Makan Melaka

Most people head down to Changi Village for quite a number of reasons.
Some make the trip for Nasi Lemak. Some for the BBQ seafood. But I don't think that Cendol comes to mind when Changi Village comes up right?

So Makan Melaka cropped up about a year ago and one of the things that jumps out when you see the sign is the 'Cendol Melaka' in big bold explosive text. Could we really get some authentic Cendol right here in the heart of Changi Village?

The first thing you'll notice is that they seem to be the real deal. The cendol is made from scratch and soak patiently in water for someone to order a serving so that they can fulfill their delicious destiny!

They also have quite a number of Cendol selections for you to choose from.
Besides the traditional Cendol Asli Melaka, you can also choose from Red Bean, Sweet Corn, Pulut (Glutinous Rice), Durian, Special Red Bean and Corn and Special Power Red Bean, corn and Durian!

Cendol Asli Melaka ($1.50)

We definitely had to get a serving of the traditional Cendol Asli Melaka!
It is after all the most basic serving of Cendol we can ask for right? But despite being the most simple, it can sometimes be the best type!!

Sweet red beans which are plump and soft nestle below a bed of shaved ice. Add in some of the autehtic cendol and finish off with coconut milk and gula melaka and you have a winner!

The cendol really is authentic and a really good quality too!
How can we tell? The cendol was still soft and didn't harden up after being exposed to the shaved ice!
How many times have you had Cendol become frozen green strands of ice after being soaked in the cold?
No such thing here!!

And they're not stingy with the gula melaka and the santan (coconut milk) either!
Just the way I like it! But you can tell them to adjust accordingly if you're not such big fans.

Cendol with Pulut ($1.80)

We decided to try a few more of the 'specialty' Cendol dishes they had on offer.

Don't ask me why but I decided to have a serving of the Cendol with Pulut...

This one is pretty much what the name says it is - Cendol with some pulut.
No red beans here. Just the glutinous rice, cendol, santan and gula melaka.

I have to say that despite how simple it seems, the pulut is actually quite overwhelming!
I guess I didn't expect it to be so heavy for a dessert and I'd say this is more suitable if you're looking to fill-up on something sweet. But if you're looking for just a simple dessert then maybe the original one is good.

We also decided to have the Durian one but unfortunately...
We ended up with a dish WITHOUT THE DURIAN!! I guess the guy forgot to add it maybe??

But fret not! We ordered another one!!

Cendol with Durian ($2.00)

That's how it will look when you order takeaway by the way.
Nice and convenient!!

And as you can see, they didn't forget the durian this time! And what a delicious addition it is!
They use actual fresh durian and you can really taste the richness. I guess the Cendol is really great as a drink on the go too and not just in a bowl.

Adam's Verdict:
Cendol Asli Melaka 4/5 -- Cendol with Pulut 2/5 -- Cendol with Durian 3.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Cendol Asli Melaka 4/5 -- Cendol with Durian 3/5

Well I guess we have really found a real gem in Changi Village. Another reason to visit besides Nasi Lemak and Seafood! Check this place out soon okay!!

Makan Melaka

1 Changi Village Road

Operating Hours:
10.30am til 9.30pm Daily (for the Cendol)

Mr Teh Tarik Changi Village: Black Bean Sauce Beef Rice and Bee Hoon Hong Kong

So it's been awhile since we visited Mr Teh Tarik at Changi Village.
The last review we had was for the Hokkien Prawn Mee and the Fried Oyster which was the bomb.

Anything else?

Black Bean Sauce Beef Rice ($6.00)

So the stall that sells seafood is also basically a Zhi Char (which basically means 'Cooked') stall which cooks up favourites like Hor Fun, Sweet Sour Fish and Fried Baby Squid and all kinds of goodies.

I decided to order up some Black Bean Sauce Beef Rice because, for some reason, I felt like eating rice.

To be honest I was actually looking forward to the unique taste of the Black Bean Sauce which I expected to be a little on the salty side but this wasn't really the case at all. Tasted more like just soy sauce than anything else actually...

And what you see above is actually half beef and half mushrooms. Not too bad I guess.
And the beef is actually quite tender. But maybe a little bit too pricy at $6.00?

