“If it doesn’t taste good, tell us. If it does, tell your friends!”

That’s the motto for Rahim’s Malay Food. Opened since the 1960s, the secret recipes for Rahim Muslim Food’s mouth watering dishes has been passed down through two generations.

I have walked past this stall countless of times whenever I visit the gym. But I always don’t have the chance to try it. Either I need to go off for lunch somewhere else or they are not opened on some Sundays. So two weeks ago, I have finally tried it!

By the time I reach the stall, it was about 11.45am on a Sunday. There was already a snake queue forming and it took us about 40 mins to reach our turn.

The signature item at Rahim Muslim Food is their special Power Mee Rebus. This dish has been featured in The Straits times and winning awards from various television shows such as Makansutra and Makan Boomz.

So what’s so special leh? Their Mee Rebus ($3) comes with a whole ladle full of satay sauce atop the noodles. The thickness of the gravy is balanced with the nutty taste of the satay sauce. You can also add chicken meat with additional 80 cents which I strongly recommend you to do so. Because the chicken is super tender, together with some green chilli and lime, this plate of POWER rebus is tasty and delicious.

I find their Mee Soto ($3.80) not as power lah. The soup is clear and turmeric-enhanced. I quite enjoy the chilli which gives a kick but I thought the soup can have more oomph. To be fair, I am not a fan of Mee Soto in the first place.

Actually, among all the 3 dishes I have tried from this stall, my favourite is the satay (60 cents each, min 10 sticks)! It is traditionally BBQ-ed over charcoal and served with their sweet peanut gravy.

Verdict? Not bad lah, for the plate of power mee rebus! I like that they have some satay sauce which makes the mee rebus interesting. But I don’t think I will queue for another 40 minutes again.

Rahim Muslim Food
Address: Blk 721 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8 Coffeeshop
Opening hours: 11.30am to 8pm, closed alternate Sunday

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Hajah Maimunah Restaurant is one of the more highly acclaimed Malay restaurants in Kampong Glam offering traditional kampung-styled cuisine. It has won many hearts and has even been featured on celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain’s television show. When our Australian friend, Jayne, came to Singapore for a visit recently, we brought her here for lunch to let her have a taste of the many different types of Malay food.

My favourite dish is tahu telur. The soft beancurd comes with crispy egg on top and drizzled with a wonderful blend of black sauce that was sweet and savoury at the same time. The ayam lemak cili padi looks watery but it tastes good. Lemak enough and once you drank a mouthful, you go like “oh mine, quite spicy leh!”.

The rice was quite mushy fluffy but thankfully, the rich, well-balanced gravy of the tender beef rendang more than made up for its shortcoming. It was a mistake to order the deep fried stingray as the texture was too dry.

Other hot favourites include Lemak Siput (snails in coconut milk), Ayam Bakar Padang (grilled chicken) and Ox’s Tail Soup. Remember to pair it with their sambal belachan. They also serve desserts such as Bubur Cha Cha and Odeh Odeh (Pandan dessert filled with palm sugar).

Hajah Maimunah Restaurant

Address: 11 & 15 Jalan Pisang, Singapore 199082
Tel: 6297 4294
Website: https://www.hjmaimunah.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maimunahfoods

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I was never a fan of mee soto. A lot of them were either too oily or too watery for my liking. Sometimes, the turmeric was too overpowering. Last week, Chris from Iskina Cebu Mee soto introduced us to Syaza Nasi Padang’s Mee Soto, which is located in the same coffeeshop.

This coffeeshop near Paya Lebar MRT has two stalls with long queue – one is Iskina Cebu, another is Syaza Nasi Padang. How good can it be? Our dear makan guru went to join in the queue immediately after we secured a seat. And he came back with a plate of nasi briyani and mee soto. We first had a sip of the soup, and both of us nod our head concurrently. T

This yellowish soup uses the essence of chicken broth as a base, mixed with their homemade rempah gives the aroma and flavour which is lacking in many other mee soto stalls. Garnished with parsley, fried shallots, crispy bean sprouts and shredded chicken, we couldn’t stop after one mouthful.

The mutton briyani ($10) we had was delivered in spades. What joy it is to dig into the pile of aromatic rice topped with mutton rendang. The rice was fluffy and soft (not firm) without being too greasy. It’s a very definite chilli kick. Inside, I find a good amount of tender meat. Preparing it is a tedious process but the old couple owner won’t settle for anything less. They come in every morning at 5am to cook the food for the lunch crowd before shutting at 5pm to prepare for the following day.

I haven’t tried Amirah & Nur Aniqah Mee Soto & Mee Rebus to compare, but Syaza Nasi Padang definitely has good mee soto and nasi briyani. I will be back for their nasi padang! Make sure you come early.

Syaza Nasi Padang
Blk 1016 Geylang East Ave 3 (opp Paya Lebar MRT)
Opening hours: 7:30am to 3pm, closed on Sundays

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Popular with diners for serving local favourites within the comfort of a quaint nostalgic setting, Kopi Tiam at Swissôtel The Stamford has introduced a delightful choice of brand new dishes.

Meat lovers can also look forward to the Steamed Preserved Vegetables and Pork Belly, served in oyster sauce with garlic and shallots that give a nice aromatic flavour in each bite. The Stir-Fried French Beans ($18) with dried shrimps and minced chicken was a little old and dry.

Other highlights include Ayam Panggang and Wok-Fried Beef with Shaoxing Wine and Soya Sauce. Well-received classic dishes like the Nasi Goreng Istimewa, Fried Carrot Cake, Bak Kut Teh (Pork Rib Soup) and Kopi Tiam’s Signature Black Pepper /Chilli Crabs ($108) will remain as menu mainstays, much to the delight of regular patrons

Take a cultural trip down memory lane as Kopi Tiam brings back a unique blend of Malay and Chinese culinary influences through its popular rendition of Nyonya cuisine. Available from 17 August to 13 September 2015, enjoy classic Peranakan dishes such as Itek Tim, Ikan Assam Kari and Sambal Sotong.

Made with chicken braised in a thick, spicy tamarind gravy with buah keluak nuts, Ayam Buah Keluak ($20) is one of the most labour-intensive Peranakan dishes to prepare. The gravy is made from a blend of spices consisting of candlenuts, turmeric, chilli, galangal etc and stir-fried till fragrant. We love that the chicken were served in generous chunks with flesh that is tender but I thought the gravy can be thicker and more aromatic.

Babi Pong Tay ($20) is a classic nonya dish where the soybean paste is braised with pork with right proportion of lean and fats. Fried Petai Prawn Sambal ($22) is stir fried with sambal belacan sauce which has a combination of flavour – sweet, salty, slightly sour and spicy!

We ended our lunch with Pisang Goreng ($9) featuring sweet ripe bananas deep-fried to crispy, golden perfection and paired with maple syrup and vanilla ice cream.

Kopi Tiam

Address: Level 2, Swissôtel The Stamford
Tel: +65 6431 6156
Website: www.swissotelkopitiam.com.sg
Opening hours: Lunch 11.30am to 2.30pm (Monday to Friday); 12.00pm to 2.30pm (Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays). Dinner 6.00pm to 10.30pm (Monday to Sunday).

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Selamat Hari Raya Haji! It’s the start of weekend feasting with my makan kaki Derrick. Our first stop is the super filling nasi ambeng for lunch at Pu3 Restaurant. Thank you to the tip-off from FINS, I ended at a nasi padang restaurant in Bencoolen to try their nasi ambeng.

