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

21 On Rajah

Advertorial

Singaporeans love to eat and what better place than a buffet!
When someone mentions Halal-certified buffets in Singapore, I'm guessing you would probably be able to come up with a list of places to visit. In fact, you can find some of those names right here on our blog.

Well, we have some really great news...
You can now add one more name to that list - 21 On Rajah!!

That's right - we're jumping for joy too!!

Situated along Balestier Road, Days Hotel At Zhongshan Park is a modern-looking hotel. If you've never had a reason to visit it before, well now you do!

21 On Rajah has just recently been certified Halal by MUIS and it offers not only a nice buffet spread but also some very tempting Ala Carte menu choices as well. We were invited to have a taste of their delectable buffet spread and have a taste of some of their signature dishes as well.

And like all our buffet posts, we're gonna run down individual items later but let's give you a sneak peek at what the spread actually has in store for you... Let's start with the Salads and Appetizers...

D.I.Y Salad Station

Mozzarella Cheese and Tomatoes

Potato Salad

Grilled Mixed Vegetable Antipasto

Smoked Salmon

Salad Nicoise with Tuna Tataki

Assorted Sushi

They also have a station where you can mix up your own Rojak!

Rojak Station

Rojak!

Besides the salads and appetizers, they also have a nice spread of Cold Seafood that includes Green Mussles, Snow Crab Claws, Scallops, Tiger Prawns and even LOBSTER!!

The Cold Seafood Spread

Lobsters

Tiger Prawns

Scallops

Mushroom Soup

They also have a selection of Cheeses and Bread for us to enjoy.
And of course, there'll always be an offering of soup at any buffet spread. When we visited this time, it was one of our all-time favourites (and probably yours too?) - Mushroom Soup!

The soup may have been a little light on the texture but I really enjoyed it.
You get a nice earthy mushroom flavour and for those who really enjoy that, you're gonna enjoy this soup.
Enjoy with a nice warm roll to complete the dish!

I would have had more but I was planning to stuff myself with so many other things I decided to go slow :P

And then we come to the Mains...
21 On Rajah actually has a good mix of Mediterranean and Asian delights. One of the Restaurant Managers actually described it as a 'Meditter-asian' theme which I thought was very fitting because you can really see the eclectic mix of food ranging from Asian (Chilli Crab-style Crayfish, Laksa, Rojak, Sushi etc) to Mediterranean and European (Italian-style dishes like Pasta and Antipasto, Braised Lamb Shank etc).

I think I'll let the picture do more of the talking... And the tempting!

Nasi Goreng

Kung Pao Style Chicken

Slipper Lobster Singapore Chilli Crab Style

Fried Mantou Buns

That's right! They have a Chilli Crab-style dish with Slipper Lobsters and complete with the Fried Mantou Buns!! I have to say that this is not really the kind of dish you would expect to enjoy at a Hotel Buffet but this was actually pretty good!

If you're like me and don't want to make such a big mess, just enjoy mopping up the delicious Chilli Crab gravy with the buns! Yummy!

Slow Baked Salmon with Mustard Cream Sauce

Spinach Ravioli

Sauteed Asparagus and Carrots

Braised Lamb Shank

Gratin Potato

Roasted Prime Beef Ribeye

Shallot Jus Sauce

What I felt was the real star of the buffet spread was the Roasted Prime Beef Ribeye.
Just look at the delicious slab of meat there calling out to you... "Eat me.... EAT ME!". ZOMG.

As you may very well know by now - I loves me some meat. And when you have a buffet line where there's a guy waiting to carve out some meat for you - it's a win-win-win-win trust me.

And the meat itself? Roasted to perfection!
You have a nice crispy char on the outer layer and medium-well done for most of that part. And when you get to the middle, a nice pink medium-rare awaits you. How can you resist!
If you're like me and prefer it to be less pink, just let the guy know and they'll char it a little bit more for you on the pan. Finish off with some Shallot Jus Sauce!!

And now we have some pictures of the food that we dished out for ourselves... There are a lot more but only had time to snap these few because we spent the rest of the time wolfing down the food!!

Mozzarella Cheese and Tomatoes

I'm a big fan of cheese but not so much of tomatoes to be honest. But I totally enjoyed this. Even the tomatoes! The cheese taste is not so overwhelming and the tomatoes were really firm and fresh. It was a very nice and refreshing start to our meal!

Grilled Mixed Vegetable Antipasto

Smoked Salmon

Potato Salad

I guess I'm a sucker for these kinds of European appetizers.
Smoked Salmon is an automatic yes for me every single time because I really love it. I guess that's something I picked up from my Dad. And the quality here is top notch.

