available in Singapore, but a lot of work and care goes into making a good pot of briyani. Who will emerge champs in our briyani battle? Click here to read the full review!

Mackerel otah bun

“What shall we have for breakfast tomorrow?” I asked Rick on Saturday evening. “Let’s go to SGH for otah buns!” was the instant and eager reply.

Before you think we’re madder than the Mad Hatter to go all the way to a hospital for breakfast, allow me to clarify. Singapore General Hospital is a leisurely 10-minute stroll from our home. And ever since our chance encounter with Kaffe & Toast’s otah bun, Rick just couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Between you and me, I was secretly craving for it too. It’s ridiculously simple fare: otah and bread. But the magic was in pairing lightly toasted soft buns with a good quality banana leaf mackerel otah.

Our walk up the hill was not in vain; the second time was just as good as the first. Delightfully airy buns + tasty, tingly otah = unforgettable!

Soft-boiled eggs, Teh-C, and Kopi*

Besides otah buns, the soft-boiled eggs were also worthy of praise. The whites were set but wobbly, while the yolks were lusciously runny.

A pity their coffee and tea were on the weak side; they were respectable but could definitely be more robust in flavour.

*Teh-C = tea with evaporated milk, Kopi = coffee with condensed milk

Kaya toast

We also tried their kaya toast. The bread was unevenly toasted; some parts were crisp, but some weren’t. Next time, we might try the kaya bun instead.

Various combos

This is their combo set menu. For this meal, we ordered Set A and Set E. There’s also an ala carte menu.

Local delights

On weekdays, this Kaffe & Toast outlet does a roaring business. As today was a Sunday , it was much quieter since the specialist outpatient clinics were closed, hence we could easily get a table and linger. They also serve more substantial one-dish meals that are reasonably priced (akin to food court prices).

Does anyone know if Kaffe & Toast has other outlets? One of the staff told me they have another branch in Raffles Place area, but she didn’t know exactly where.

Kaffe & Toast
Singapore General Hospital
Blk 4, Level 1 (next to Retail Pharmacy)

Mon to Fri: 7.30am – 8pm
Weekends/PH: 7.30am – 6pm

Actually, I’d also been wanting to try out Domino’s, but alas…

“I’m sorry, ma’am, your address is out of our delivery radius”.

Aww, shucks. Oh well, that just means falling back on our regular pizza delivery service: Rite Pizza.

Hawaiian pizza, 10" regular

So far, of the numerous pizza delivery services in Singapore, we’ve found Rite Pizza to be pretty decent.

The crust is not too thick nor too thin.

They have two kinds of crust – hand-tossed or thin crust. Usually, we go for “hand-tossed” as we find the “thin crust” too crispy and biscuit-like. The “hand-tossed” dough is fairly soft and chewy, and the thickness is about just right.

Pepperoni pizza, 10" regular.

Rich and hearty, I like their tomato sauce, too. Also, they are quite generous with the toppings, especially for the premium range (chicken, beef, seafood). This time, we ordered from the Rite Savers range for a change.

Peppery pepperoni = nice kick.

Mmm, not bad, but I remember the premium range as being more shiok (psst, Summer Choice and Autumn Classic are worth checking out). Not so much toppings and mozarella this time, and the dough seemed a tad drier than usual. But overall, still better than 62-35-35-35, IMHO!

Do the "rite" thing!

Prices start from S$21.00 for two 10-inch regular pizzas. Prices listed are nett, so no GST to inflate the bill, but I’m not sure if ERP charges are absorbed. For the full menu, check out their website. Details as follows:

Rite Pizza
Delivery hotline: 6899 3838
Open: 10.30am – 10.30pm (last order 10.15pm)
URL: www.rite-pizza.com

From left: French beans with beancurd cubes, ayam lemak putih, bergedil, & omelette.

This was a quick lunch from last Saturday. I was attending a workshop nearby, and at lunchtime, the entire class of 12 plus our trainer trooped down to the nearest eatery to fill our bellies.