Bee Hoon Hong Kong ($4.50)

My darling wife was feeling a little under the weather so she was actually looking for something with a bit of gravy or a little more soupy...

The serving was definitely very generous and definitely a lot of gravy for slurping.
Some seafood and chicken for nibbles too besides the noodles but a very weird lack of vegetables here.
Not too sure why but not a single veggie to be seen!

Adam's Verdict:
Black Bean Sauce Beef Rice 2.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Bee Hoon Hong Kong 2/5

Mr Teh Tarik Changi Village: Seafood Stall

Blk 5 Changi Village Road
Tel: 6742 5522
http://www.mrtehtarik.com.sg

Operating Hours:
Mondays to Fridays 11.00 am til 2.30pm & 5.30pm til 2.00am
Saturday and Sunday 11.00am til 2.00am

Guru's Banana Leaf Cuisine

Here's another quickshot for you kiddies.
Something that simple but I'm sure a lot of you really enjoy...

So my darling wife and I were in Changi Village to run an errand and decided we'd have some breakfast.
Nasi Lemak? Lontong? Mee Siam? Hmmmm.... so many choices....
But we eventually decided to settle on a place that my Dad, my brother and myself had chanced upon when we had gone fishing a few months back...

Roti Prata Kosong ($0.80) and Roti Prata Telur ($1.50)

Now doesn't that just look like the type of breakfast you'd really enjoy?
Simple and comfortable!! It's universal!

Now I know there are many many many many places where you can get prata and I'm pretty sure most of you have your own opinion on where has the best prata am I right? Well, I'm pretty particular too but I am willing to admit that there are quite a large number of places where you can get decent prata.

In Changi Village, this is our venue of choice (until something better comes along?)
The prata is crisp and fresh looks damn inviting. And I have to say that even though there are plenty of prata stalls around Singapore, it's getting increasingly difficult to find one that still sells at the relatively low prices offered at Guru's Banana Leaf.

Even better still - the prata comes with friends!
A nice big serving of dalcha and sambal to go along with your roti prata is always a winner.
The dalcha has all the trimmings and the sambal was actually pretty nice and that always goes well with prata am I right?

If you're looking for more than just plain or egg prata, they pretty much have the works in case you were wondering... Cheese, Tissue, Masala, Egg Cheese, Mushroom, Hotdog, Masala, Bom. The list goes on!

Masala Paper Thosai ($3.00)

The last time I stopped by with my Dad and brother, I had the Masala Paper Thosai and I could safely say that it was "Boleh tahan" standard so I decided to have it again.

As usual, it was huge and made for a filling meal. Comes with coconut chutney (mint and spicy) and some dalcha too. But for some reason, today there was a slight issue...

Now, I don't mean to be a complain king or anything but to me that's like really really bad.
It's like really a little bit of masala only! It definitely wasn't like this the last time...

And further to this, the masala was unfortunately salty AND it was dry too.
Thankfully I enjoyed the crispy flour.

Oh well. Maybe better luck next time?

Or maybe next time I might go back to this place for my thosai...

Adam's Verdict:
Paper Masala Thosai 1.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Roti Prata 4/5

Maybe I should start a hunt for the best prata?
But I think that hunt might never end actually... So in the mean time let's stick to the ones we know are good.

Guru's Banana Leaf Cuisine

Blk 1 Changi Village
#01-2020

Operating Hours:
6.00am til 11.00pm Daily

Bismillah Sarabat Stall

When I was a young kid of about  8 or 9 or 10 years old, my Dad used to take my brother and I fishing or on picnics which involved fishing. And this meant that sometimes we'd end up going to Changi Beach.
And on the way to Changi Beach? Changi Village Food Centre.

For years upon years, Changi Village Food Centre was mostly known as "the place to makan Nasi Lemak".
And I guess that's definitely what it was famous for but by no means was Nasi Lemak the only thing that was worth making a stop for.

My Dad introduced us to Roti Cheese.
Seems like a simple concept right? Bread and cheese. How good can it be?
Damn good that's how good.

We're talking about Kraft cheese and Planta margerine in between original Bengali-baked bread.
A combination that really works I tell you.

