Nefertiti Restaurant & Cafe

No we're not here to give you a history lesson about Ancient Egypt (although it's pretty interesting) but we are here to fill you in (and fill you up) about the great food that can be found at Nefertiti Restaurant. And in case you were wondering, Nefertiti was an Egyptian Queen :)

So this restaurant is in the heart of one of our favourite makan areas - Arab Street.
In fact, it's been there for quite awhile and has been serving up some pretty awesome food!

They specialize in Egyptian and Mediterranean food so let's run through what we had.

Nefertiti Mixed Mezza Platter ($19.50)

The problem with us is that we love to eat and that means as many types of food as we can. So we normally end up trying any sort of platter there might be and if anything is extra special, we'd probably order up and extra serving of it LOL

The Nefertiti Mixed Mezza Platter is a great place to start here. Gives us a good chance to sample some of the flavours offered up at Nefertiti and gets our tastebuds in tune for the main course to come. So let's run down what we have in this platter shall we? Let's go clockwise!

Vine Leaves

These are actual Vine Leaves and they are stuffed with some rice which has been seasoned.
Most people will tell you that the leaves are a little bitter but it's not that bad. In fact, if you take a bite, you'll get more of a tart and sourish taste which is excellent to get your tastebuds going!

Mirza Gasemi

Mirza Gasemi is actually eggplant with some tomatoes, garlic and some other spices to make up this delicious concoction. When we have eggplant it's normally Baba Ganoush so this was a welcome surprise!

Hummus

Here's something pretty standard and in fact one of our faves ever. We could go through a whole tub of Hummus no jokes I tell you.

Chickpea puree with Tahini (Sesame Seed Puree), Garlic, Lemon juice and Olive Oil is a sure winner in our books! If you want a bigger serving, try the Hummus Bil Laham ($12.00) which also comes with lamb!!

Hummus Bngar

This is actually Hummus (Chickpea and Sesame Seed puree) with some beetroot added in.
That's what gives it a bright pinkish/purplish hue. This also gives it a little bit more of a sharp edge but still delicious nonetheless. Scoop it all up with the pita bread that comes along!

By the way, in that picture (and a few others too!) is another item on the platter- Falafel!
Those little cutlets are made up of chickpea, onions, garlic and some other goodies before being deep fried!

Moutabel

This is also an eggplant based dish. Kinda like the Mirza Gasemi but without so many spices we guess. This one has Tahini and lemon juice added in instead for a milder flavour.

Labneh

Fattoush

Labneh is actually strained yoghurt with a hint of mint and garlic. I didn't really get the mint nor the garlic but yoghurt is always welcome on my plate. Yoghurt and Arab/Middle Eastern food always goes together am I right?

The Fattoush is salad more than anything else. Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber with some tasty dressing plus some toasty pita bits makes for a great salad!

Are you with us so far? That was just the appetizer platter mind you. Let's start with the mains!

Mix Grill Platter ($33.00)

If you're a meat eater like us, then this is the one for you!
We're talking about a whole lot of meat to chomp down on and definitely fill you up!!

You get a nice serving of this super fragrant rice which goes so well with the meat platter. Top it off with some light onion and lettuce salad and it's a winner!

And a special mention for the condiments! That's no ordinary sambal and mayonaise!
Try it and you will see why we say it's really special!

So besides the rice, you are definitely gonna enjoy the meat on offer too.
You've got Kofat Lamb, Kofta Chicken, Shish Taouk (Chicken) and Shish Kebab (Beef) and boy oh boy were the all good!

The Koftas were superb I tell you. Even if I were not a meat-lover, I'd still tell you to try this because it's that good! Tasty and seasoned really well. And the meat was still so moist and not at all dry like some place where I've had Kofta before.

There's also a piece of lamb chop for you to dig into. Cooked to perfection. Just cut into it when you order and you'll see what we mean. If you love Lamb Chops then you should get the Lamb Chops dish (coming up in awhile)

But to me personally the winner on this platter were the kebabs and specifically the Shish Kebab which is the beef kebab. The first bite I took of the Shish Kebab and I literally went "Wow". We all know how tough and dry beef can get if it's not cooked properly and it's so easy to overcook especially when you grill it.

Executive Chef Amr Elgohary comes all the way from Egypt with over a decade of experience so it's little wonder that the food is so good!

Lamb Chops ($22.00)

As we have mentioned, the Lamb Chops are superb!
If one small chop on the platter is not enough then you should go for the full monty and satisfy your meat cravings. Plenty of lamb here!