I have previously tried Ambeng Cafe by Ummi Abdullah and was impressed by the massive display of dishes on the plate. The special thing about this traditional Javanese cuisine is that the fragrant rice and about 8 dishes are traditionally served in large trays and eaten in groups to encourage communal dining – so bring the whole gang, wash your hands and tuck in “makan tangan” style. Honestly, things always taste nicer when you tuck in with your hands.

To make good nasi ampeng, the most important and basic ingredient is the rendang. And by having an excellent rendang is half the battle won. I prefer this restaurant’s nasi ambeng than East Village’s one because the beef rendang is softer and has a more tender bite. Its curry chicken is cooked in a fragrant and slightly spicy coconut gravy. I like that the meat is infused in the gravy. Other dishes include daging, sambal goreng, terung, paru, bagerdil, sambal kachang ikan bilis, serunding, udang, urap, sambal belachan and ikan kering.

Its nasi ambeng sahan set comes in 1 pax ($7.50), 2 pax ($29.90) or 4 pax ($50.80). We went for the 2 pax portion. Served on a big platter, the dish is completed with up to ten side dishes (actually I think four pax also can). The service was good and the staff was very helpful with our requests. If I am more hungry the next time, I would like to try their tauhu goreng!

Pu3 Restaurant

Address: #01-06, Bencoolen Residences, 51 Bencoolen Street, 189630
Tel: 6338 4419
Opening hours: Mon – Fri 10am – 9pm; Sat: 11am – 4pm
Website: http://pu3.com.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pu3restaurant/

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After I wrote about 20 Halal Cafes in Singapore beginning of this year, I was introduced to more great cafes by all of you. I wanna say thank you to everyone of you who contributed, I decided to continue my quest. This time round, I visited the east of Singapore to hunt for some good halal cafes to makan. It took me 3 months to complete but it was rewarding, as I spent more time at each location and spoke to many of owners to understand their food better. Creating this list helps me a lot when I wanna organize a trip with my Muslim buddies. Hope it’s useful for you too! (Note: I paid for all my meals)

10 Halal Cafes in the East, You Need To Try! 

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Badoque Café
Address: 298 Bedok Road, Singapore 469454
Tel: +65 6446 6928
Opening Hours: 12pm to 11pm daily

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Badoque (Malay slang for eat) has developed a loyal following among the local Malay community because of the café’s cozy vibe and good food. The café features an internationally inspired menu – Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian Fusion. You will love the Greek salad, seafood pasta, lamb shanks, olive oil dressing, and potato wrapped prawns at Badoque Café.

The bestseller is the Badoque Ribs ($36), which gave us a bit of a shock, in a good way—it was 5cm thick and almost as long as my arm. The accompanying brown sauce had a nice silky consistency helped by the addition of beef drippings and jus. Meat is grilled well-done and served hot to your table with potatoes and greens. We suggest you share your food with your loved ones — the portions are very generous.

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Tash Tish Tosh
Address: 314 Bedok Road at Simpang Bedok
Tel: 8714 8677
Opening Hours: Tues – Sun 3pm – 10:30pm

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Named after the owner’s daughter childhood name, Tash Tish Tosh started as a sandwich café in Onan Road. Now located at Simpang Bedok, they have expanded their menu with more delicious offerings. Fans of buffalo wings ($9.90), look no further than Tash Tish Tosh for your next fix. These wings are layered in spices, crispy on the outside yet juicy on the inside. The wings are coated with a mildly spicy sauce, it’s finger linkin’ good!

Along with these must-try spicy and tangy wings, enjoy Under The Sea ($14.90 small / $19.90 big) – a thin crust pizza brimming with prawns and squid, gooey mozzarella and excellent homemade white sauce on the pizza base. Another dish that surprised me was their Toolang ($9.90), it was well-steeped in its marrow-rich flavours.

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Penny University
Address: 402 East Coast Road Singapore 428997
Tel: +65 9008 9314
Opening hours: Mon – Thu 8.30am to 6pm; Fri – Sat 8.30m to 10.30pm; Sun 8.30m to 7pm

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Penny University is a term that originated from 18th century coffeehouses in London, England. Instead of paying for drinks, people were charged a penny to enter a coffeehouse. But here in Katong, you don’t have to pay a penny to enter the cafe. It’s free admission yo! There is no cappuccinos or lattes here. You just have to pick from the 3, 5 and 7oz. cup sizes and simply state if you’d like milk in your coffee.

The place was bustling with cafe-goers especially on weekends. They source their beans from local roasters, serve specialist cakes and bread freshly baked daily in the area, support and collaborate with local bakers and aim to be a haven for people of the East Coast and beyond. I had a plate of Turkish Eggs for brunch. With lightly whipped yoghurt and topped with homemade spicy moroccan harissa sauce, it gives the eggs a spicy dimension. And there’s sourdough for dipping.

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Olivye Cafe
Address: Blk 5 Changi Village Road, #01-2009, Singapore 500005
Tel: 81397418
Opening hours: 11.30am to 10pm

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We went for halal gelato that day. The salted caramel ice cream was thick and creamy, but a tad too sweet for our liking. There is other local flavours like Durian and Chempedak parading alongside classics of the Italian iced delicacy. Their menu is rather affordable, they have a set lunch at only $9.90, choose from black pepper chicken, black pepper fish, tomato chicken spaghetti, tomato fish spaghetti, cream fish spaghetti or seafood tom yam spaghetti, complete with soda of the day and in-house soup or small classic gelato. The Chicken Corden Bleu with fries and coleslaw looks tempting.

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The Royals Cafe
Address: Crescendo Building, 19 Upper East Coast Road
Tel: 6445 6457
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 9am to 10pm; Sat, Sun 8.30am to 10.30pm

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We went for lunch at the Siglap branch on a humid Saturday afternoon. I am glad that they have air conditioning because we walked quite a distance to come here. Honestly, go for their Mee Siam because it’s really very good. The big bowl is not just full of the rice vermicelli, but also generous ingredients like tau pok, prawns etc. The gravy is a little sourish, a little sweetish and a little spicy. I recommend that you stir in the sambal because it gives a little punch. Their grandma’s chocolate cake is one of the best sellers, but I decided to go for rainbow cake instead (don’t judge me, it was a Saturday). The layers of sponge cake was soft and the cream was light.

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The Finest Tea Shop
Address: 4 Changi Village Road #01-2060, Singapore 500004
Tel: 6543 1723
Opening Hours: Tue-Thu 12pm – 8pm; Fri 10 am – 10pm; Sat-Sun 8:30am – 10pm

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Photo Credit: The Finest Tea Shop

The Finest Tea Shop is one of the better cafes that serve great brunch and dessert in my opinion. But unfortunately, I lost the set of photos that I have taken, hence i am currently using their pictures on Facebook and will replace it as soon as I found it. Their signature Sweet & Spicy BBQ Beef Burger has got sexy poached egg atop the juicy beef patty. The service is very friendly and they make real good cupcakes. My favourites includec Salted Caramel cupcake, Ondeh-ondeh cupcake, Pandan Gula Melaka Cake. Good news is, they have wifi in the cafe!

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Peloton
Address: 1 Changi Village Road #01-2008, Singapore 500001
Tel: 6543 2771
Opening Hours: Mon to Thu 12pm to 9pm; Fri 12pm to 10pm; Sat & Sun 10am to 10pm

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“Peloton” means “the main field or group of cyclists in a race”. This is exactly what this cafe is all about. Conceptualised with cyclists in mind, the café has ample space for cyclists to park their bicycles while they grab a quick bite.