And back then, it seemed like only one stall was left to carry on this tradition. I'm not sure about other places in Singapore but I've never come across another stall or shop in the East that sells this.
When the old Food Centre was going to close, we asked the people running the stall and they mentioned they probably would not be returning when the new place opened. My Dad and I thought this old tradition would be lost forever.

But great news - they lied! (Which is a good thing)

Roti Cheese ($1.00 each)

Well apparently the authentic 'Bengali-baked' bread make a difference. They were known for the breads and this stall claims to get their supply from an authentic Bengali bread-maker. It has this slight sourdough smell/taste which might put some people off I reckon but it's still delicious.

Just by the look you can tell that this stuff is the real thing.

Open it up and find the treasure.

Slices of cheese are slathered in a nice thick layer of Planta margerine.
And the secret to this special combo? It HAS to be Planta margerine and it HAS to be the box type of Kraft Cheese. Not the tin but the box!

Now I know the box and the tin varieties of Kraft cheese do taste very slightly different and I'm not sure how much difference it would make in Roti Cheese but this is the way these guys have been making it since before I was born so I'm not going to knock their best-selling method.

And the legend of this Roti Cheese?
As I was queuing up to buy some food, I noticed this old-timer going from one coffee stall to another asking if they "jual Roti Cheese?" (sell Roti Cheese?). Two stalls later and it looked like he had given up.

I called to him and pointed him towards Bismillah Sarabat Stall and told him to get his fix there.
He made his way there, looked at the signboard then turned to me and gave me the thumbs up while smiling.

They also have a Kaya version by the way but the Cheese is the bomb.

Adam's Verdict:
Roti Cheese 4.5/5

It used to cost $0.60 each when I was a kid and the price slowly went up with the times.
It's now $1.00 each which you might think is steep for some bread and cheese but those of you who have had it will know it's worth it.

A glass of kopi or teh plus some Roti Cheese and as my Dad would say, "Wah! Stoned, boy!"

Bismillah Sarabat Stall

Changi Village Hawker Centre
Blk 2/3 Changi Village Road
Stall #01-25

Operating Hours:
6.00am til 12.00am Daily

Changi Village Hawker Centre Reopens!

Well it's been more than a year since the old Changi Village Food Centre started their refurbishment project (but it seems like so much longer to be honest). Well, they just re-opened last week (I think) to the public so everyone could flock back there to get their fix of Nasi Lemak (among other things).

Firstly, let me say that the new layout makes the whole place seem kinda crampy.
They have replaced the big round tables with smaller rectangular shaped ones which seem to be a bit of a waste of space to be honest.

Anyways, the answer is yes.
Yes. Your favourite Nasi Lemak stalls are still definitely in business. But don't be confused.

Sri Sujana is still in roughly about the same location.
But International Nasi Lemak (the one with the long snaking queue) has moved to a new section which is facing the bus terminus (this area used to be the back of the stalls with a toilet at the end).
Mizzy Nasi Lemak has now taken over that stall space and the long snaking queue is now in front of Mizzy!

So the question now is - is it the location that is drawing the crowd?
Do people realize that the stall has changed? Well, maybe a review of the stalls (maybe a Makan vs Makan) might help to solve the mystery.

So if they made more space means there has to be more stalls for us to enjoy right?

Well if you remember correctly, the first section stretch used to be ALL Halal stalls and these stalls even stretched across at the back end and also the annex at the back (which is connected to the market).
Well there's only like 3/4 of the 1st stretch occupied by Halal stalls.

You'll still see some familiar favourites there like Ramiza Bryani, TakDeNama, Bismillah Sarabat Stall, Hjh Salbiah, Hassan Stall and few others you'll recognize. Ah Nam Seafood has moved back to the hawker centre. Sari Bestari Ayam Penyet has moved to the back annex which definitely has lesser Halal stalls than before. In fact, I'm willing to say that at least 65%-70% of the stalls between both buildings are most Chinese stalls.

Some of the stalls are still not occupied so I'm not sure what kind of stalls are going to open up.
Someone should open up a Satay stall because it's definitely missing based on my walk-around.

One good thing is that they place these posts at regular intervals which have rather effective (while they're brand new) fans to cool everyone down while they enjoy their meal.

