Nasi Lemak Kukus

So I saw Gwen check-in at this place one night and I simply had to ask about it.
The premise was interesting - someone wanted to serve 'authentic' Nasi Lemak Kukus.
And they decided that the place to do it was at Upper Thomson.And they open late!

Now this place has apparently been around for quite awhile.
But obviously not as long as 7 years ago because I used to drive up and down that stretch of road during my NS days and I've never seen this place around.

So what exactly is the difference from Nasi Lemak and Nasi Lemak Kukus?
Well for Nasi Lemak, you cook the rice in the water (ie in a rice cooker) which what you'd normally get from your favourite stalls in Changi Village. But for the Kukus version, you literally do what the name says.
'Kukus' is Malay for 'Steam'. So this means that the Nasi Lemak rice is steamed instead.
Some will tell you that this is really the old-school traditional way of cooking the rice but people can't be bothered because it's so troublesome.

But does it really make a difference?
Well I guess you have to be the judge for yourself.

So my wife and myself plus two invited reviewers decided to pay a visit to Upper Thomson.

 The guy in the back and the girl on the shirt are not included

I remember that I've only had Nasi Lemak Kukus at one other place - a roadside stall in KL.
And just like that stall, Nasi Lemak Kukus here serves you Nasi Lemak with other side dishes as well.

They have quite a large spread of dishes to along with your Nasi Lemak.
From traditional additions like Bagedil (Potato Cutlet), Sambal Sotong and Rendang to some modern choices like Sweet and Sour Hotdogs. They also have a variety of veggie dishes to choose from like Sambal Bendi (Ladyfingers) and Sambal Longbeans.

According to the price list on the wall, it'll cost you $2.50 per scoop of a meat dish and $1.0 for a scoop of a vegetable dish.

But we didn't come here for all that.
We came for some Nasi Lemak Kukus.

Chicken Wing Set ($4.00)

Firstly, let me say that you could also have the Chicken Cutlet Set ($7.00) or the Dory Fish Set ($6.50) but I'm guess this is probably going to be a popular choice.

Secondly, let me say that the rice and the sambal are free flow!
That's right. If you were order any Nasi Lemak set or even if you order the plain Nasi Lemak rice ($1.00), it is as much as you can eat.
So if you're really budget or really cheapo, pay $1.00 and eat rice and sambal to the max.
(But no sharing allowed says them)

Thirdly, let me say that this Nasi Lemak Kukus is actually quite good!

Most people will judge Nasi Lemak Kukus based on 3 components.
1 - The rice. 2- The sambal. 3 - The chicken wing.

Now because the rice is steamed, it has a much more grainy texture than your normal Nasi Lemak.
For some that's nice but some people like my wife and Yana would tell you that it's too grainy for their liking.
But taste-wise it's actually very tasty!

They actually have 2 types of sambal (as you can see in the picture above.
The one at the top (on the cucumber) is the 'Sweet' sambal and the one at the bottom is the 'Spicy' sambal.
And this is where it gets confusing.

The 'Sweet' sambal is probably closer to what you'd get when you buy Nasi Lemak from Changi Village.
It's supposed to be slightly sweet but with enough chilli kick to enhance the flavour of the Nasi Lemak.
But in this case, it wasn't sweet. It wasn't even spicy.
The 'Spicy' sambal looked like it was gonna be damn hot with the chilli padi seeds all. And no doubt it was definitely spicier that its 'Sweet' counterpart but it wasn't THAT spicy at all.
In fact, I'd say that the 'Spicy' sambal was sweeter than the 'Sweet' sambal. Probably from the onions included perhaps?

And the part most people love - the chicken wing.
The chicken itself has a good crispy coating and was very satisfying in my opinion.
My bother kept saying that it had a strong taste of lime which no one else seemed to be able to place.
Well bro. You were right. Apparently they use Kaffir Lime leaves in the marinade.
Most people will probably enjoy this chicken wing. So if you want more, it's $1.50 per wing.