You can also choose from BBQ, Black Pepper or Brown Sauce but as you can see from the picture, we went without any of that and the Lamb Chops were still excellent. Truly the mark of a good dish!
I guess this is a combination of a good chef plus quality ingredients!

But one thing that surprised us is that the menu had more than just your typical Egyptian / Middle Eastern fare. You can find other cuisines with dishes like Fish and Chips, Fajitas and even Pizzas and Pastas on the menu!

Executive Chef Amr Elgohary explained that they wanted to give diners the option to have some alternatives just in case but they still make the dishes really well! But if you wanna stick to the theme, then you also have other dishes like Wraps, Kebabs, Mandi Rice, Assorted Grilled Meats and even desserts like Baklava.

Turkish Coffee ($5.50)

Or you could just wash down your meal with a Turkish Coffee.
This is Espresso-style by the way so expect it to be really strong!!

Adam's Verdict:
Nefertiti Mixed Mezza Platter 4/5 -- Mix Grill Platter 4.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Nefertiti Mixed Mezza Platter 3.5/5 -- Mix Grill Platter 3.5/5 -- Lamb Chops 3.5/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Nefertiti Mixed Mezza Platter 4/5 -- Mix Grill Platter 4/5

In the end, I know you might say that there are plenty of makan places in the Arab Street area that serve the same type of food and yeah that's true but I think it's the small details that make the difference.

If you have not yet tried Nefertiti Restaurant, then have a go and you'll see what we mean.

Nefertiti Restaurant & Cafe

No 47 Arab Street

www.nefertiti.com.sg
www.facebook.com/nefertiti.restaurant
Tel: 6294 1135

Operating Hours:
12.00pm til 11.30pm Monday til Thursday
12.00pm til 2.00am Fridays and Saturdays
12.00pm til 11.30pm  Sundays

AquaMarine Part 3: Turkish Delights

Advertorial

Some of you would have read our special write-up on AquaMarine during our Ramadhan Special and surely most of you read our original write-up of AquaMarine's buffet as it remains our most-viewed post today!

Well, our friends at AquaMarine have a special spread in October plus a chance to win a fantastic prize!

AquaMarine presents a delightful spread for you to enjoy all throughout October. Enjoy a nice big spread of special authentic Turkish cuisine served up for especially for us plus you still get to enjoy your favourites as AquaMarine like the Sushi & Sahimi spread, Cold Platters and desserts!

And just how authentic exactly are we talking here?

Chefs Ahmet Akpinar and Zekeriya Saygin

Two masterchefs all the way from Turkey to prepare and oversee this Turkish spread so I'm not sure how much more Authentic Turkish this can get without you flying all the way to Turkey to eat!
(Did someone mention flying to Turkey? Hmmm.. more on that later!)

Okay anyways you all know our style right? Let's start on the food ASAP!

Since the normal spread is still going to be on display at AquaMarine for the buffet, they differentiate the special Turkish dishes with some special tags (just like they did for the Ramadhan promo).

Looks out for the little food tags with the Turkish Flag so you know which dishes are the Turkish specials.
And YES - that sign says Lady Thigh Meat. Which I love to eat. I think. :P

Patlikan Biber Kizartma (Aubergine & Pepper in Olive and Tomato)

Cous Cous

Mor Lahana Tersusu (Pickled Red Cabbage)

Wide array of salads to start with. Lots of words I can't pronounce but the beautiful displays and bright vibrant colours really gets my appetite going!

There are a few others I didn't get a chance to snap including the Coban Salatasi (Shephard's Salad) and the Taze Fusulye (Turkish Green Beans) but definitely worth trying all of them because they all look so appetizing! But you must control yourself.. If not then how to have the mains?

Karides Guvec (Shrimp Stew)

Sehriyelie Pilav (Turkish Pilaf Rice)

Chicken Shawarma

Besides the Whole Roasted Baby Lamb (not available all the time I'm afraid) pictured at the top of this post, they also have a live station where they serve fresh Chicken Shawarma got off the rotating grill onto your awaiting Pita Bread! Top it off with your favourites like yoghurt, salad or even some Hummus.

Besides that, they also have some freshly-prepared Kebabs for selection!

Kebabs

Pastirmali Kuru Fasulye (White Beans with Pastrami)

Hunkar Begendi (Sultan Delight)

Tavuc Guvec (Chicken Casserole)

Kadin Budu Kofte (Lady Thigh Meatballs)

I know it sounds weird but that's really the name of that dish - Lady Thigh Meatballs.
Nobody seems to know how this name came about but apparently it's supposed to resemble the shape of a lady's thighs (??)