Turns out this random pick was pretty good. The ayam lemak putih – a very mild and coconutty chicken curry – was delish. The gravy was creamy and aromatic, and the chicken was fall-off-the-bone tender. No surprises with the other side dishes, but they were of decent quality. A coursemate thought the omelette – with diced onion and chilli – was a little too salty, but I thought it was just right when paired with rice.

Kampong Glam Cafe

I forgot to ask for the breakdown of prices. Together with a canned drink, this meal came up to S$6.60, so I’m guessing the food cost around S$5.50? Besides nasi padang, they also serve mee rebus, nasi goreng, and other Malay dishes, as well as a selection of Malay kuih kuih and biscuits.

Kampong Glam Cafe
22 Baghdad Street
Singapore 199661

Rice with bergedil and stirfried beansprouts.

Prescription: Nasi padang.

To start with, nasi (rice) with the prerequisite veggie and must-order-at-every-nasi-padang-meal bergedil. No earth-shattering moment here. Just your classic fried potato ball done the way it should be.

Sambal sotong.

What’s that I spy on every table? Ok, let’s have the same.

Take a big, fat squid, snip it into rings, and douse with ketchup-y sambal. Soft sotong with just a sufficient touch of chewiness. Thick, sweet, and not-too-spicy sauce. Mmm…so addictive.

Kari ayam.

Let’s have something to warm that cold, empty tummy. How about some good ol’ chicken curry?

A whole chicken leg, thoughtfully snipped into three manageable pieces. Such fresh and tender meat. And the curry? Not too spicy, not too thick, very fragrant, very smooth, and tasty with a hint of tanginess. In short, perfect.

Nasi Padang River Valley
55, Zion Road
Singapore 247780
Tel: 6734 3383

Open: 11am – 9pm (earlier if food sells out)
Closed on Mondays & public holidays

A mini feast.

After a fun-filled Sony Alpha DSLR outdoor workshop at Kampong Glam, the empty tummies were growling to be filled. So off we headed to the nearby Hajah Maimunah for a yummy nasi padang lunch.

I was surprised to see that Hjh Maimunah now has a cleaner, more contemporary look with new countertops, furniture, re-tiled walls and floors, and A/C for both the main dining and the annex areas.

Thankfully, it’s still an unpretentious casual eatery serving a mind-boggling array of homestyle dishes at affordable prices. The lavish spread above only cost the two of us a pocket-friendly sum of S$17.30!

Pergedel (potato patty).

First up, the must-have pergedel/bergedel. Not as creamy nor tasty as Garuda Padang‘s, but has a more rustic feel.

Chicken rendang.

The spice paste is chunky and aromatic without being too rich. I actually preferred Garuda Padang’s sweeter, more redolent version, but that’s at double the price and comes with sucky service.

Sambal sotong.

Calamari rings cooked just right without being rubbery in a zingy, chilli paste. Hubby, who’s not into seafood, didn’t care much for this.

Sweet and sour fish.

What’s a Chinese dish doing here? Well, being a sucker for sweet and sour fish, I gave in to curiosity. Not so impressive sauce, but the fish fillets in eggy batter were pleasant.

Stir-fried Chinese spinach.

The obligatory veggie dish. Nothing to shout about. No, wait, there is! There was an “extra” ingredient of animal origin that wasn’t supposed to be in this dish. Hubby and I were horrified; the nonchalant staff just casually apologized for the faux pas before replacing the dish, as if this was something they encountered everyday. Hmm…

Crispy tempe and ikan bilis (anchovies) with honey.

Ooh, I absolutely adore this dish! I don’t usually enjoy tempe, but this is delicious enough to snack on its own!

It was a pleasant meal, but I remember enjoying the food a lot more previously than I did this time. The dishes seemed to have lost their burst of flavors, still nice but not as “shiok” (satisfying) as before. I also miss the old world charm of the pre-renovated Hjh Maimunah. Sure it wasn’t as comfortable, but it just made the whole experience that much more authentic.

Total bill: S$17.30 for all dishes above, plain rice for two, and two glasses of lime juice. Prices for individual dishes vary depending on portion and ingredient.