You of course also get Ikan Selar Kuning, cucumber, egg and ikan bilis/peanuts.
But personally, I think they should separate the ikan bilis and peanuts instead of putting them all mixed in one serving container. You end up with more peanuts than ikan bilis...

Put them all together and what have you got?
A pretty solid plate of Nasi Lemak lah!

Bandung ($1.60)

It is my duty to inform you that the Bandung I ordered was tasteless.
They should call it 'Pink Water with Evaporate Milk' instead. Totally a mistake there.

But... something interesting...

Vietnamese Drip Coffee ($2.50)

Don't be fooled by this small glass with a metal cap.
Dripping into the glass is a Vietnamese coffee blend. And boy is it powderful (geddit geddit).
My wife says it's "KAO-KAO!" and I concur. It's like the strength of 3 cups of coffee in one.

The coffee has a very very unique taste which is quite nice.
But it is indeed very strong so if you're not a coffee person you might wanna have the Bandung.
And if you're not a tasteless-water person you might wanna have something else.

Another interesting item being offered to compliment your meal is something called 'Ice Jollov'.

 Ice Jellov ($2.50)

It's described as "Home-made chewy pandan jelly noodles". It's paired with gula melaka and coconut milk on a bed of shaved ice. And that black mass on top - that's Pulut Hitam!

And this one was pretty unanimous - this dessert rocked!

The coconut milk was rich and the gula melaka gives you a sugar kick in the face.
The pulut hitam didn't do much for me (it was a hard clump) but I can see why they put it there since the coconut milk was present.
But what will really perplex you is the 'pandan jelly noodles'.

At first glance when the bowl arrives, you might think it's Chendol.
But upon further inspection - it is anything but.

This reminds me of (and basically is) the stuff you'd get at the bubble tea shop.
You know when you swap out the pearls for the coconut jelly (sometimes in flavours like apple etc)? Well this is that stuff but it's not in itty bitty pieces, it's in long strands ala noodles.
And they make quite a tasty bite! A must have!

And for those of you who are hankering for something other than nasi lemak kukus and dessert...

The have still set-up right at the entrance of the joint.
They sell a burger they call the 'Power Burger'.

Power Burger ($3.50)

That's the guy who makes the burgers by the way.
Keep him in mind cos I'll bring him up again later.

So how does this burger fare?

Let me say that if you're expecting a Ramly burger then you're on the wrong track. They make their patty from scratch.

You have a choice of either Beef or Chicken and it comes with cheese and mayonnaise and wrapped up in egg.

Okay so maybe it's just me or maybe it's because I was one of those people expecting a Ramly burger. But I was sorely disappointed by this burger. And I wasn't the only one.

I can appreciate that they make their own patty but somehow it seems to fall flat. And I'm not saying that just because it IS thinly flat okay.

And despite being thinner than a Ramly burger patty, it still wasn't cooked through.
Okay so maybe that was their intention? Keeps the meat juicy? Medium-well?
Well then they might want to re-think their strategy to be honest.

Okay lah maybe I'm being too hasty.
Maybe I should stop comparing this burger to a Ramly burger and maybe I'll think differently...

*thinks really hard*

No sorry I'm still not impressed with this burger.
$3.50 at least they could give me some chilli sauce or something. Might have helped.
Then only thing that the girls appreciated was that they used Gardenia burger buns.

And remember that guy making the burgers?
For awhile I thought maybe the guy got no skill or what... maybe if someone else was at the grill it'd make a difference. But apparently Gwen says that it was a woman at the grill when she went but the burger was still not that impressive.

And one last thing I have to mention.
It's very laid-back as it promises to be. Very good place to 'chill-lax' with friends over food and coffee.
But it's kinda campy. As in very close quarters.
You see that woman in white in the middle of the picture? Well my ass bumped into her as she was taking a bit of her chicken wing. So prepare for some of that if you're seated on the outer seats

Staff are super friendly and helpful which is a big plus.
But the location means those of us in the East will probably swing by only if you're in the area or you really bo-chup in the middle of the night and hungry.