The Grilled Mixed Vegetable Antipasto is roasted peppers, zucchini and aubergines and has a very nice and robust flavour to it.

The Potato Salad is not your usual type of Potato Salad and you can even have it as a side when you have your meat dishes like the Roasted Prime Beef Ribeye or even the Braised Lamb Shank.

Salad Nicoise with Tuna Tataki

Those who love Tuna will enjoy this dish.
Lightly-seared Tuna which has a black pepper crust paired with peppers, potatoes and quail eggs.
Just remember that the black pepper crust will give you quite a kick :)

Slow Baked Salmon with Mustard Cream Sauce

Gratin Potato

Braised Lamb Shank

ZOMG the Lamb Shank is the bomb.
I heard some people even picked up with the whole bone and started chomping down and I don't blame them!! But I'm shy so I just tore off some meat :P

Spinach Ravioli

Besides just being the Meat Guy, I'm apparently also the Pasta Guy. All the more if it's creamy!
I really really really really really really really really really really enjoyed the Spinach Ravioli. If you enjoy creamy pasta, you'll definitely enjoy this too!

PS have I mentioned that I really enjoyed the Spinach Ravioli?

NO CAGE CAN HOLD BACK OUR APPETITES!

Okay. More like 'No cage can hold back our gluttony' to be more exact :P

21 On Rajah also has a nice Desserts spread including fruits, fondue, Asian and Western desserts!
If you still have space after the mains, take your pick!!

Fresh Tropical Fruits

Carrot Cake

Cheesecake

Profiteroles (with Lemon Curd Filling)

Asian Nyonya Kueh

Dark Chocolate Fondue

Bread & Butter Pudding with Dates (and Vanilla Sauce)

As you can see, quite a lot to choose from!
In fact, they had more desserts like Panna Cotta and even mini-desserts which are served up in shot glasses.
I took a few but whacked them before I got a chance to snap some pictures. Oops. :P

Juices

The 'Juice Bar'

Something we found very unique was this 'Juice Bar' set up where you can have your choice of Orange, Lime or Cranberry Juices and then you can mix it up as you see fit!

You can top it off with some fizzy drinks like Ginger Ale, Tonic Water or Sprite and then add some fruits like Strawberries, Pineapple, Kiwi and you can even add some Mint Leaves!

Something very unique that we've not seen at any other buffet so far! :)

But do keep in mind that from what we understand, there are up to 5 menus which are on rotation throughout the week so it's best to call and check if you want a rundown on what's being served when you visit.

You might very well enjoy some of the stuff we've posted here but then again you might enjoy something else that we didn't get a chance to try!

Buffet Prices:
Breakfast - $18.00++ (Adult) / $9.00++ Child
Semi-Buffet Lunch - $15.00++ (Buffet only) / $10.00++ (with any main course ordered)
Dinner (Mondays to Thursdays) - $32.00++ (Adult) / $16.00++ (Child)
Dinner (Fridays to Sundays, Eve and PH) - $35.00++ (Adult) / $17.50++ (Child)
Sunday Brunch - $38.00++ (Adult) / $19.00++ (Child)

The buffet at 21 On Rajah is really good value for money! You get quite a nice spread of food and definitely some favourites there so you know you'll be able to concentrate on eating just the stuff you like.

Besides the buffet, 21 On Rajah also has an ala carte menu which boasts Mediterranean favourites such as Paella, Poitrine de Poulet and also Asian delights like Chicken Curry 'Singapore Style' and Nonya Laksa.
If you want to have a taste of both worlds, then maybe you can consider trying their Semi-Buffet Lunch where you can have an ala carte dish plus still get to sample the buffet spread!

And some more good news!
When you go for the Sunday Brunch, they have a supervised activity corner for the kids! This means you can relax and catch up with friends and family after the little ones have had their fill!!

We'll definitely be visiting 21 On Rajah again to sample their ala carte menu.
But the buffet is so tempting we might end up having both.

And a special shout-out to Izad and Hana who are also fellow foodies!
Check out their blog (www.izadnhana.com/blog) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/izadnhana#)
Maybe we can all go makan together again!

21 On Rajah

Days Hotel At Zhongshan Park
1 Jalan Rajah

Tel: 68086868
www.dayshotelsingapore.com

Operating Hours: Weekdays
Breakfast - 6.00am til 10.30am
Lunch - 12.00pm til 2.30pm
Dinner - 6.00pm til 10.30pm

Operating Hours: Weekends
Breakfast - 6.00am til 11.00am
Lunch - 12.00pm til 3.00pm
Dinner - 6.00pm til 11.00pm