Simpang Bedok I

This was actually my second trip to Simpang Bedok, the first was a lunch visit with D to Spize The Supperclub (uh-huh, didn’t occur to her – it’s ok I still love you D). So to make things right, we made our first official visit to Spize for a late dinner over the weekend. Therefore, the following will be a review of Spize and Badoque (where we had dessert).

For the record, Simpang Bedok is a hotspot for halal food with places like Tang Tea House [357/359 Bedok Road (Opp. Simpang Bedok Post Off) Tel: 6445 9100], Asian Fare & Grill [282, Bedok Road, Tel: 6445 9987] and Badoque among others. And those of you who are wondering where Foo House Cafe & Bar (the place with wonderful Irish-Hainanese food prev. at Jln Pari Burong in Simpang Bedok) has moved to, they are now at Tanjong Katong next to Full House (a Korean restaurant/cafe).

Without further adue, we’ve got Spize’s Chicken Shawarma ($5) [***.] in a warm tortilla wrap (there’s also the option of pita bread) served with wasabi chips. Value for money I must say. The chicken was very tender and juicy, but they could’ve cut back a little on mayonnaise. The wasabi chips were an unusual addition, but I like them because they go well with the wrap.

D had Spize’s signature Bullet Pepper Steak ($14.90) [****] pictured here. Served on a grill plate, there was mashed potato, a corn cob and vegetables accompanying the very very juicy piece of steak. Each morsel of beef oozed savoury goodness…yums. Grilled meats are definitely one of their specials as they claim. Our food was so good it didn’t matter that we were seated at a table by the road across the petrol station. Spize actually has a front and back seating area, but we were out front because we wanted to avoid the human congestion out back.

Our next stop after our leisurely post-dinner walk around Simpang Bedok was Badoque for dessert. With celebrity chef, Rizal, who writes for Berita Minggu fortnightly at the helm, we wanted to get a taste of their desserts (I’d like to try their tapas & main courses another time).

They close around 11 pm on saturday nights, so we were pretty lucky dessert was still on the cards when we got there around 10 plus. We ordered their Ice-cream and Cakes Sundae ($8.50) [***] - a sweet combination of 3 scoops of ice-cream and 3 cakes – to share. All in all there was a summer berry topping, raspberry ripple, caramel, strawberry, marquise cake, oreo cake and chocolate banana cake. As a whole, what we selected complemented each other, but when I tasted each individually I wasn’t impressed. It seemed that their ice-cream wasn’t made in-house (perhaps I’m wrong but it’s taste suggested otherwise), while their cakes were at best fairly good. Therefore, I thought it was smart of them to offer a mix & match.

/all prices stated above are nett (no service charge & GST)

The I-wanna-know[s]:
Taste – refer to individual ratings above
Price – $ to $$
Service – 6/10
Ambience – 6/10
Accessibility – 6/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Tel: +65 6445 3211 (Spize) | +65 6446 6928 (Badoque)

Website: http://spizeconcepts.com | Badoque’s Facebook Page

Address:
(Spize The Supperclub) 336 Bedok Road, Singapore 469512
(Badoque) 298 Bedok Rd – behind Shop & Save

Opening hours:
(Spize) – Weekdays: 2pm – 4am | Weekends: 2pm – 4.30pm
(Badoque) – to be confirmed

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Tanah Merah

Buses: 9, 10, 2…

Tis the Season for Buffets

With the big R looming ahead, there’s been a reasonable amount of belt tightening and clinging on to wallets. Many still crave good food despite dismal prospects, and here I am providing some solace in the form of buffets. If you can’t splurge, the next best thing would be to stretch your dollar right? The following is a compilation of some places I’ve been to, as well as some places that are highly recommended by relatives and friends. Mouseover and click on the names to access each restaurant’s website. Happy feasting!

1. Cafe Vic

Situated at Carlton Hotel along Bras Basah Road, Cafe Vic is a familiar buffet spot for many a Singaporean. They are open 24-hours, dishing out international and asian cuisines to whet your appetite. |$$-$$$| 76 Bras Basah Rd, Tel: 6311 8195

2. Rajah Inn Restaurant
   

For those residing in Tiong Bahru or the west, Rajah Inn is an affordable fix for a simple dinner with the family. |$$| 302 Tiong Bahru Road #02-13/14/15, Tiong Bahru Plaza, Tel: 6835 0080

3. Jade Room Restaurant

Known for their Peking Duck, Jade Room is little known as a buffet place I’d think. Great for a leisurely lunch with the colleagues or friends. Weekday lunch: $14.80++/Weekend lunch: $17.80++ |$$| 36 Newton Road, #02-01, Hotel Royal, Tel: 6251 8135