PS there is an outdoor eating area as well which doubles as a smoking area but limited seats!

Adam's Verdict:

Nasi Lemak - 4/5 (Rice) -- 2.5/5 (Sambal) -- 3.5/5 (Chicken Wing) -- 3.5/5 (Overall)

Power Burger 0/5 -- Ice Jellov 4.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:

Nasi Lemak - 4.5/5 (Rice) -- 1/5 (Sweet Sambal) -- 3/5 (Chicken Wing) -- 4/5 (Overall)

Power Burger 2/5 -- Ice Jellov 5/5

Azlan's Verdict:

Nasi Lemak - 4/5 (Rice) -- 1/5 (Sweet Sambal) -- 5/5 (Chicken Wing) -- 3/5 (Overall)

Power Burger 0/5 -- Ice Jellov 4/5

Yana's Verdict:

Nasi Lemak - 4.5/5 (Rice) -- 5/5 (Chicken Wing) -- 3/5 (Overall)

Power Burger 2.5/5 -- Ice Jellov 5/5

The reckon the opening hours of this joint means it's gonna be quite a supper haunt.
And it's a nice place too. Definitely worth checking out.

Nasi Lemak Kukus

908 Upper Thomson Road
Tel: 82229517 (Reni)
www.nasilemakkukus.com

Operating Hours:
1800hrs - 0300hrs
Closed on Mondays


===================================================================
Update (21 September 2012)

I have clarified directly with Nasi Lemak Kukus if they are certified Halal or not.
They have clarified that they receive their ingredients and food from Halal suppliers and all their staff are Muslims but they DO NOT have Halal certification from MUIS.

Please click on the following link for full details --
http://thehalalfoodblog.blogspot.sg/2012/09/nasi-lemak-kukus-clarification.html

Ah Nam BBQ Seafood - Steamed Fish

There are hundreds of seafood makan places spread across Singapore.
But how many are certified Halal?

My family has a favourite haunt for seafood across the Causeway.
But when it comes to Singapore and we're talking about seafood and the likes, then there's one place we travel to more often than any other place.

Ah Nam BBQ Seafood is located in Changi Village (great! no need to travel so far for east-siders!) and serves Halal seafood. It also serves other stuff but dishes mostly related to seafood lah obviously.
A bit of research has shown me that they actually own a kelong near Pulau Ubin! So that means the seafood has got to be fresh right?

The place is open air so you can enjoy some cool weather (if the weather is cool). Unfortunately the nearby Changi Village Food Market is under renovation so you'll be sitting right next to the barricades.

Okay don't talk so much let's see some dishes.

Beef Hor Fun ($15)

This actually came by mistake.
My brother actually ordered the Dry Beef Hor Fun which is actually our favourite but this normal Beef Hor Fun came instead. Come to think of it, we always have a problem when we're ordering the Hor Fun dish... Hmmmm...

But anyways this was still okay lah. Beef was still tender and tasty.
In fact I reckon the gravy is actually better than the dry version if you're looking to slurp something hot and homely down.

 Hotplate Tofu ($10)

  Cockles ($5)

Well they also have Hotplate Tofu which is a must-have from what I can see.
But I have to say that the Hotplate Tofu here was nothing really special. I mean, I'm not sure how 'special' a Hotplate Tofu dish can be but this just seemed ordinary. I think I've had better.

I can't say much for the Cockles though.
I don't really like 'em but my wife does and she says they're the bomb!

Sambal Kangkong ($5)

For those lovers of Kangkong out there - rejoice!
But... if you're the type that likes it extra spicy, you'd better tell them when you place your order.
This one is not really damn spicy but it does pack a bit of a kick and it's not overpowering with any taste of belacan or anything like that.

Fried Baby Squid ($10)

Another must have? Fried Baby Squid!
Give me a $25 plate and I think I would probably clean it out myself I tell you.
The ones at Ah Nam are on the crispy side FYI but they have a nice taste that'll have you putting more and more on your plate I tell you.