Hjh Maimunah Restaurant
11/15 Jalan Pisang
Singapore 199078
Tel: (65) 6291 3132
URL: www.hjmaimunah.com

P.S. The photos in this post were taken with a Sony Alpha DSLR-350. Do you think there was any significant difference between the photos in previous posts? Please feel free to comment!

Gulai ikan kakap (fish curry), S$7.00.

Actually, we enjoyed the food. The fish curry gravy was a delightful blend of spicy, sweet, savory, and creamy, with just a hint of tanginess to round out all the flavors. Firm and fresh was the sea bream flesh.

Rendang ayam (chicken rendang), S$4.80.

At first, the rendang paste seemed too salty, but slowly, the richness and complexity of the nutty spice paste set in, ending on a note of sweetness. Yums, but can you ignore that layer of oil?

Tumis kangkung (stir-fried kangkung), S$6.00.

Fearing our delicate tummies could not stomach the barrage of spices, we requested our kangkung to be fried without the usual spicy belachan. Satisfactory but unremarkable.

Pergedel sapi (potato & minced beef croquettes), S$1.50 each.

A perennial favorite, the pergedel had a nicely seasoned, creamy interior, with a fairly crisp exterior. In the background are free accompaniments of blended red and green chilli. Surprisingly delish and goes well with plain rice.

So, what’s not to like? Plenty!

Price: Too pricey! The portions are stingy and don’t deserve their high price tags.

Although plain rice is free flow, it’s S$2.00 per person! TWO freaking bucks! You can buy a kilo of uncooked rice at that rate! FairPrice house brands are even cheaper.

Service: What service? We were snubbed from start to finish.

Snub 1: It was a Monday night; only 1/4 of the restaurant was occupied. We stood waiting at the reception desk for 2 minutes; no one came forth.

So we walked into the middle of the restaurant, looking lost for another 2 minutes before one wait staff pointed to the glass display area, “Go pick your food there”.

It was very odd, having to choose from prepared dishes in bain maries as if we were ordering economic rice. This concept didn’t fit in with the chic, modern minimalist decor and water served in elegant wine glasses.

Snub 2: We ordered lime juice and ice lemon tea. They never came. We canceled the orders when we asked for the bill.

Snub 3: Our water glasses were never refilled.

Snub 4: They mistakenly billed us S$25 for fish head curry, when we’d ordered fish curry that says S$6.00 on the menu. They charged us S$7.00 on the second bill, but by that time, we were too upset to question them.

Snub 5: No “welcome” when we stepped in, no “sorry, we forgot your beverages”, no “sorry, we billed you the wrong item”, no “thank you, please come again”. Nada. Zilch. Zero.

Hey, I’m not asking for Ritz Carlton service. But how about some basic courtesy?

Conclusion: Great-tasting food (but cold), over-priced dishes, sucky attitude from wait staff. If you can put up with the last two, please, feel free to check out Garuda Padang Cuisine.

Total bill, inclusive of 10% service charge & 7% GST, was S$29.20 for two extremely disgruntled diners.

Garuda Padang Cuisine (Vivocity)
1 Harbourfront Walk
B2-28 Vivocity
Singapore 098585
Tel: (65) 6376 9595
URL: www.tunglok.com

Imagine being in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, and being surrounded by all that fabulous candy, but able to have only one Wonka Bar. Isn’t that pure torture?

Mee siam (S$3.50).

So, every once in a while, I indulge in some of my favorite Malay dishes. Malay cuisine in Singapore and Malaysia are very similar, due to the proximity of these two countries. Rice is the staple, accompanied by various meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes.

In Malay cooking, chilli is extensively used, along with aromatic fresh herbs and dried spices, and creamy coconut milk. Actually, many of the spices fundamental to Malay cuisine were introduced by early Javanese, Sumatran, and Indian traders. Look closely, and you’ll see that Malay food has strong influences of Indonesian, Indian, Thai, and even Chinese food.