Serving an array of juices and healthy food options together with common fares such as waffles and sarnies. I ordered the Fruity Delight ($11.90), which had a giant scoop of banocoffee ice cream, sliced banana, fresh strawberries, drizzled with salted caramel sauce. The waffle is a little chewy but not heavy. More bananas please.

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Sarah’s The Pancake Cafe
Address: 430 Upper Changi Rd, #01-062 East Village, Singapore 487048
Tel: 9688 4163
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon-Thurs), 9am – 11:30am, 2:30am – 11:30pm (Fri), 9am – 11:30pm (Sat), 9am – 10:30pm (Sun)

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Opened by a husband-and-wife duo with backgrounds in Engineering and Human Resources, Sarah’s The Pancake Cafe offers affordable pancakes in East Village. We tried some savoury pancakes including Wild Mushrooms ($12) where the fluffy pancakes are served with creamy wild mushroom ragout and greens. There is also Benedict ($15) with slices of smoked salmon and poached egg on pancakes, drizzled with homemade hollandaise. My favourite creations is the Ala Dol ($12), featuring crepes spread with fresh red bean paste, sprinkled with sweet corn kernel, attap chee, pandan chendol, and a drizzle of gula Melaka.

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Cookwerx by Chef Taj
Address: 430 Upper Changi Road #01-60 East Village Singapore 487048
Tel: 6702 1360
Opening Hours: Mon 4pm-10pm, Tues-Sun 10am-10pm

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Owned by a private chef, Cookwerx by Chef Taj is a cafe that serves simple and homely food with great flavours. For the ultimate indulgence on the menu, you can’t go wrong with a lovely, juicy Sirloin Steak ($22.90) with garlic mash potato and mushroom brown sauce. It had been expertly cooked: beautifully grilled on the outside, and bloodily pink in the middle. Though your waistband might complain, but you may like to try their Fish & Chips ($10.90), with coleslaw topping the bill. It’s flaky and tender flesh beneath a perfect honey-coloured batter. The chips were good too: chunky yet crisp.

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Alt-Yard
Address: Tampines West Community Club, 5 Tampines Avenue 3
Opening hours: 12pm – 8:30pm.. Closed on Mondays

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Even though Alt-Yard is considered more like a takeaway space at Tampines West Community Club, but I really want to introduce it to you guys because they serve excellent coffee and churros! If you didn’t know, this is a desserts & specialty coffee bar by Penny University & Fluff Bakery.

Made only upon order, the churros ($3.80 for 7 pcs) are medium sized sticks coated lightly in fragrant cinammon sugar. It’s crunchy on the outside and moist and airy on the inside. There is also a choice of three house-made dips – chocolate ganache or salted caramel. They also have an ondeh ondeh version ($3.80 for seven) covered in shredded coconut, which comes with gula melaka dip. But it’s so popular that it’s sold out very quickly and I didn’t have the chance to try it during my visit. Excellent coffee though!

The post 10 Halal Cafes in the East – Lamb Racks, Buffalo Wings, Mee Siam, Churros, Pancakes – Find Out Where To Makan! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I got a little excited when I eat Nasi Ambeng. I have tried Ambeng Cafe in East Village and Pu3 in Bencoolen. Despite enjoying my meal, my pocket became thinner. So when Uncle Smart arranged for the makan kakis to try a $5.50 Nasi Ambeng in Bedok South Hawker Centre, my eyes brightened up!

Opened for less than a month, owner Ibu Bida (right) gave up her corporate job to start a hawker stall. She hired a talented Indonesian cook (centre) from Tanjung Pinang to whip up a good spread of dishes. Coincidentally, her handsome young son was there to help her mum during our visit.

Your inclination at Enak, is definitely to order the $5.50 Nasi Ambeng – a traditional and authentic Javanese feast served in a platter. I think this is the best deal in town. For that price, you get steamed rice surrounded by some of Indonesia’s greatest hits: beef rendang, sambal goreng, bergedil (potato patty), achar (pickled vegetables), terung (spicy brinjal), serunding (grated coconut) and an excellent sambal belancan. That beef rendang has been braised in coconut milk to a blissed-out state, as if the meat can’t wait to disperse itself. The belancan perk things up greatly, so shiok!

They also have nasi lemak ($3.50) with rice, chicken wings, fish, egg and sambal chilli. The sambal was slightly too sweet for us. We were also treated to a plate of curry fish head. Unfortunately, it was too fishy for my liking.

There are other breakfast items. Mee Rebus ($2.50) – a simple dish of thick yellow noodles with taupok, green chilli and a hard-boiled egg drenched in a flavourful spicy-sour gravy. The gravy is not overpoweringly starchy. Mee Siam ($2.50) was too watered down that day. But surprisingly, the star for us was the Mee Soto ($2.50). The soup has many layers of flavours and a perfect balance of spices – not one outshines the others. It is strong, rich and robust, unlike the many versions out there that are weak and lack depth of flavour.

Enak
Address: Blk 16 Bedok South Road Market & Food Centre, Singapore 460016.
Opening hours: Opens daily till late lunch. Closed on Tuesdays.

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Having a row of hawker stalls dedicated to Malay food at every hawker centre in Singapore is a very common sight. However, you seldom find dishes such as Nasi Rawan nor Nasi Ambeng at hawker centres. Selera Menanti Traditional Malay Cuisine offers quite a number of delicious authentic Malay dishes and we were ecstatic to be able to try most of them due to exploring the Northern part of Singapore in a group of four.

Opened since 1993 in one of the shophouses along Balestier, they have later moved to Wet Market Hawker Centre in Marsiling and served more varieties of dishes for breakfast. Its new dishes, Laksa Chap (Laksa Siglap), Lontong Kering, Nasi Rawon, Nasi Sambal Goreng and Nasi Ambeng have also become famous over the years. They have also D’ Selera Menanti that manages catering.

Besides winning many of its customers’ hearts with its famous Mee Rebus (sold out during our visit), the Soto Ayam ($3) features thick yellow Hokkien noodles and a generous portion of tasty shredded chicken soaked in a spicy chicken broth. The broth is made from chicken cooked with rempah and turmeric. Many ingredients are used to prepare the rempah including ginger, galangal, cumin, fennel, nutmeg etc. We really enjoyed this soto ayam as the chilli gave it a spicy edge.

We also tried their Lontong Kuah ($3.50) and Laksa Siglap ($3). The former consists of fork-tender rice cakes which we found too mushy but still fragrant and manages to soak up the broth really well. The latter, on the other hand, differs from the usual ones we get in Singapore. Laksa Siglap has a super strong coconut aroma and more herbs are added. The noodles are thick and springy, which is different from the rice vermicelli. In this case, raw beansprouts and a big dollop of hot chilli paste are added. It had a little tanginess which reminded us a little of Assam Laksa.

We wanted to try Nasi Ambeng too but unfortunately, it was sold out. Hence, we shared a plate of Nasi Rawan ($4.50) instead. We could choose between chicken and beef rendang and we took the latter. This is a hearty plate of beef rendang with rice, accompanied by achar which was so appetizing it whets your appetite for more, potato, toufu, long beans, aromatic fried coconut and mutton bits. The whole package was simply irresistible and really value-for-money.