And I'm not sure if it's just because it's still new and they are short of staff or maybe it was the weekend or something but the cleaning up situation was not very good at all. I'm talking about tables being left dirty and unattended. Some people take the easy way out and put everything on this table in the corner. I'm talking about plates and bowls and utensil piling up and causing quite a mess (and a bad smell).

I didn't even snap a picture because I don't want to ruin your appetite. Seriously.
Hopefully things will improve soon.

And some tips for you - 1) the POSB ATM is still at the same location so if you need to withdraw money it's still okay (hope the ATM is not out of order or out of money) and 2) most of the stalls close on Monday I think so best double check before you head all the way down.

I guess we might be heading to Changi Village a bit more often since this place has re-opened and there are definitely some stalls worth reviewing. Let us know if you think anything is worth checking-out!

And whatever your favourite is, I hope it's still located at the Changi Village Hawker Centre.

Changi Village Hawker Centre
Blk 2/3 Changi Village Road
www.myhawkers.sg/index.php?m=place&c=view&id=61

Operating Hours: Breakfast til Supper

Olivye - Gelato

You guys remember my previous post about HalalDeals.sg right?
Well one of the deals I purchased was for this place called Olivye.

I actually first spotted it when we went for supper at Mr Teh Tarik Cafe at Changi.
But of course, it was closed at that late hour of the night. Well it wasn't going to be closed this time because we're going for some Gelato!

So Olivye is this nice little cozy nook in the middle of Changi. In fact, it's just beside Mr Teh Tarik!
At first I thought it was just a gelato cafe but apparently they have a food menu too which apparently includes ribs! Something to try in the future!! And I've never come across a place that sells Halal Gelato so this was definitely something very unique.

But when it comes to the gelato, believe you me - they have a long list.
Check it out.

(image from website)

Okay so they won't have ALL the flavours at one go but they had at least 19 flavours on offer that night when we visited the cafe. So don't look at me because I had a hard enough time choosing just the few out of that long list okay.

Well the easiest way for me to classify the flavours is 1) fruity and 2) non-fruity.
We decided that were going to have two cups (with two flavours in each cup) so we had a good idea of what we might like.

We actually had the pleasure of meeting Mr Gregory when we visited.
He introduced himself as one of the siblings who proudly opened and operated Oliyve.
The Changi Village outlet was not the only one however. They also had smaller stalls at NIE and NTU which served mainly the food aspect of their menu.

Well on with the gelato!!!

There are a few choices for sizes...
Small ($3.00-$3.90), Medium ($4.50-$5.50) and  Large ($6.50-$7.50)
They also have take-away sizes by the way.

Strawberry & Salted Caramel

So for the non-fruity cup, we decided on Strawberry and Salted Caramel.
Yeah yeah I know you think it's boring but I like it okay.

The Strawberry was delicious I have to say. It was very smooth and not too sweet.
But for the Salted Caramel, I can't put my finger on it but I found that something was amiss.
Maybe I was basing my taste on my previous encounters with Salted Caramel so I didn't really like this one because it tasted different. Kind of like a burnt taste you know what I mean?

Chempedak & Melon

We were so busy with the other cup we neglected this one and it started melting!!
But this fruity cup was the bomb.

The Chempedak and the Melon gelato had such a natural fruit flavour.
It was not overpowering or anything but once you taste it you know that it's the real deal.

And we didn't select the flavour but Mr Gregory gave us a sampling of the Durian flavour...
And we immediately regretted not choosing the Durian... It tasted like the real thing!
Next time it's a must!

Adam's Verdict:
Strawberry 3/5 -- Salted Caramel 1.5/5 -- Melon 3.5/5 -- Chempedak 3/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Strawberry 3/5 -- Salted Caramel 2.5/5 -- Melon 4/5 -- Chempedak 4.5/5

So the next time you want some place to relax and have some gelato with some buddies after makan (or in fact you can even makan there) check out Olivye.

PS they also have an ice-cream buffet on weekends! Check it out!

Olivye

Blk 5 Changi Village Road #01-2009
Tel: 6543 9518
www.olivye.com

Operating Hours:
11.30am til 9.30pm Daily