4. Kublai Khan Mongolian Restaurant


For as long as I can remember, Kublai Khan has been at Park Mall. Mongolian food is perfect for meatlovers because meat’s pretty much a staple in their cuisine. Start piling those plates already… |$$-$$$| 9 Penang Road, #04-01, Park Mall, Tel: 6334 4888

5. The Tent


Another great place for mongolian cuisine! Owned by the people behind Ras Essence of India, the Tent is conveniently located next to Marrakesh in Clarke Quay. Love their unique sauce counter with instructions for mixing & matching with meats and veggies. |$$-$$$| #01-02, Blk 3D Clarke Quay, Tel: 6339 0200

6. Pete’s Place

One of the few places that offer an Italian buffet, Pete’s Place offers buffet lunches Mon-Sat at $26++|$$$| 10 Scotts Road, Hyatt Hotel, Tel: 6732 1234

7. Yuki Yaki

Popular with families and teens, this Japanese buffet under the Suki Group of Restaurants at Marina Square offers the usual Japanese fare at great prices (better than Sakura too according to some) |$$| 6 Raffles Boulevard #03-210 Marina Square, Tel: 6338 9680

8. Kuishinbo

For the uninitiated (fret not), Kuishinbo serves value-for-money Japanese food with periodic bell-ringing during your meal. Ladies rejoice for it’s ladies night every wed! Check out their website for more promotions… |$$-$$$| Suntec City, Jurong Point, Great World City

9. Ellenborough Market Cafe (Swissotel Merchant Court)

Swissotel Merchant Court is a popular buffet place because of their yummy Peranakan spread and famous durian pengat (pudding)…love their nonya food! |$$$| 20 Merchant Road, Swissotel Merchant Court, Tel: 6239 1848

10. Bombay Cafe Xpress

Bombay Cafe’s vegetarian cuisine is something I’ve wanted to try for the longest time…it’ll be 1 of my attempts to embrace the hidden vegan in me. You should too especially with a tempting $10 Lunch Xpress promotion over at their Suntec outlet |$-$$| #B1-020 Suntec City Mall, Tel: 6345 0070

11. Spice Brasserie

Craving a simple meal of traditional porridge? Spice Brasserie has an ongoing promotion for their teochew porridge buffet! A more affordable alternative would be Oasis Taiwan Porridge (formerly from Stadium Walk) over at Toa Payoh Park. |$$$| Parkroyal on Kitchener Road, 181 Kitchener Road, Tel: 6428 3160

12. Quality Cafe


This is 1 place where you might have to call for a reservation. Known for their laksa and other asian fare, Quality Cafe is another hit with Singaporeans. |$$| 201 Balestier Road, Quality Hotel, Tel: 6359 6856

13. Paulaner Brahaus

Paulaner has a great executive lunch special with freshly brewed beer for those who work in the vicinity…for $19.90++ you can get an appetizer, entrée and drink. Mmm…german food.. |$$-$$$| 9 Raffles Boulevard, Time² at Millenia Walk, Tel: 6883 2572

14. Carousel Restaurant

Not forgetting my muslim readers, Carousel over at Royal Plaza on Scotts and Hyatt’s Straits Kitchen across the road are 2 great places for lunch/dinner. Expect a wide variety of fresh seafood, desserts, local and international cuisine to whet your appetite. |$$$| Royal Plaza on Scotts, 25 Scotts Road, Lobby level, Tel: 6589 7799

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)

/the images above were taken from goodfood-goodmood, quality hotel & the tent’s websites.

Rasa Sayang House (now defunct)

Rasa Sayang House is a really good halal food place in my neighbourhood. They’re a real hit with the nearby Bendemeer Secondary School students, machiks, enciks…well everyone essentially. Their speciality is the Hainanese Chicken Rice ($3) [***.] pictured here. Some other hot favourites include the Lemon Chicken Rice ($3) [***.] and Curry Chicken Noodles. In the mornings they serve up warm plates of Nasi Lemak, and local favourites such as Laksa and Mee Siam are available throughout the day. Tucked away in a block near the canal at Boon Keng, Rasa Sayang House is a 3-5 min walk from Boon Keng MRT.

One thing I like about this place is the way it’s set up – comfy cushioned wooden stools, warm lighting, tiled floors, English radio station playing in the background. It’s a pretty cosy vibe for chicken rice I’d think. Definitely not something one will expect for a small place like theirs. Getting back to their food…lets not forget the standard dishes that accompany a respectable dish of chicken rice – Chicken Feet ($3) [****] as seen on the right. Don’t cringe just yet, this one’s not too jelly-like, very tender, and well-seasoned with sesame oil, chilli, soya sauce and garnished with chinese parsley. So give it a shot if you’ve not tried chicken feet before.