Sweet and Sour Grouper ($14)

Okay this was actually a fish that was brought by my sister-in-law whose Dad had gone fishing so Ah Nam will cook it any style you request for a fee depending on the size of the fish and the style of cooking.

We chose Sweet and Sour so that we could enjoy the fresh and firm flesh of the fish.
Ah Nam has a variety of fish to choose from (Grouper, Seabass etc.) and also several styles to cook them (eg Steamed, BBQ, Fried, Assam Steamboat). Anyways this dish was nice because the fish was freshly caught lah...

So if you are having trouble deciding how to have your fish cooked - it's very simple.
When in doubt, fry the bugger.

And now comes the supposed star of the show -

Salted Egg Yolk Crab ($64 for 4 large crabs)

You what I love more than salted eggs? Salted egg yolks.
And when I first tried Salted Egg Yolk Crab in Malaysia, I was hooked (pardon the pun).

Ah Nam's version is delicious but somehow very perplexing.

You can have the normal slightly dry version (as seen above) or you can opt for the wetter version which has a bit of a gravy working for you.

So what seems to be the problem you ask?
Well if you take the wet version, the salted egg yolk taste is somewhat diluted.
And if you take the dry version, well you miss out on the gravy and because if the salted eggs get overcooked then it's gonna be extra super dry.

I personally like mine to be a bit runny.
I remember the first time I was brought to Ah Nam, this dish was perfect.
Just the right balance of salted egg yolk taste while maintaining some gravy for you to slurp up while gobbling on the fresh crabs.

Adam's Verdict:

Beef Hor Fun 3.5/5 -- Hotplate Tofu 2.5/5 -- Sambal Kangkong 2.5/5 --

Sweet and Sour Grouper 3/5 -- Fried Baby Squid 5/5 -- Salted Egg Yolk Crabs 3.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:

Beef Hor Fun 4.5/5 -- Sambal Kangkong 4/5 -- Sweet and Sour Grouper 4/5 --

Fried Baby Squid 3/5 -- Salted Egg Yolk Crabs 2.5/5 -- Cockles 4.5/5

Azlan's Verdict:

Beef Hor Fun 4/5 -- Hotplate Tofu 4/5 -- Sambal Kangkong 4/5 -- Sweet and Sour Grouper 5/5 --

Fried Baby Squid 5/5 -- Salted Egg Yolk Crabs 3.5/5

Yana's Verdict:

Beef Hor Fun 4/5 -- Hotplate Tofu 4.5/5 -- Sambal Kangkong 4/5 -- Sweet and Sour Grouper 5/5 --

Fried Baby Squid 5/5 -- Salted Egg Yolk Crabs 4/5 -- Cockles 5/5

Overall I'd say Ah Nam is a great place to visit especially if you're looking for a family outing.
Laid back place. Open air dining. Friendly staff. Good food. Plus it's nearby if you're staying in the east.

 Ah Nam BBQ Seafood - Steamed Fish

Blk 1 Changi Village Rd
#01-2040
Tel: 9670 8575

Operating Hours:
Sun - Thurs: 5.00pm til 12 midnight
Fri and Sat - 5.00pm til 1.00am

Larkin Bus Terminal: Satay & ABC

I can still remember back in my secondary school days when a good buddy Ashraf Tank brought me to Larkin Bus Terminal for makan.

Our plan was to spend a day out in JB just to relax but we still had to eat right? So we took the bus from Singapore-JB from Queen Street in Singapore and that bus ended its journey at the Larkin Bus Terminal. And now after all these years, we can drive up and it still brings back memories when I get there.

So when you first arrived the main thing you'll see are all the bus companies and some money changers.
There are also some stalls selling some Malay food and snacks (maybe we'll go there for the next post?) but the stall we are looking for at on the 3rd floor.