Although this neighbourhood is quite hidden and not that accessible, it was worth our time traveling for the food served here. Furthermore, the lady who tended to us was really friendly and helpful. She knows what to recommend when you tell her what you’re craving for. We are already planning our next visit as we really want to try their Mee Rebus, Mee Siam and Nasi Ambeng.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

The post Selera Menanti Traditional Malay Cuisine – Excellent Malay Breakfast in Marsiling appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Singapore is one of the top destinations for foodies as we have many different varieties of food to offer due to our multi-cultural and religious mix of citizens living here. So today, we’re bringing you 7 delicious Halal food in Yishun and Woodlands that we feel are worth traveling for.

Super Penyet

As its name suggests, this stall is famous for Ayam Penyet but what people really patronise them for is their unique Ikan (fish) Penyet. Unfortunately, their fish wasn’t ready when we arrived at 11.30am so we could only try the Nasi Ayam Penyet ($5) and Nasi Goreng Ayam Penyet ($5.50). The former comes with aromatic nasi lemak rice enhanced by coconut milk while the latter comes with fried rice. The chicken was marinated so well such that its flavours went into the tender meat. It’s also fried to a crisp golden brown and we couldn’t help but finish the crispy skin first. The chilli sauce that accompanies the dish packs a really good punch – fiery spicy! This hawker also makes their own Malay kuehs such as Ondeh Ondeh ($1.50) and Kueh Lupis ($1), made with glutinous rice that we found were consistent and not too sticky so it doesn’t get stuck onto your teeth when you’re chewing. This is complemented by shredded coconut and a rich thick palm sugar which enhanced its taste.

Selera Menanti Traditional Malay Cuisine

This is perhaps one of the rare few hawker stalls that sell Nasi Rawan, a rice dish accompanied by either beef or chicken rendang and some vegetables. We had the beef rendang nasi rawan ($4.50) which came with an appetisingly sourish azhar, potatoes, toufu, long beans, mutton bits and sinful fried coconut. The beef were cooked so well that it’s fork-tender and boasts a strong savoury flavour and we enjoyed indulging in the mutton bits. The fried coconut gave this entire dish a good textural crunch. We also had Lontong Kuah ($3.50) and Laksa ($3) which we found average. The Lontong is extremely spicy so do prepare lots of water! Our favourite dish is the Soto Ayam ($3). Yellow Hokkien noodles and shredded chicken are soaked in a chicken broth that’s so amazing, we didn’t leave any last drop. We would’ve loved to try their Mee Rebus and Nasi Ambeng but unfortunately, it was sold out at the time we were there.

Madini Food Stall

Located almost beside Woodlands checkpoint lies this hidden gem, serving Indian-Muslim food. We only noticed that it was ranked as one of the top 10 Briyani stalls under City Hawker Food Hunt 2012 upon ordering our food. We had to try the Chicken Briyani ($5.50) since it was rumoured to be so good. Oh boy, were we in for a surprise! The meat was tender and had a good amount of spicy kick while each grain of basmati rice was cooked so well with a good consistency. We also shared Mutton Curry ($3.50) and some mixed vegetables ($1) consisting of cabbage and long beans. One of my dining partners finished the entire mutton cause she described it to be one of the better ones in Singapore. Lastly, we also had Chapati with Keema ($5). The Chapati was really good as it helped neutralize all the spiciness from the other dishes we had and it goes perfectly well with Keema, a kind of minced mutton curry with peas and potatoes.

Citrus by The Pool

This is a Halal-certified Western café conveniently situated at Woodlands Swimming Complex. It’s no wonder we saw a couple of kids greedily tucking into cheese fries and other fried items together. They must have just finished their swim and are filling their stomachs with tasty and affordable snacks. This café is really appropriate for sunny days as they serve ice cream, waffles and cakes too! We had their Rocky Road Treat Waffle ($8.50) served with a scoop of paddle-pop ice cream, marshmallows, berries, bananas and nuts. We would’ve enjoyed more if their waffles were a tad crispier. However, the paddle-pop ice cream brought us back to our childhood days so we really liked it. Another dessert that we had was Rainbow Paddle-Pop Cheesecake ($8.80). This was really creamy but not too heavy, boasting a tinge of sweetness and slight tangy-ness. Looking for somewhere to cool down from the heat? Why not head over to Woodlands Swimming Complex for a quick swim before indulging in some desserts?

Dad’s Corner

This hawker stall is started up with the aim of providing affordable and delicious food. Their menu is quite comprehensive, serving Western food like pasta and burgers, meat and seafood platters, sides and even Asian food. We had Cheese Fries ($3) and Baked Pasta with Grilled Chicken ($9). We wouldn’t say these dishes were fantastic but they’re good enough if you live around Woodlands Community Club and have a random craving for simple and affordable food. We felt that the Baked Pasta could have a little more cheese but the chicken was grilled quite well, boasting tender, juicy meat.

Burger Up

As its name suggests, this café serves unique flavours of burgers that might give fast food joints a run for their money, although they price it a little steeper than fast food joints. Under their Supreme Burgers category, there are the Herba-licious Burger, Relish Burger and Cranberry Chicken Burger. We chose the Relish Burger ($11.80), featuring a succulent, juicy beef burger with caramelized onions, eggs and bacon. The flavours exploded in our mouth and each bite was sinfully satisfying. They also serve Yuan Yang Burger, Surf & Turf Burger and others. Besides burgers, this café also offers rice combos and fried chicken, of which we had two pieces of Chicky Goreng ($7.50). Each bite started with a savoury crunch before we sank our teeth deeper into the tender layer of meat underneath.

Bluestar Islamic Banana Leaf Restaurant

Like most 24 hours Indian-Muslim operated restaurants, Bluestar Islamic Banana Leaf Restaurant also has an extensive menu. We tried Prata Bom ($1.60) and Cheese Chicken Roti John ($5.50). The former was quite fluffy but we found its interior filled with so much sweetness that we felt we could’ve gotten diabetes. Made us wonder just how much condense milk they’ve added to the Bom. The latter, on the other hand, was extremely spicy so be warned, this isn’t for the faint-hearted! The spiciness was too overwhelming that we felt we couldn’t really taste other savoury flavours. However, if you’re a person who loves spicy food, this is a dish that we would highly recommend.

We hope the above helps people staying in the Northern part of Singapore! Either for breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper, we hope all of you find our guide helpful. Time to explore away!

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There are many good foods around Chong Pang Market and Food Centre, and Super Penyet is one of them. As its name suggests, Super Penyet is famous for Ayam Penyet.

Ayam penyet is basically fried chicken that is smashed with the pestle-and-mortar to make it softer and served with slices of cucumber and a fiery-hot spicy sambal. Super Penyet’s Nasi Ayam Penyet ($5) comes with aromatic nasi lemak rice enhanced by coconut milk. The chicken was marinated so well such that its flavours went into the tender meat. It’s also fried to a crisp golden brown and we couldn’t help but finish the crispy skin first. The homemade sambal sauce, consisting of a blend of chilli, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste, tamarind and lime juice, packs a really good punch!

Nasi Goreng Ayam Penyet ($5.50) differs from the usual ayam penyet as it comes with fried rice. We found the rice very tasty, with a good consistency in texture and having a well-balanced moist – not overly mushy-soft nor overly hard and grainy. The hawker has well-coated each grain of rice with the spices they used while cooking. This Nasi Goreng complements the already superb fried chicken very well. Another popular item in the stall is the unique Ikan (fish) Penyet.

Super Penyet also makes their own Malay kuehs such as Ondeh Ondeh ($1.50) and Kueh Lupis ($1), made with glutinous rice that we found were consistent and not too sticky to the extent it gets stuck onto your teeth when you’re chewing. This is complemented by shredded coconut and a rich thick palm sugar which enhanced its taste.