Well don't worry, it's not made of lady's thigh meat but rather beef/lamb dipped in egg batter and fried.
Just think of it as an all-meat Bagedil!

Orgu Cheese

Tulum Cheese

For you Cheese Lovers out there (like me), then you'll get to try some traditional Turkish cheeses.
Orgu Cheese and Tulum Cheese are both made from Goat's Milk with the latter actually being (traditionally) ripened in a goatskin casing for about half a year.

Talk about some exotic stuff or what!

Well, on to the part which I think quite a number of you might actually be looking forward to...
The desserts!! And as we all know, Turkish desserts are some of the best and most exotic around.
And yes there's plenty of Almonds and Pistachios involved but I quite fancy a nice round of Turkish sweets don't you?

And yes, they have Turkish Delight ;)

Turkish Delight

Seker Payer (Sugar Cookies)

Asure (Noah's Pudding)

Kazandibi (Caramelized Milk Pudding)

I know that might look like a right mess to some of you but it actually is really good.
You're probably thinking that looks kinda mushy but it's actually pretty thick and stands well enough on its own. Scoop some onto your plate (without looking too silly if possible) and if you love milky desserts as much as I do, then you're going to be in for a treat I guarantee it.

And for something a bit more familiar perhaps...

Baklava

Bread Pudding

Okay so the Bread Pudding is not really Turkish but I put it in because I know so many people love it :P

And the next few photos are not really of dessert but of some toppings that you can sprinkle on your ice-cream should you choose to have a scoop or two or five. I just thought that the colours were really eye-catching and interesting.

Nice right? Never seen such bright golden sprinkles before... I wasn't sure whether to eat them or put them in my pocket!

Besides the dishes that were featured in photos here, there were still so many that we didn't get a chance to snap! Other Turkish specialties like Izmir Kofte (Meatball Casserole), Levrek Bugulama (Baked Seabass) and Manti (Turkish Dumplings) are also being offered for those of you who are adventurous for a taste of Turkey.

Plus, like I mentioned, the normal spread at AquaMarine is still there! This Turkish spread is the extra stuff you can enjoy on top of your normal favorites!

And if good food is not enough reason to head down to AquaMarine...

They've also got a special lucky draw where diners STAND A CHANCE TO WIN 2 REOUND-TRIP ECONOMY CLASS TICKETS TO TURKEY on Turkish Airlines!!!

Exciting or what?! Get to makan AND stand a chance to win a trip!
By the way, if you win but can't make it for the trip, please feel free to donate the tickets to The Halal Food Blog Team okay! Hehehe just kidding! (No I'm not.)

Visit AquaMarine for this special spread and hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
(I think we might actually go back! For the food and the lucky draw of course!)

Prices for the buffet are as follows;

Mondays to Fridays
Lunch (12pm til 2.30pm) - $58++ (Adult) / $29++ (Child)
Dinner (6.30pm til 10.30pm) - $68++ (Adult) / $48++ (Child)

Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays
Tunch (12pm til 4.00pm) - $48++ (Adult) / $24++ (Child)
Dinner (6.30pm til 10.30pm) - $78++ (Adult) / $39++ (Child)

For reservations, call 6845 1111 or email aquamarine.marina@meritushotels.com

And to cap off a spectacular evening of great food, we got to meet and dine with Steven Chia of Channel News Asia fame. An all-round nice guy and champion buffet master!

Special thanks to Patricia for having us!

Aquamarine

Marina Mandarin Singapore
6 Raffles Boulevard
Marina Square

Tel: 6845 1111
www.aquamarine.sg

Operating Hours:
Breakfast: 6.30am - 10.30am
Lunch: 12.00pm - 2.30pm
Dinner: 6.30pm - 10.30pm  

Istanbul Gourmet

So it seems that a lot of people remember 'that Kebab shop from Simei Eastpoint' even though it closed down quite awhile back and Eastpoint itself is undergoing major renovations.

Well I'm not sure how many people knew but the one at Eastpoint was apparently just a smaller branch.
The main restaurant is actually at Joo Chiat Road! I actually walked past the one at Joo Chiat awhile back and I made a note to bring my darling wife there one day but I had no idea at all that it was the same place! Founded since 1999!

Open for so long means they should be doing a thing or two correctly am I right?