A lot of people have the impression that the Larkin Bus Terminal makan area is dirty and unhygienic.
Well maybe in the past that may have been the case but they have since renovated the place and really cleaned it up. Stalls (including utensils) and eating area are really clean. But this is, in the end, hawker food so if you have a sensitive stomach or are really squeamish then maybe be a bit more cautious.

So back in the day, Ashraf Tank brought me to this stall selling Satay which he claimed was the bomb.
And boy was he right.

And this stall is still around today and believe it or not, the same guy is still burning the satay at the side of the stall and I've never seen him take a break because the orders seem to be non-stop.

I don't know what this guy's name is...
but they should call him... The Satay Master!!

He uses and old-school Satay burner and keeps his coals at just the right intensity to give the Satay a nice charred crisp on the surface while keeping the meat tender and juicy.

There are other stalls around that also sell Satay but everyone seems to be flocking to this stall and I can tell you that the Satay really lives up to its hype.

Okay enough talk and let's get on to the Satay.

Satay Kambing and Ayam

They serve the Satay with a soy-sauce gravy and some sambal.
If you want the usual peanut gravy, you can request for it but sometimes it is not available.
And even if it's not, trust me - the soy-sauce gravy is power.

Look at the char on that meat!
And it's still so juicy and tender when you bite into it.
Coat it with the sauce and you'll be having a taste party in your mouth I tell you.

But they only have Kambing (Mutton) and Ayam (Chicken) Satay though FYI.

Satay Kambing

One of the secrets of the Satay flavour is the fact that they include a small piece of the fat on the skewer with the meat. (See the 2nd segment from the bottom? That's the fat.)
I guess it really makes a difference with this Satay!
But if you don't fancy it, just remove the fat before you chomp down on the rest of the meat. The meat itself is already infused with enough flavour to savour.

The stall also sells other stuff like Soto, Gado-Gado and Nasi Rawon by the way.

Just a few stall down, there's a stall that sells drinks and dessert.
So he has Chendol and stuff like that but we saw this guy at the opposite table with this delicious looking thing and we couldn't resist so I actually asked him which stall he bought it from!
Semangat or what?!

 ABC (RM3.00)

Now can you see why I bothered to ask the guy?

Air Batu Campur (ABC) is basically like our Ice Kachang here but a simpler version.
This version has chin-chow and red beans and jelly and topped off with some sweet corn.
But instead of Atap Seeds (Kabong), he adds longan!

And at such a low price, I'd say this was definitely worth every RM.

The ice is bathed in red and green syrup.
And get this - instead of dousing it in Evaporated Milk like here in SG, the guys gives a nice pour of Condensed Milk instead!

So if you have a sweet tooth - this is definitely the dish for you!
But my advice is perhaps get it to share with 2-3 people should be just nice.

So what did we think of the food?

Adam's Verdict:

Satay Kambing 4.5/5 -- Satay Ayam (5/5)

ABC - (3.5/5)

Maryah's Verdict:

Satay Kambing 3.5/5 -- Satay Ayam (3/5)

ABC - (5/5)

There are other stalls to cover that sell so many other things and I'll probably cover it in future posts.
But I have a feeling that I'll probably still order some Satay to go along.

And my wife says "MUST TRY PAK ABU ICE KACANG!".

No Name Satay (MS20)   Gerai Pak Abu (MS16)

Kompleks Pengangkutan Awam Larkin (3rd Level)

Opening Hours: 0900-2100 Monday - Sunday

Botak's Favourites: Fish and Chips

Botak Jones claims to serve "Damn good food at a damn good price".
And in recent times, they have expanded and opened a chain of "Botak Jones Favourites" outlets which serve certain selections from their menu but the best part is - it's certified Halal.

So now everyone can enjoy "Authentic American Style Halal Food"!!
That's supposed to be a good thing right?
They have outlets in Bukit Batok, Changi Village, Jurong West, Woodlands and Bedok (Bedok North and Simpang Bedok).