They also have outlets in Starhub Green and Changi Business Park.

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“If it doesn’t taste good, tell us. If it does, tell your friends!”

That’s the motto for Rahim’s Malay Food. Opened since the 1960s, the secret recipes for Rahim Muslim Food’s mouth watering dishes has been passed down through two generations.

I have walked past this stall countless of times whenever I visit the gym. But I always don’t have the chance to try it. Either I need to go off for lunch somewhere else or they are not opened on some Sundays. So two weeks ago, I have finally tried it!

By the time I reach the stall, it was about 11.45am on a Sunday. There was already a snake queue forming and it took us about 40 mins to reach our turn.

The signature item at Rahim Muslim Food is their special Power Mee Rebus. This dish has been featured in The Straits times and winning awards from various television shows such as Makansutra and Makan Boomz.

So what’s so special leh? Their Mee Rebus ($3) comes with a whole ladle full of satay sauce atop the noodles. The thickness of the gravy is balanced with the nutty taste of the satay sauce. You can also add chicken meat with additional 80 cents which I strongly recommend you to do so. Because the chicken is super tender, together with some green chilli and lime, this plate of POWER rebus is tasty and delicious.

I find their Mee Soto ($3.80) not as power lah. The soup is clear and turmeric-enhanced. I quite enjoy the chilli which gives a kick but I thought the soup can have more oomph. To be fair, I am not a fan of Mee Soto in the first place.

Actually, among all the 3 dishes I have tried from this stall, my favourite is the satay (60 cents each, min 10 sticks)! It is traditionally BBQ-ed over charcoal and served with their sweet peanut gravy.

Verdict? Not bad lah, for the plate of power mee rebus! I like that they have some satay sauce which makes the mee rebus interesting. But I don’t think I will queue for another 40 minutes again.

Rahim Muslim Food
Address: Blk 721 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8 Coffeeshop
Opening hours: 11.30am to 8pm, closed alternate Sunday

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Hajah Maimunah Restaurant is one of the more highly acclaimed Malay restaurants in Kampong Glam offering traditional kampung-styled cuisine. It has won many hearts and has even been featured on celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain’s television show. When our Australian friend, Jayne, came to Singapore for a visit recently, we brought her here for lunch to let her have a taste of the many different types of Malay food.

My favourite dish is tahu telur. The soft beancurd comes with crispy egg on top and drizzled with a wonderful blend of black sauce that was sweet and savoury at the same time. The ayam lemak cili padi looks watery but it tastes good. Lemak enough and once you drank a mouthful, you go like “oh mine, quite spicy leh!”.

The rice was quite mushy fluffy but thankfully, the rich, well-balanced gravy of the tender beef rendang more than made up for its shortcoming. It was a mistake to order the deep fried stingray as the texture was too dry.

Other hot favourites include Lemak Siput (snails in coconut milk), Ayam Bakar Padang (grilled chicken) and Ox’s Tail Soup. Remember to pair it with their sambal belachan. They also serve desserts such as Bubur Cha Cha and Odeh Odeh (Pandan dessert filled with palm sugar).

Hajah Maimunah Restaurant

Address: 11 & 15 Jalan Pisang, Singapore 199082
Tel: 6297 4294
Website: https://www.hjmaimunah.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maimunahfoods

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I was never a fan of mee soto. A lot of them were either too oily or too watery for my liking. Sometimes, the turmeric was too overpowering. Last week, Chris from Iskina Cebu Mee soto introduced us to Syaza Nasi Padang’s Mee Soto, which is located in the same coffeeshop.

This coffeeshop near Paya Lebar MRT has two stalls with long queue – one is Iskina Cebu, another is Syaza Nasi Padang. How good can it be? Our dear makan guru went to join in the queue immediately after we secured a seat. And he came back with a plate of nasi briyani and mee soto. We first had a sip of the soup, and both of us nod our head concurrently. T

This yellowish soup uses the essence of chicken broth as a base, mixed with their homemade rempah gives the aroma and flavour which is lacking in many other mee soto stalls. Garnished with parsley, fried shallots, crispy bean sprouts and shredded chicken, we couldn’t stop after one mouthful.

The mutton briyani ($10) we had was delivered in spades. What joy it is to dig into the pile of aromatic rice topped with mutton rendang. The rice was fluffy and soft (not firm) without being too greasy. It’s a very definite chilli kick. Inside, I find a good amount of tender meat. Preparing it is a tedious process but the old couple owner won’t settle for anything less. They come in every morning at 5am to cook the food for the lunch crowd before shutting at 5pm to prepare for the following day.

I haven’t tried Amirah & Nur Aniqah Mee Soto & Mee Rebus to compare, but Syaza Nasi Padang definitely has good mee soto and nasi briyani. I will be back for their nasi padang! Make sure you come early.

Syaza Nasi Padang
Blk 1016 Geylang East Ave 3 (opp Paya Lebar MRT)
Opening hours: 7:30am to 3pm, closed on Sundays

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Popular with diners for serving local favourites within the comfort of a quaint nostalgic setting, Kopi Tiam at Swissôtel The Stamford has introduced a delightful choice of brand new dishes.

Meat lovers can also look forward to the Steamed Preserved Vegetables and Pork Belly, served in oyster sauce with garlic and shallots that give a nice aromatic flavour in each bite. The Stir-Fried French Beans ($18) with dried shrimps and minced chicken was a little old and dry.

Other highlights include Ayam Panggang and Wok-Fried Beef with Shaoxing Wine and Soya Sauce. Well-received classic dishes like the Nasi Goreng Istimewa, Fried Carrot Cake, Bak Kut Teh (Pork Rib Soup) and Kopi Tiam’s Signature Black Pepper /Chilli Crabs ($108) will remain as menu mainstays, much to the delight of regular patrons

Take a cultural trip down memory lane as Kopi Tiam brings back a unique blend of Malay and Chinese culinary influences through its popular rendition of Nyonya cuisine. Available from 17 August to 13 September 2015, enjoy classic Peranakan dishes such as Itek Tim, Ikan Assam Kari and Sambal Sotong.

Made with chicken braised in a thick, spicy tamarind gravy with buah keluak nuts, Ayam Buah Keluak ($20) is one of the most labour-intensive Peranakan dishes to prepare. The gravy is made from a blend of spices consisting of candlenuts, turmeric, chilli, galangal etc and stir-fried till fragrant. We love that the chicken were served in generous chunks with flesh that is tender but I thought the gravy can be thicker and more aromatic.

Babi Pong Tay ($20) is a classic nonya dish where the soybean paste is braised with pork with right proportion of lean and fats. Fried Petai Prawn Sambal ($22) is stir fried with sambal belacan sauce which has a combination of flavour – sweet, salty, slightly sour and spicy!

We ended our lunch with Pisang Goreng ($9) featuring sweet ripe bananas deep-fried to crispy, golden perfection and paired with maple syrup and vanilla ice cream.

Kopi Tiam

Address: Level 2, Swissôtel The Stamford
Tel: +65 6431 6156
Website: www.swissotelkopitiam.com.sg
Opening hours: Lunch 11.30am to 2.30pm (Monday to Friday); 12.00pm to 2.30pm (Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays). Dinner 6.00pm to 10.30pm (Monday to Sunday).

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Selamat Hari Raya Haji! It’s the start of weekend feasting with my makan kaki Derrick. Our first stop is the super filling nasi ambeng for lunch at Pu3 Restaurant. Thank you to the tip-off from FINS, I ended at a nasi padang restaurant in Bencoolen to try their nasi ambeng.