Another accompanying dish you should consider is their Fried Tofu ($3) [****]. Served piping hot, topped with fresh lettuce and ground peanuts, drizzled with chilli sauce…these 6 cubes of tofu are crispy yet soft on the inside. Mmmmmm…

I’m looking forward to introducing more halal food places for my muslim readers out there, so stay tuned for more as D and I taste more halal food!

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 7/10
Price – $
Service – 7/10
Ambience – 6/10
Accessibility – 6/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Address:
Blk 3 St. George’s Road, #01-97, Singapore 320003

Tel: +65 6294 8892

Email:
rasasayanghouse@singnet.com.sg

Opening hours:
6 am – 9 pm daily

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Boon Keng

Buses: 985, 31, 13, 147, 65, 66, 133, 23…

Ayam Bakar Ojolali

According to their website, ‘Ayam Bakar‘ means ‘Grilled Chicken’ while ‘Ojolali‘ is Javanese for ‘Don’t Forget’. Therefore, ‘Ayam Bakar Ojolali‘ stands for ‘Unforgettable Grilled Chicken’. Nice way of saying ‘we’re good’, but it’s also a high standard to live up to. But they don’t disappoint. Ever since D introduced me to Ojolali, I’ve been hooked. Now everytime we shop at Wisma Atria or Ngee Ann City across the road, we make a beeline for Lucky Plaza to have our meal.

Lets begin with their chilli. You know how people always say chilli sauce can make or break a good plate of chicken rice, whether hainanese, malay etc.? Well, Ojolali’s chilli is the Javanese sort. It’s made of lots of chilli padi (among others) that can sting your palate, bring tears to your eyes or make you perspire incessantly. But believe me, you’ll come back for more. A tad sadistic, but true. My well-tuned palate for spicy food took a stab the first time I tried it, but all’s good now. They’ve got a sweet black sauce that is supposed to be paired with the chilli and your food. It helps to take the heat off your tongue.

The Ayam Penyet or ’smashed chicken’ rice ($6.50) [****] pictured above is deep fried sinfulness with tahu (tofu) and tempe (fermented soya bean cake) as sides. Its evil oily grilled twin the Ayam Bakar ($6.50) [****] on the left is just as good with the same soya bean sidekicks.

Last but not least, do try their clear Oxtail Soup [***]. The meat is lean and tender, and MSG seemed thankfully absent. Other dishes you might want to consider is their Ikan Goreng Kipas (Crispy Fried Fish).

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 6/10
Ambience – 5/10
Accessibility – 7/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Tel: 6235 3597

Website: http://www.ayambakarojolali.com

Address:
304 Orchard Road, Lucky Plaza #03-39 & #03-43
Singapore 238863

Opening hours:
Open Daily | 12pm – 9pm

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Orchard

Buses: 65, 14, 36…

Istanbul Gourmet

Istanbul Gourmet at East Point Mall was recommended by my friend D a while ago so I decided to pop by with her yesterday to check it out. It was a tiny place with counter seating on the inside, and about 4 tables outside. Their menu was pasted on their glass door, alongside some newspaper cuttings about their chef – who was previously from Hyatt Hotel. After glimpsing through the articles, I raised my expectations a notch. I settled for their signature Chicken Roll ($7.50) after catching a whiff of chicken on the grill.

The portion turned out to be bigger than expected but I wasn’t complaining. I was pleased with how healthy my meal looked. There was chicken fillet stuffed with carrots and leek, topped with what appeared to be (and tasted like) tomato sauce. The sides consist of roasted potatoes with skin (yums), and a refreshing salad of shredded lettuce, cucumber cubes, diced tomatoes, celery, kidney beans and chickpeas drizzled with salad dressing.

The meat was tender and smooth, and wasn’t oily. The close-up here shows the individual pieces of the chicken roll. The leek wasn’t overpowering, and the salad went really well with the meat.

Unfortunately, I was a little full from brunch, so we didn’t order more. I’m keen to try their Beef Bomb ($8) and kebabs ($3.50-$4.50) which looked really appetising. Well, there’s always next time!

I give the chicken roll [****]!