So one afternoon I dropped in to the Botak Jones Favourites outlet in Bedok North for a quick lunch.
Not wanting to have anything to heavy like a burger or anything, I decided to have something many would consider a classic dish.

Botak's Fish & Chips($7.50)

So you get a pretty huge breaded fillet of "premium" Basa fish, a side of french fries and coleslaw.
They claim that their coleslaw is their own concoction and for the fries you can either choose the normal fries or Spicy fries.

Now here's the thing.
I'm very particular about my fish. Perhaps I take after my mum but I can really taste even the slightest 'fishy taste' when it comes to my fish.

So I take into a nice big bite of the fish fillet and i get a bit of this 'fishy taste' in my mouth.
I think it's my imagination and give it a chance so I take a few more bites. But eentually I give up and I leave the fish alone so I can whack the fries and the coleslaw.

So I'm trying to figure out in my mind this whole time how the hell this could happen.
It's very seldom that I have this problem when eating out especially if we're talking about Fish and Chips.
And then I went home and took a closer look at the menu and I realized what the hell the problem was.

So at Botak Jones, you get a fillet of "premium" Basa fillet right?
What exactly is a Basa fish anyways?

Well that is a Basa fish aka Vitnamese Catfish aka Makong Catfish.

According to my research, it is found in Vietnam and Thailand and is actually very popular there.
It has also been labelled as a "milder tasting" catfish which means it's supposed to have less of a 'fishy taste' than most other catfish hence more people are supposed to like it.
I guess this is also the rationale behind the decision why Botak Jones decided to use this fish in their Botak's Fish and Chips.

Well I have got news for you buddy.
I hate catfish. I can respect that other people may well enjoy it but I do not.
The fishy taste is way too much for me and there is no way I'll be able to tolerate it which explains why I gave up on my fish after 3 bites.

It is however worth noting that most other restaurants or makan places use other common white fish such as Cod or Dory for their Fish and Chips dishes. And even if they were using catfish, they would probably include the word "Catfish" in the name of the dish. I guess it was probably my mistake for assuming that it was going to be Cod or Dory.

Well besides the fish, I have to say that the coleslaw was nothing special.
I couldn't tell the difference whether they made it themselves or just scooped it out of a tub from Bestfoods.
And the Spicy fries? They were not that spicy. In fact they were just normal french fries sprinkled with some chilli powder or paprika or something. Not much flavour to be honest.

Botak's Fish and Chips - 1/5 (Adam)

I guess this post was more of an educational alert that Botak Jones' Fish and Chips uses catfish than a review of the food you might think. But even without taking the catfish into consideration, there wasn't anything about the dish that I found special unfortunately.
But if you like catfish, then by all means this might just be your thing.

Maybe next time I'll stick to a Botak Cheeseburger or something.
I'm sure there's no catfish in that. Right?

Botak's Favourites


Blk 412 Bedok North Avenue 2
Tel: +65 62439225
botakjones.com

RITE Pizza

So one night we suddenly had a craving for pizza.
Cheesy. Piping hot. Gooey. Yummy. Pizza.

I normally opt to order Canadian because I rather fancy their Singapura Special.
My brother (for some reason) prefers Pizza D'France and their eggy Sunrise Surprise.
So this time, instead of ordering Canadian or Pizza Hut or Pizza D'France , we decided to order something the wife hadn't tried before - RITE Pizza. Plus it's also 2-for-1.

 Pepperoni Pizza

That looks NOTHING like what's on the website by the way...

But anyways we ordered the Large size (14") which is enough to feed around 4-6 people per pizza if you're hungry. And as you can see from that picture, they don't exactly slice it evenly so prepare to re-slice or take 2 of the thinner slices if you need to.

Taste-wise it's not too bad. The tomato base was not too strong and they were actually generous with the toppings (which in this case was just Pepperoni and Cheese). The Pepperoni was double layered in some sections for that extra bite.