So anyways they opened a new stall at Changi City Point recently and since I spotted it, I've been hearing nothing but praises from people about their Laksa! Hmmm... well let's see what the fuss is about.

Chicken Kebab ($4.50)

So when I think Turkish food, i automatically think of Kebab.
Kebab actually refers to the sliced roasted meat so you can have many many different types of Kebab including more common ones like Doner, Roll, Kofta, Iskander and Shish.

The Kebab here at Istanbul Gourmet is the Doner version which is basically the meat and veggies in between some flatbread or pita bread.

The chicken meat itself was quite tender but I felt it was lacking in flavour. Maybe I was expecting too much after all the good reviews I had been hearing. I saw that the chicken was being cooked in the traditional way on the rotating roasting spit and the meat was definitely not over-cooked and still juicy.

Or perhaps the lack of seasoning in the chicken meat was intentional?
The description on the menu says "Freshly-baked bread with with choice of chicken or mutton. Topped with onions, lettuce, tomatoes and Istanbul Gourmet's signature salad dressing".

Well I'm not 100% sure but I think it was just mayonaise and chili sauce in there.
And some pieces of potato! (Which was a welcome surprise)

Mutton Kebab ($6.50)

I normally go for the 'other' kebab instead of chicken. So this is normally lamb, beef or in this case - mutton.

As it's quite safe to say, the mutton was not cooked the same was as the chicken meat on the rotating spit.
This mutton was minced and scooped out of a warmer when I ordered so I'm not really sure how it was prepared.

Anyways I have to say that this was the first time I was having MINCED meat in any kebab.

What I can tell you is that it is definitely more flavourful than its chicken meat counterpart.
You can really taste the spices in the meat but unfortunately since it's minced, you don't really get to take a nice big satisfying chomp into the meat.

For both versions of the kebab, they give you a nice soft bun which unfortunately gets a bit soggy by the time you get home. Because there is no seating area at the Changi City Point outlet ("No Frills Dining"), you'll have a bit of a challenge if you're gonna buy back some kebabs to bring all the way home.

Maybe you might consider eating it on one of the benches in the mall so you can enjoy it fresh?
But then you'll have the challenge of not looking like a clown because kebabs do tend to be a little messy in nature if you're eating it especially in public. Having sauce dripping down your chin onto your clothes would be a nightmare so be careful! :)

PS you can add Cheese to your Kebab for an extra $1.

But hey what about this Laksa I was hearing about so much eh???

Istanbul Laksa ($4.00)

Hmmmmmmm...

Well so basically this is their take on the local favourite - Laksa.

One of the special things about it is that they put a serving of the Chicken Kebab meat and some fish cake so you have some extra bite. No prawns or cockles. Just Chicken Kebab meat.

Okay I can't avoid mentioning it anymore. What's up with the oil??
That's quite a layer of oil am I right? And I'm not sure where the oil is coming from...

Once you actually dig in, the Laksa gravy is actually quite tasty!
It's got quite a unique taste to it... Not like your typical Laksa. A bit of a tangy/spicy hint to it.
Take a bit of getting used to but I guess it was tasty enough that you keep going spoon after spoon after spoon til it's all gone!

And as you can see from the picture, the oil was just the top layer so I'm not sure where the oil came from.
Perhaps from the Kebab meat? Hmmmm.... Anyways just like the Chicken Kebab, the meat was not really seasoned very strongly so it contributed nothing to the taste of the Laksa. Just some meat to munch on.

My darling wife didn't have much but after a few spoonfuls she commented that it didn't taste the same as what she remembered from the old days at Simei Eastpoint.

Adam's Verdict:
Chicken Kebab 2/5 -- Mutton Kebab 2/5 -- Laksa 2.5/5

I wasn't really impressed with Istanbul Gourmet on this visit. Especially since it was the founder, top chef and big boss - Mr Henry Teo - who was behind the cooking counter when I visited (I recognize him from his picture on the name card). I guess maybe I set my expectations really high but having to bungkus makes a difference.

But I do intend to visit the Joo Chiat restaurant because I really feel not being able to eat there makes a big difference to the food. Plus there are some items that seem really interesting... Like the Beef Bomb!!
Hope my 2nd try of Laksa goes better!

Istanbul Gourmet

5 Changi Business Park Central 1
Changi City Point
B1-20

Tel: 64406026 / 98410260 (Mr Henry Teo)
www.facebook.com/istanbulgourmetsingapore

Operating Hours:
10.00am til 10.00pm Daily