I have previously tried Ambeng Cafe by Ummi Abdullah and was impressed by the massive display of dishes on the plate. The special thing about this traditional Javanese cuisine is that the fragrant rice and about 8 dishes are traditionally served in large trays and eaten in groups to encourage communal dining – so bring the whole gang, wash your hands and tuck in “makan tangan” style. Honestly, things always taste nicer when you tuck in with your hands.

To make good nasi ampeng, the most important and basic ingredient is the rendang. And by having an excellent rendang is half the battle won. I prefer this restaurant’s nasi ambeng than East Village’s one because the beef rendang is softer and has a more tender bite. Its curry chicken is cooked in a fragrant and slightly spicy coconut gravy. I like that the meat is infused in the gravy. Other dishes include daging, sambal goreng, terung, paru, bagerdil, sambal kachang ikan bilis, serunding, udang, urap, sambal belachan and ikan kering.

Its nasi ambeng sahan set comes in 1 pax ($7.50), 2 pax ($29.90) or 4 pax ($50.80). We went for the 2 pax portion. Served on a big platter, the dish is completed with up to ten side dishes (actually I think four pax also can). The service was good and the staff was very helpful with our requests. If I am more hungry the next time, I would like to try their tauhu goreng!

Pu3 Restaurant

Address: #01-06, Bencoolen Residences, 51 Bencoolen Street, 189630
Tel: 6338 4419
Opening hours: Mon – Fri 10am – 9pm; Sat: 11am – 4pm
Website: https://web.facebook.com/pu3restaurant/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pu3restaurant/

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After I wrote about 20 Halal Cafes in Singapore beginning of this year, I was introduced to more great cafes by all of you. I wanna say thank you to everyone of you who contributed, I decided to continue my quest. This time round, I visited the east of Singapore to hunt for some good halal cafes to makan. It took me 3 months to complete but it was rewarding, as I spent more time at each location and spoke to many of owners to understand their food better. Creating this list helps me a lot when I wanna organize a trip with my Muslim buddies. Hope it’s useful for you too! (Note: I paid for all my meals)

10 Halal Cafes in the East, You Need To Try! 

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Badoque Café
Address: 298 Bedok Road, Singapore 469454
Tel: +65 6446 6928
Opening Hours: 12pm to 11pm daily

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Badoque (Malay slang for eat) has developed a loyal following among the local Malay community because of the café’s cozy vibe and good food. The café features an internationally inspired menu – Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian Fusion. You will love the Greek salad, seafood pasta, lamb shanks, olive oil dressing, and potato wrapped prawns at Badoque Café.

The bestseller is the Badoque Ribs ($36), which gave us a bit of a shock, in a good way—it was 5cm thick and almost as long as my arm. The accompanying brown sauce had a nice silky consistency helped by the addition of beef drippings and jus. Meat is grilled well-done and served hot to your table with potatoes and greens. We suggest you share your food with your loved ones — the portions are very generous.

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Tash Tish Tosh
Address: 314 Bedok Road at Simpang Bedok
Tel: 8714 8677
Opening Hours: Tues – Sun 3pm – 10:30pm

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Named after the owner’s daughter childhood name, Tash Tish Tosh started as a sandwich café in Onan Road. Now located at Simpang Bedok, they have expanded their menu with more delicious offerings. Fans of buffalo wings ($9.90), look no further than Tash Tish Tosh for your next fix. These wings are layered in spices, crispy on the outside yet juicy on the inside. The wings are coated with a mildly spicy sauce, it’s finger linkin’ good!

Along with these must-try spicy and tangy wings, enjoy Under The Sea ($14.90 small / $19.90 big) – a thin crust pizza brimming with prawns and squid, gooey mozzarella and excellent homemade white sauce on the pizza base. Another dish that surprised me was their Toolang ($9.90), it was well-steeped in its marrow-rich flavours.

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Penny University
Address: 402 East Coast Road Singapore 428997
Tel: +65 9008 9314
Opening hours: Mon – Thu 8.30am to 6pm; Fri – Sat 8.30m to 10.30pm; Sun 8.30m to 7pm

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Penny University is a term that originated from 18th century coffeehouses in London, England. Instead of paying for drinks, people were charged a penny to enter a coffeehouse. But here in Katong, you don’t have to pay a penny to enter the cafe. It’s free admission yo! There is no cappuccinos or lattes here. You just have to pick from the 3, 5 and 7oz. cup sizes and simply state if you’d like milk in your coffee.

The place was bustling with cafe-goers especially on weekends. They source their beans from local roasters, serve specialist cakes and bread freshly baked daily in the area, support and collaborate with local bakers and aim to be a haven for people of the East Coast and beyond. I had a plate of Turkish Eggs for brunch. With lightly whipped yoghurt and topped with homemade spicy moroccan harissa sauce, it gives the eggs a spicy dimension. And there’s sourdough for dipping.

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Olivye Cafe
Address: Blk 5 Changi Village Road, #01-2009, Singapore 500005
Tel: 81397418
Opening hours: 11.30am to 10pm

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We went for halal gelato that day. The salted caramel ice cream was thick and creamy, but a tad too sweet for our liking. There is other local flavours like Durian and Chempedak parading alongside classics of the Italian iced delicacy. Their menu is rather affordable, they have a set lunch at only $9.90, choose from black pepper chicken, black pepper fish, tomato chicken spaghetti, tomato fish spaghetti, cream fish spaghetti or seafood tom yam spaghetti, complete with soda of the day and in-house soup or small classic gelato. The Chicken Corden Bleu with fries and coleslaw looks tempting.

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The Royals Cafe
Address: Crescendo Building, 19 Upper East Coast Road
Tel: 6445 6457
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 9am to 10pm; Sat, Sun 8.30am to 10.30pm

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We went for lunch at the Siglap branch on a humid Saturday afternoon. I am glad that they have air conditioning because we walked quite a distance to come here. Honestly, go for their Mee Siam because it’s really very good. The big bowl is not just full of the rice vermicelli, but also generous ingredients like tau pok, prawns etc. The gravy is a little sourish, a little sweetish and a little spicy. I recommend that you stir in the sambal because it gives a little punch. Their grandma’s chocolate cake is one of the best sellers, but I decided to go for rainbow cake instead (don’t judge me, it was a Saturday). The layers of sponge cake was soft and the cream was light.

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The Finest Tea Shop
Address: 4 Changi Village Road #01-2060, Singapore 500004
Tel: 6543 1723
Opening Hours: Tue-Thu 12pm – 8pm; Fri 10 am – 10pm; Sat-Sun 8:30am – 10pm

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Photo Credit: The Finest Tea Shop

The Finest Tea Shop is one of the better cafes that serve great brunch and dessert in my opinion. But unfortunately, I lost the set of photos that I have taken, hence i am currently using their pictures on Facebook and will replace it as soon as I found it. Their signature Sweet & Spicy BBQ Beef Burger has got sexy poached egg atop the juicy beef patty. The service is very friendly and they make real good cupcakes. My favourites includec Salted Caramel cupcake, Ondeh-ondeh cupcake, Pandan Gula Melaka Cake. Good news is, they have wifi in the cafe!

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Peloton
Address: 1 Changi Village Road #01-2008, Singapore 500001
Tel: 6543 2771
Opening Hours: Mon to Thu 12pm to 9pm; Fri 12pm to 10pm; Sat & Sun 10am to 10pm

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“Peloton” means “the main field or group of cyclists in a race”. This is exactly what this cafe is all about. Conceptualised with cyclists in mind, the café has ample space for cyclists to park their bicycles while they grab a quick bite.