But I have to point something out.
If you are the type who loves a Cheesy pizza - then this is your choice.
They are very liberal with their cheese layer! In fact I'd even say that the cheese might even be thicker than the crust itself!

Check out that cheese layer! It's thicker than the crust lah!
And see the bits of pepperoni that gets beneath the cheese?! Makes a difference!

And FYI, that's the normal hand-tossed crust okay. They also have a thin-crust version for selected pizzas.
Can you imagine cheese on a thin crust??

Another thing I noticed about the crust is that it has this grainy texture.
This may not make much of a difference taste-wise but this tells me they roll-out their dough fresh with the order because the flour is still  on the bottom of the pizza. Excellent.

Meat Diva Pizza

That's the 2nd pizza we ordered - The Meat Diva pizza.
It's basically got ground beef, pepperoni, chicken ham. turkey bacon, mushrooms and a helluva a lot of cheese AKA something like Meat Lovers lah basically.
More toppings really made a difference I guess but for me I kinda prefer my pizza to be minimal.

Prices you ask?
Regular (10") - $21.80 // Medium (12") - $27.80 //  Large (14") - $32.80


Good news is that it's 2-for-1.
Bad news is that they accept only cash payment. So for all you CC warriors, go draw some money.

Pepperoni Pizza - 4/5 (Adam) -- 2.5/5 (Maryah)
Meat Diva Pizza - 2.5/5 (Adam) -- 3/5 (Maryah)

RITE Pizza may not be as big as Pizza Hut or Canadian 2-for-1 but I reckon it can actually stand-up to the big boys and expand their fan base in SG. Maybe next time I'll try some of the more popular pizza types like Hawaiian or something.

RITE Pizza


Delivery Hotline: 6899 3838 (Islandwide)
http://www.rite-pizza.com

Operating Hours: 10.30am - 10.30pm

Anar

I'd recently taken a liking to Middle-Eastern food so for our 6-month anniversary, my dear wife decided to surprise me by taking me to a new restaurant.
So we dressed up and after a scenic drive to RWS, we arrived at Anar.

Now I must say that the location is actually very appealing.
It's not too far of a walk from the parking and the restaurant itself is located right along the waterfront.

The menu was very extensive and packed with some common Middle-Eastern dishes I'm sure you've come across before (ie Baba Ganoush, Shish Kebab etc) but there were some interesting choices to be made.

Pickled and Fresh Vegetables Appetizer (Complimentary)

The pickled vegetables really works up your appetite with the sweet/sour taste and the fresh vegetables cool you down and cleanse your palette before you start eating proper.

We were torn between having the Baba Ganoush (mashed eggplant) and the Hummus.
In the end we settled on the Hummus (Sorry Baba G... next time okay?)

 Hummus with Minced Beef ($14)

The Hummus (Chick Pea and Sesame Puree) was really excellent!

The minced beef had pine nuts was nicely spiced. It really complimented the Hummus well especially when you mop it up with the bread served along with it (right).

I'm not sure how nice the Baba Ganoush is but I think we made the right choice on this one.


So we actually went to Anar based on the recommendation of my wife's colleague.
He claims that they serve this really mean lobster dish but it's always unavailable due the seasonal availability of the lobster.

And just my luck - they had it available!
So I ordered the seafood and my wife opted for some meat so that we could share.
And boy oh boy what a share it was.

It's normally served separately but since we requested for a romantic setting, they served our dishes together on a special serving dish that had hot coal embers placed in the bottom section of the serving tray to keep our food grilled and hot. It also came with assorted mixed grilled vegetables.

Persian Spiced Grilled Lobster ($50)

Does that look delicious or what?!
I actually thought that for the price stated on the menu, it was going to some slipper lobster or something but it was actually a pretty decent medium-sized lobster.

And boy was it fresh.
The spices were not too strong so the freshness of the lobster was still obvious and it was grilled to perfection so the lobster meat was succulent and tender.
I'm actually quite a sucker for lobster and to have some of this quality at this price was actually really a treat.