/ all prices are nett

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 7/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 6/10
Ambience – 5/10
Accessibility – 7/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Tel: 6786 0509

Address:
#01-03, 3 Simei Street 6, Eastpoint Mall
Singapore 528833

Opening hours:
Tuesday To Sunday: 11.00am to 9.00pm
Monday: Closed

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Simei

Buses: 9, 38, 5, 579

Anatolia Turkish Restaurant

Anatolia Turkish Restaurant is one of the better known Turkish restaurants in town. They’ve been around for eons at Far East Plaza. Back in my school days, I used to visit them for their Turkish ice-cream – the good ‘ol ones where the ice-cream server will tease and taunt you before giving you the ice-cream. These days I crave meats…so I tend to order their shish kebabs or lahmacuns instead.  Lahmacun is simply known as Turkish pizza. It is often sprinkled with lemon juice, and then served rolled up with pickles and other vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and onions. This thin-crust version you see above is Anatolia’s Beef Lahmacun ($3.50) [***.] with minced beef, tomatoes, onions, cabbage and peppers. I like how the zesty lemon balances the strong taste of beef, and the vegetables, making this a very light meal.

Created to suit German taste buds by the Turkish, Doner kebab are typically served as sandwiches in a small pide (Turkish pita bread) accompanied by salad greens. Anatolia’s Beef Doner Sandwich ($7.50) [***] is pictured above in a wrapper. I found the pide too dry for my liking. Perhaps it lacked more sauce to go with the sandwich. The doner kebab itself was satisfactory. Personally, I prefer Sultan Kebab’s meats. There’s something about the way Anatolia’s meats are grilled that doesn’t quite match up to Sultan Kebab’s. I guess you’ll have to try it for yourself to tell the difference. If you’ve got space, you should try Anatolia’s Iskender kebabs - which consists of grilled lamb drizzled with tomato sauce, over pieces of pide bread, and slathered with yoghurt.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 7/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 6/10
Ambience – 6/10
Accessibility – 8/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Tel: +65 6339 3740

Address:
14 Scotts Road, Far East Plaza, #02-58/59

Opening hours:
10 am – 10 pm daily

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Orchard

Sultan Kebab

Have you ever wondered what you should eat when you’re in a hurry? I bet you have. For the sake of maintaining the well-being of your tummy & tastebuds, I highly recommend that you avoid fastfood like the plague. Go for a healthier alternative instead, like Turkish sandwiches & meat rolls at Peace Centre.

Meet the brothers behind this Turkish takeaway joint: (from left) Suat and Safak

They hail from Antalya, Turkey, and have been living in Singapore for a year now. The brothers have made several trips to our sunny lil isle since 2001, and have since moved here to set up a food business with their uncle. Sultan Kebab was opened in June 2006. Their uncle Mehmet is an experienced chef, and the maker of their house sauce used in their dishes. Owner Safak spent 4 long months trying to find an ideal location, before discovering this lil corner at the edge of town. Some of the reasons why he picked this location include the proximity to offices, educational institutes and town. He disclosed that there are plans to set up another outlet once they find a good location.

Despite being small in size, Sultan Kebab’s space is effectively maximised with a sleek takeaway counter (complete with stools) for those who are on-the-go, and tables for dine-ins. The menu here consists of Turkish favourites like kebab rolls and iskender. Iskender is actually small cubes of bread with meat, yogurt & tomatoes topped with their secret-recipe sauce. Pick from a choice of chicken/beef -in a sandwich ($5.50), roll ($5.50) [*****], with rice ($7.50) or an iskender kebab.

Are you thinking that the menu is a tad too simple? Don’t be too quick to judge.
Their Beef sells out by 2-3 pm daily. Safak believes that it is better to focus on a simple menu, and have your food taste good. kudos to that. An interesting thing to note is how they prepare their meats. It takes
2 whole days to thaw & marinate their meats once their daily supply comes in. Yes, they prepare them on a daily basis. All this meat is then transferred onto skewers to be cooked & served by the kilos. 10 kilos worth of meat can feed an approx. 50-60 pax, according to Suat who adds that they offer a catering service on the side.

Personally, I loved their chicken roll (as seen below)..juicy morsels of tender chicken coupled with lots of lettuce, butter & that zesty secret-recipe.

image taken from www.chubbyhubby.net

I believe this place will go a looooong way with their good Turkish meats at affordable prices…so do drop by for a visit!

//all prices are nett. hooray to that!

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – $
Service – 9/10
Ambience – 7/10
Accessibility – 8/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Address:
1 Sophia Road, #01-15
Peace Centre
Singapore 228149

Tel: +65 6338 8750

Website: http://www.sultankebab.com.sg

Opening hours: Open daily from 11am till they sell-out
Dress code: casual
Nearest MRT: Dhoby Ghaut
Buses: 65, 64, 857, 131, 139, 147…