Take mee siam, or “Siamese noodles”, for example. Originally a Thai dish, it was probably adopted by Malay natives in northern peninsular Malaya, where intermarriages with Thais were common.

The version we are now familiar with is beehoon (thin rice vermicelli) in a spicy, sweet, and sour gravy, served with boiled egg, beancurd, Chinese chives, beansprouts, and calamansi limes.

The other day, I happened to be in the mood for mee siam. Turns out that the one at Sambal Chilli Nasi Padang was quite decent. Not that I have much mee siam-eating experience, but I thought the gravy was a pleasing balance of spicy, sweet, and tart. But where were the beancurd cubes?

Chicken nasi briyani (S$5.00).

Originally an Indian dish, briyani is now as much part of local Malay food as it is Indian food. In fact, “nasi” means “rice in Malay. Here, the spiced rice was served with curried chicken, spicy pickled cucumbers, and a pappadum. Overall, the nasi briyani was average.

The mee siam and chicken briyani here weren’t stellar, but relatively decent enough for tourists visiting Orchard Road to have a taste of what local Malay food is like. Nasi padang and other Malay dishes are also available.

Sambal Chilli Nasi Padang
Food Republic
435 Orchard Road
#04-00 Wisma Atria
Singapore 238877

cheers!

Mutton Keema Murtabak (S$5.00).

The mutton filling.

The mutton keema (minced goat meat) filling is the dry kind, compared to the “wetter” chicken filling. It isn’t as spicy. Together with sweet chopped onions and egg, the mutton murtabak is delicious in a different style, though my personal preference is still the chicken masalah murtabak. It’s worthy to note that the dough skin is as fabulous as on my first visit — light, crispy, not oily, and beautifully golden brown.

Iced Limau (S$1.50 each).

To go with the food, we had the iced limau (S$1.50 each), or “calamansi” drinks. Calamansi are local limes, similar to key limes, and are often used in seasoning food and making beverages.

Hotplate Crispy Mee (S$5.00).

This time, I was in the mood for something non-spicy, and the picture of the Chinese-style hotplate crispy noodles looked enticing enough for me to order it.

Alas, it looked better than it tasted. The noodles were unbelievably salty. And what’s with the broccoli and carrot? The saving graces were the two king prawns and squid that were fresh and not overcooked.

Still, I applaud Spize’s attempt to provide a varied menu catering to different tastes. For authentic local Chinese food, go to the the other Chinese eateries along the same stretch of shops.

Spize The Makan Place
409 River Valley Road
Singapore 248307
Tel: (65) 6734 9194

Opening hours: 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

cheers!

In the mood for Indian food, I asked about the murtabaks, to which svelte server Nur replied, “The portion is quite large. You might not be able to finish it.” Well, she’s obviously never met a female food blogger before. Oops. Heh!

Chicken Masalah Murtabak (S$5.00).

Shamelessly, I went ahead and ordered the chicken murtabak anyway. It arrived smelling wickedly delicious, a hint of greatness to come.

Boy, the murtabak was fantastic. Thin, light, and crispy prata enveloping a generous stuffing of spicy chicken and potato, it was so good it could kick some serious butt. I may not have much murtabak-eating experience, but I sure know a great one when I taste it.

What I also liked was that the fried dough was hardly greasy. Another plus point: The prata remained crispy till nearly the end of the meal. While filling, the murtabak didn’t sit uncomfortably heavy in the tummy.

A word of warning: it’s really spicy! In fact, it was so hot that I started panting and sweating midway. The spice level is probably just right for chilli fans, but not for the faint-hearted. Wicked stuff, but absolutely irresistible.

Nice spice.

Mightily impressed, I’m definitely coming back to check out the other items on the menu. Spize operates from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., obviously catering to the dinner crowd, night owls, and clubbers. It’s a casual eatery, i.e. no air-conditioning. In fact, most of the seating is by the road. Leave your Armanis and Versaces at home.

Spize The Makan Place
409 River Valley Road
Singapore 248307
Tel: (65) 6734 9194
Opening hours: 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

cheers!

Related post:

1. Spize The Makan Place II