Kebab Sultani ($45)

The Kebab Sultani was a mixed platter or a lamb kebab and a beef fillet.
And don't ask me how the hell they get the meat to stay so tender even after being grilled.
Tender and juicy!!

And the Kebab Sultani is served with a Persian saffron rice which was fluffy and complimented the meat well.

But one thing I really didn't understand (or care for) was this little garnish on the plate.

Can you see that long thing in the background?
That's actually a breaded piece of dough.
And I know it's just a garnish probably meant more as a decoration that an accompaniment but I think they could have done better.

I bit into it expecting something but it turned out to be like biting into a piece of leather.

It was damn weird lah.

Okay so anyways. Enough about the garnish.


Well we all know I have a sweet-tooth. So I HAD to order dessert.
And since we were in the Middle-Eastern mood, why not a classic Middle-Eastern sweet?

Baklawa ($14)

Lawa habis.

To be honest, this was actually having Baklawa.
I'd seen it being made and served on TV so many times that I think I had such high expectations.
I imagined biting into the many layers of filo pastry with sugar and honey dripping out while savouring the pistachio filling.

Well so much for that food fantasy.
The first piece you see there is actually a chocolate-covered piece of Baklawa and the other 3 pieces are just normal ones. And I'm not sure if's my imagination but - I think the pistachios tasted rather stale and dull.

Like I said, this was my first Baklawa so this may actually be how it's supposed to be.
And if that is the case, then I'm not gonna be having Baklawa very often.

Maybe I should have opted for the Riz Bel Haleeb (Rice and Honey Milk Pudding) instead.

Okay a bit of a disclaimer here;
A check with the restaurant proved that the kitchen was certified Halal for operations.
But to cater to the masses, they have a wine menu for those people who enjoy a drink with their meal.
We were assured the wine bar and the food kitchen were completely separate but this did not move away from the fact that the kitchen may have been certified but the external restaurant was not.
So just wanted to put that out there for everyone to note.

So how did Anar fare?

Hummus with Minced Beef - 4/5 (Adam) -- 4/5 (Maryah)
Persian Spiced Lobster - 4.5/5 (Adam) -- 4.5/5 (Maryah)
Kebab Sultani - 4/5 (Adam) -- 4.5/5 (Maryah)
Baklawa - 1/5 (Adam)

Overall - 4/5 (Adam) -- 4/5 (Maryah)

I reckon that we will probably be heading back again someday.
I saw some things on the menu that look interesting. All kinds of assorted grilled meats and platters and stews and seafood and desserts and.... okay I'll stop.
And maybe the lobster? Again? Again!

Oh by the way. They also have this belly dancer who performs every 20 minutes.
But it seems she only shakes her stuff inside the restaurant. The diners outside will have to be satisfied with looking at her from afar through the glass.

Anar

26 Sentosa Gateway
#01-291 Resorts World Sentosa
Tel: +65 6884 6989
anarsingapore.com

Operating Hours:
Lunch - 1200 - 1500
Dinner - 1800-2200


***Updated 10 February 2013*** 
Anar is no longer operating at the RWS address listed above.
They have stated that they will be opening again soon at a new venue to be announced soon.
Watch this space! 

We Love To Eat (And We Plan To Do A Lot Of It)

Well this is a new project we're starting.
(And by 'we' I mean my darling wife and me)

Yes we all love to go out and we all love to eat.
But how many times have you eaten something really good and wanted to tell everyone about it?
Or maybe even the opposite so you can warn your friends?

Well now we can do it.

So now, with this blog, my wife & I plus our friends and family can tell you what we think of the places we eat at. It may be places you have been to before. It may be somewhere new.
But now we have a place to share our views. A place to agree with or disagree with an opinion.

And by the way - almost all the makan and makan places we will be blogging about will be certified 'Halal'.
Obviously.
So you can bring your loved ones with you to makan or explore something new that you read about.

We will always eat and we will always search for the best places to do it.
Let's see how long we can keep blogging about it.