Badoque

So I've known about Badoque for a damn long time. Seriously long.
I have no idea what took me so long to visit because pretty much every single person who told me about Badoque has told me to visit ASAP cos it apparently rocks.

I guess maybe I was waiting for the right time? Or maybe that's just an excuse?
Well, I finally decided the time had arrived when the HungryGoWhere project came around and I thought what better time to finally visit Badoque.

And I know I only mentioned the pasta in my HungryGoWhere Guest Instagrammer feature but the truth is - I had more than just pasta!

Garlic Chilli Chuka ($7.50)

When they say "Chuka" here, they mean the baby octopus. Yes, it took me awhile to get it (I was thinking of cuka as in vinegar... I'm slow I know... LOL). But for those of you who love baby octopus (maybe in your sushi?), this is a must have.

The baby octopus was cooked to perfection and not tough or chewy at all. Had a great bite to it and you could definitely get the hints of the chilli without being to spicy. Scoop it up with some of the chopped garlic there for a great mouthful. If you're a fan of garlic like me, you're gonna wish they gave more garlic.

Smoked Duck Pasta Putanesca ($24.00)

This was the reason I made my way down to Badoque during Ramadhan to iftar on a rainy evening.
It was either this or the Squid Ink Pasta. I decided on the duck because I was feeling a bit quacky.

I'll be honest and say that the pasta and the accompanying tomato sauce was pretty okay. I mean, there wasn't anything wrong with it but I guess it was overshadowed by the smoked duck. That's right, the star of this dish is definitely the smoke duck (like duh it's in the name right).

It is not easy to find Halal duck anything these days let alone Halal duck that is prepared well. And this smoked duck is super duper in my books. Some might say it's a little tough but I think it's pretty okay actually and I really enjoyed the smokey flavour.

So if you're a fan of duck or smoked meats for that matter, you should try this dish.
No doubt, it may not be for everyone but I think quite a lot of people love this (especially judging by Badoque's Instagram page!)

And they are super generous with the serving of smoked duck and also the pasta. Actually, I guess they'd better be with a $24 price tag on this dish.

Iced Salted Caramel ($7.50)

To wash it all down, I decided on another item I kept seeing on Badoque's Instagram page.
And boy oh boy I found out why this was so popular.

If you have a sweet tooth, you're gonna love this. It's sweet and a hint of salty with the caramel flavour completely taking you in. Nice and refreshing and you're going to find it hard to just sip this slowly. I ended up taking bigger and bigger gulps each time.

And they are not stingy with the caramel either.

Adam's Verdict:
Garlic Chilli Chuka 3.5/5 -- Smoked Duck Pasta Putanesca 4/5 -- Iced Salted Caramel 3.5/5

I'd heard mixed feedback about the service at Badoque with some reviews online saying that the staff was top notch and the rest saying the opposite. Well, my experience was power! The crew were very friendly and even took the time to chat for a bit while waiting for my food, checking if everything was okay while I was eating and even after I'd paid and was ready to go. And it was a full house too and it seems like the managed pretty well.

I think one of the reasons for Badoque's popularity (besides the food) is that it's run by people who love what they do and they're not afraid to have some fun while they do it. They try to inject a light-hearted mood into your experience without being too irritating. One good example is the menu. Quirky quotes and making small jokes is a winner in my book. PS that's my uncle in the picture.

Lots more on the menu to try at Badoque so I foresee visiting lots more times. Next in my sights is their Ribs aka Monster Ribs aka Daging Gedegak!!

PS they have 2 outlets - one is Simpang Bedok and one in Thomson - and some items are available only at one store and not the other so check first.

And don't forget to read the article on HungryGoWhere.com!!

Badoque

298 Bedok Road (Simpang Bedok)

Tel: 64466928
www.facebook.com/badoquecafeSG

Operating Hours:
12pm to 10pm Daily