Serving an array of juices and healthy food options together with common fares such as waffles and sarnies. I ordered the Fruity Delight ($11.90), which had a giant scoop of banocoffee ice cream, sliced banana, fresh strawberries, drizzled with salted caramel sauce. The waffle is a little chewy but not heavy. More bananas please.

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Sarah’s The Pancake Cafe
Address: 430 Upper Changi Rd, #01-062 East Village, Singapore 487048
Tel: 9688 4163
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon-Thurs), 9am – 11:30am, 2:30am – 11:30pm (Fri), 9am – 11:30pm (Sat), 9am – 10:30pm (Sun)

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Opened by a husband-and-wife duo with backgrounds in Engineering and Human Resources, Sarah’s The Pancake Cafe offers affordable pancakes in East Village. We tried some savoury pancakes including Wild Mushrooms ($12) where the fluffy pancakes are served with creamy wild mushroom ragout and greens. There is also Benedict ($15) with slices of smoked salmon and poached egg on pancakes, drizzled with homemade hollandaise. My favourite creations is the Ala Dol ($12), featuring crepes spread with fresh red bean paste, sprinkled with sweet corn kernel, attap chee, pandan chendol, and a drizzle of gula Melaka.

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Cookwerx by Chef Taj
Address: 430 Upper Changi Road #01-60 East Village Singapore 487048
Tel: 6702 1360
Opening Hours: Mon 4pm-10pm, Tues-Sun 10am-10pm

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Owned by a private chef, Cookwerx by Chef Taj is a cafe that serves simple and homely food with great flavours. For the ultimate indulgence on the menu, you can’t go wrong with a lovely, juicy Sirloin Steak ($22.90) with garlic mash potato and mushroom brown sauce. It had been expertly cooked: beautifully grilled on the outside, and bloodily pink in the middle. Though your waistband might complain, but you may like to try their Fish & Chips ($10.90), with coleslaw topping the bill. It’s flaky and tender flesh beneath a perfect honey-coloured batter. The chips were good too: chunky yet crisp.

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Alt-Yard
Address: Tampines West Community Club, 5 Tampines Avenue 3
Opening hours: 12pm – 8:30pm.. Closed on Mondays

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Even though Alt-Yard is considered more like a takeaway space at Tampines West Community Club, but I really want to introduce it to you guys because they serve excellent coffee and churros! If you didn’t know, this is a desserts & specialty coffee bar by Penny University & Fluff Bakery.

Made only upon order, the churros ($3.80 for 7 pcs) are medium sized sticks coated lightly in fragrant cinammon sugar. It’s crunchy on the outside and moist and airy on the inside. There is also a choice of three house-made dips – chocolate ganache or salted caramel. They also have an ondeh ondeh version ($3.80 for seven) covered in shredded coconut, which comes with gula melaka dip. But it’s so popular that it’s sold out very quickly and I didn’t have the chance to try it during my visit. Excellent coffee though!

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I got a little excited when I eat Nasi Ambeng. I have tried Ambeng Cafe in East Village and Pu3 in Bencoolen. Despite enjoying my meal, my pocket became thinner. So when Uncle Smart arranged for the makan kakis to try a $5.50 Nasi Ambeng in Bedok South Hawker Centre, my eyes brightened up!

Opened for less than a month, owner Ibu Bida (right) gave up her corporate job to start a hawker stall. She hired a talented Indonesian cook (centre) from Tanjung Pinang to whip up a good spread of dishes. Coincidentally, her handsome young son was there to help her mum during our visit.

Your inclination at Enak, is definitely to order the $5.50 Nasi Ambeng – a traditional and authentic Javanese feast served in a platter. I think this is the best deal in town. For that price, you get steamed rice surrounded by some of Indonesia’s greatest hits: beef rendang, sambal goreng, bergedil (potato patty), achar (pickled vegetables), terung (spicy brinjal), serunding (grated coconut) and an excellent sambal belancan. That beef rendang has been braised in coconut milk to a blissed-out state, as if the meat can’t wait to disperse itself. The belancan perk things up greatly, so shiok!

They also have nasi lemak ($3.50) with rice, chicken wings, fish, egg and sambal chilli. The sambal was slightly too sweet for us. We were also treated to a plate of curry fish head. Unfortunately, it was too fishy for my liking.

There are other breakfast items. Mee Rebus ($2.50) – a simple dish of thick yellow noodles with taupok, green chilli and a hard-boiled egg drenched in a flavourful spicy-sour gravy. The gravy is not overpoweringly starchy. Mee Siam ($2.50) was too watered down that day. But surprisingly, the star for us was the Mee Soto ($2.50). The soup has many layers of flavours and a perfect balance of spices – not one outshines the others. It is strong, rich and robust, unlike the many versions out there that are weak and lack depth of flavour.

Enak
Address: Blk 16 Bedok South Road Market & Food Centre, Singapore 460016.
Opening hours: Opens daily till late lunch. Closed on Tuesdays.

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Having a row of hawker stalls dedicated to Malay food at every hawker centre in Singapore is a very common sight. However, you seldom find dishes such as Nasi Rawan nor Nasi Ambeng at hawker centres. Selera Menanti Traditional Malay Cuisine offers quite a number of delicious authentic Malay dishes and we were ecstatic to be able to try most of them due to exploring the Northern part of Singapore in a group of four.

Opened since 1993 in one of the shophouses along Balestier, they have later moved to Wet Market Hawker Centre in Marsiling and served more varieties of dishes for breakfast. Its new dishes, Laksa Chap (Laksa Siglap), Lontong Kering, Nasi Rawon, Nasi Sambal Goreng and Nasi Ambeng have also become famous over the years. They have also D’ Selera Menanti that manages catering.

Besides winning many of its customers’ hearts with its famous Mee Rebus (sold out during our visit), the Soto Ayam ($3) features thick yellow Hokkien noodles and a generous portion of tasty shredded chicken soaked in a spicy chicken broth. The broth is made from chicken cooked with rempah and turmeric. Many ingredients are used to prepare the rempah including ginger, galangal, cumin, fennel, nutmeg etc. We really enjoyed this soto ayam as the chilli gave it a spicy edge.

We also tried their Lontong Kuah ($3.50) and Laksa Siglap ($3). The former consists of fork-tender rice cakes which we found too mushy but still fragrant and manages to soak up the broth really well. The latter, on the other hand, differs from the usual ones we get in Singapore. Laksa Siglap has a super strong coconut aroma and more herbs are added. The noodles are thick and springy, which is different from the rice vermicelli. In this case, raw beansprouts and a big dollop of hot chilli paste are added. It had a little tanginess which reminded us a little of Assam Laksa.

We wanted to try Nasi Ambeng too but unfortunately, it was sold out. Hence, we shared a plate of Nasi Rawan ($4.50) instead. We could choose between chicken and beef rendang and we took the latter. This is a hearty plate of beef rendang with rice, accompanied by achar which was so appetizing it whets your appetite for more, potato, toufu, long beans, aromatic fried coconut and mutton bits. The whole package was simply irresistible and really value-for-money.

Although this neighbourhood is quite hidden and not that accessible, it was worth our time traveling for the food served here. Furthermore, the lady who tended to us was really friendly and helpful. She knows what to recommend when you tell her what you’re craving for. We are already planning our next visit as we really want to try their Mee Rebus, Mee Siam and Nasi Ambeng.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Singapore is one of the top destinations for foodies as we have many different varieties of food to offer due to our multi-cultural and religious mix of citizens living here. So today, we’re bringing you 7 delicious Halal food in Yishun and Woodlands that we feel are worth traveling for.

Super Penyet

As its name suggests, this stall is famous for Ayam Penyet but what people really patronise them for is their unique Ikan (fish) Penyet. Unfortunately, their fish wasn’t ready when we arrived at 11.30am so we could only try the Nasi Ayam Penyet ($5) and Nasi Goreng Ayam Penyet ($5.50). The former comes with aromatic nasi lemak rice enhanced by coconut milk while the latter comes with fried rice. The chicken was marinated so well such that its flavours went into the tender meat. It’s also fried to a crisp golden brown and we couldn’t help but finish the crispy skin first. The chilli sauce that accompanies the dish packs a really good punch – fiery spicy! This hawker also makes their own Malay kuehs such as Ondeh Ondeh ($1.50) and Kueh Lupis ($1), made with glutinous rice that we found were consistent and not too sticky so it doesn’t get stuck onto your teeth when you’re chewing. This is complemented by shredded coconut and a rich thick palm sugar which enhanced its taste.

Selera Menanti Traditional Malay Cuisine

This is perhaps one of the rare few hawker stalls that sell Nasi Rawan, a rice dish accompanied by either beef or chicken rendang and some vegetables. We had the beef rendang nasi rawan ($4.50) which came with an appetisingly sourish azhar, potatoes, toufu, long beans, mutton bits and sinful fried coconut. The beef were cooked so well that it’s fork-tender and boasts a strong savoury flavour and we enjoyed indulging in the mutton bits. The fried coconut gave this entire dish a good textural crunch. We also had Lontong Kuah ($3.50) and Laksa ($3) which we found average. The Lontong is extremely spicy so do prepare lots of water! Our favourite dish is the Soto Ayam ($3). Yellow Hokkien noodles and shredded chicken are soaked in a chicken broth that’s so amazing, we didn’t leave any last drop. We would’ve loved to try their Mee Rebus and Nasi Ambeng but unfortunately, it was sold out at the time we were there.

Madini Food Stall

Located almost beside Woodlands checkpoint lies this hidden gem, serving Indian-Muslim food. We only noticed that it was ranked as one of the top 10 Briyani stalls under City Hawker Food Hunt 2012 upon ordering our food. We had to try the Chicken Briyani ($5.50) since it was rumoured to be so good. Oh boy, were we in for a surprise! The meat was tender and had a good amount of spicy kick while each grain of basmati rice was cooked so well with a good consistency. We also shared Mutton Curry ($3.50) and some mixed vegetables ($1) consisting of cabbage and long beans. One of my dining partners finished the entire mutton cause she described it to be one of the better ones in Singapore. Lastly, we also had Chapati with Keema ($5). The Chapati was really good as it helped neutralize all the spiciness from the other dishes we had and it goes perfectly well with Keema, a kind of minced mutton curry with peas and potatoes.

Citrus by The Pool

This is a Halal-certified Western café conveniently situated at Woodlands Swimming Complex. It’s no wonder we saw a couple of kids greedily tucking into cheese fries and other fried items together. They must have just finished their swim and are filling their stomachs with tasty and affordable snacks. This café is really appropriate for sunny days as they serve ice cream, waffles and cakes too! We had their Rocky Road Treat Waffle ($8.50) served with a scoop of paddle-pop ice cream, marshmallows, berries, bananas and nuts. We would’ve enjoyed more if their waffles were a tad crispier. However, the paddle-pop ice cream brought us back to our childhood days so we really liked it. Another dessert that we had was Rainbow Paddle-Pop Cheesecake ($8.80). This was really creamy but not too heavy, boasting a tinge of sweetness and slight tangy-ness. Looking for somewhere to cool down from the heat? Why not head over to Woodlands Swimming Complex for a quick swim before indulging in some desserts?

Dad’s Corner

This hawker stall is started up with the aim of providing affordable and delicious food. Their menu is quite comprehensive, serving Western food like pasta and burgers, meat and seafood platters, sides and even Asian food. We had Cheese Fries ($3) and Baked Pasta with Grilled Chicken ($9). We wouldn’t say these dishes were fantastic but they’re good enough if you live around Woodlands Community Club and have a random craving for simple and affordable food. We felt that the Baked Pasta could have a little more cheese but the chicken was grilled quite well, boasting tender, juicy meat.

Burger Up

As its name suggests, this café serves unique flavours of burgers that might give fast food joints a run for their money, although they price it a little steeper than fast food joints. Under their Supreme Burgers category, there are the Herba-licious Burger, Relish Burger and Cranberry Chicken Burger. We chose the Relish Burger ($11.80), featuring a succulent, juicy beef burger with caramelized onions, eggs and bacon. The flavours exploded in our mouth and each bite was sinfully satisfying. They also serve Yuan Yang Burger, Surf & Turf Burger and others. Besides burgers, this café also offers rice combos and fried chicken, of which we had two pieces of Chicky Goreng ($7.50). Each bite started with a savoury crunch before we sank our teeth deeper into the tender layer of meat underneath.

Bluestar Islamic Banana Leaf Restaurant

Like most 24 hours Indian-Muslim operated restaurants, Bluestar Islamic Banana Leaf Restaurant also has an extensive menu. We tried Prata Bom ($1.60) and Cheese Chicken Roti John ($5.50). The former was quite fluffy but we found its interior filled with so much sweetness that we felt we could’ve gotten diabetes. Made us wonder just how much condense milk they’ve added to the Bom. The latter, on the other hand, was extremely spicy so be warned, this isn’t for the faint-hearted! The spiciness was too overwhelming that we felt we couldn’t really taste other savoury flavours. However, if you’re a person who loves spicy food, this is a dish that we would highly recommend.

We hope the above helps people staying in the Northern part of Singapore! Either for breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper, we hope all of you find our guide helpful. Time to explore away!

The post 7 Sedap Halal Food To Try in Yishun And Woodlands appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

There are many good foods around Chong Pang Market and Food Centre, and Super Penyet is one of them. As its name suggests, Super Penyet is famous for Ayam Penyet.

Ayam penyet is basically fried chicken that is smashed with the pestle-and-mortar to make it softer and served with slices of cucumber and a fiery-hot spicy sambal. Super Penyet’s Nasi Ayam Penyet ($5) comes with aromatic nasi lemak rice enhanced by coconut milk. The chicken was marinated so well such that its flavours went into the tender meat. It’s also fried to a crisp golden brown and we couldn’t help but finish the crispy skin first. The homemade sambal sauce, consisting of a blend of chilli, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste, tamarind and lime juice, packs a really good punch!

Nasi Goreng Ayam Penyet ($5.50) differs from the usual ayam penyet as it comes with fried rice. We found the rice very tasty, with a good consistency in texture and having a well-balanced moist – not overly mushy-soft nor overly hard and grainy. The hawker has well-coated each grain of rice with the spices they used while cooking. This Nasi Goreng complements the already superb fried chicken very well. Another popular item in the stall is the unique Ikan (fish) Penyet.

Super Penyet also makes their own Malay kuehs such as Ondeh Ondeh ($1.50) and Kueh Lupis ($1), made with glutinous rice that we found were consistent and not too sticky to the extent it gets stuck onto your teeth when you’re chewing. This is complemented by shredded coconut and a rich thick palm sugar which enhanced its taste.

They also have outlets in Starhub Green and Changi Business Park.

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