Ramadhan Special 2014: The Manhattan FISH MARKET

That's right kiddos! Time for another special Ramadhan menu and this time it comes from one of the more popular names in town! The Manhattan FISH MARKET!

And until the end of July, we've got the chance to enjoy a special platter and also some special desserts too! So let's see what we've got!

They have some dishes suitable for single-person servings but at The Halal Food Blog, we like to go straight to the big stuff!

Lamb Stew & Fish Rendang Platter ($37.95)

Check it out! That's enough to feed 2-3 people! Or maybe it may even be just you alone if you're REALLY hungry! Hehehe

So what exactly do we have have on this platter fit for a group?
It seems like a whole lot of stuff so let's break it down for you okay.

Sambal Mussels

For a start, we have some Sambal Mussels to get your appetite going.
Fresh mussels smothered with a tasty and spicy sambal is a sure winner! It's got a spicy kick but don't worry it's not going to burn your mouth off.

Grilled Calamari

All you Sotong lovers can rejoice. They've got a nice and generous serving of Grilled Calamari for you to chomp down on. Nice and succulent and grilled to perfection.

And now on to the stars of the platter!

Lamb Stew

Succulent lamb stewed with some veggies like Celery and Carrots all bathing in delicious stock.
Sounds good doesn't it! The lamb was tender to the bite and it was a very tasty stew. Nice and hearty especially if it happens to be a cold day!

Fish Rendang

This was something new that we've never tried at Manhattan FISH MARKET before. A little local flavour in the form of Fish Rendang! Quite interesting right?

Well, there's a very intense flavour to this and if you're a lover of Rendang and spicy food, I guess you'll probably like this. Bite-sized chunks of Redfish in a special sauce waiting for you!

And all of these resting on some Garlic Herb Rice!

So you actually have a mix of lamb and seafood so I guess this kind of makes this an alternative version of Surf N' Turf if you think about it.

Lamb Stew and Grilled Dory ($16.95)

Fish Rendang ($13.95)

They also have some individual meals like we mentioned earlier.
Just nice if you don't want to have anything too heavy like a platter or you're just looking for something specific.

Well, with the spicy and tasty it's always good to wash it down with some desserts!

Sizzling Banana Fritters with Ice-Cream ($5.90)

Is your mouth watering right now? Cos mine is!
Imagine the warm banana with ice-cream and coconut cream! Tastes delicious! And the sizzling experience makes it all the more appetizing!

This was actually my fave of the night!

Strawberry Peach Poppers ($5.90)

So if Bananas or Coconut Cream are not your thing, they have something else that might be more suitable for your taste.

There's still ice-cream but this time with strawberries and peaches and completely smothered with marshmallows. And they torch the marshmallows! That means they'll be nice and soft and toasty when you dig in!

Well, whatever your tastes, you can see they have quite a selection for you this Ramadhan at Manhattan FISH MARKET. And remember - they still have their usual selection of great dishes for you to whack too!

The Manhattan FISH MARKET

16 restaurants island-wide
www.manhattanfishmarket.com

Operating Hours: 11.00am til 10.00pm Daily

IndoChili Part IV

That's right we are back again!

IndoChili is the most reviewed makan place on The Halal Food Blog!! 4th visit and counting!!
And it's not just that the food and service are great. It's also because even though we've visited so many times, we're still trying something new with each visit!!

Azlan & Yana - Resident Reviewers

This time we are visiting with Azlan & Eriyana aka Mein Brudder and Mein Sister-In-Law who have heard us talking so much about IndoChili that they finally couldn't take it and decided to meet us for lunch.

We had the usual favourites like the Sate Ayam Madura which is THE BOMB no matter how many times we have it. We had 2 servings as usual because 1 is never enough.

My darling wife decided to have the Nasi Timbel which I had during our first visit.

Rendang Sapi ($9.80)

We also had the Rendang Sapi which we sampled during one of our recent visits.
Meat was still tender and so full of flavour (a little on the salty side this time though). If you love Rendang, this is a must-have when you visit IndoChili. A great accompaniment when you're having rice!

Ayam Kari Padang ($8.80)

Something new we decided to try was the Ayam Kari Padang.
Despite it's name, it's not really what you'd expect when you order a 'curry'. In fact, from the picture, you might probably guess it's more of a 'lemak' dish.

Full of wholesome 'lemak' flavour with just a hint of curry from the curry leaves. But it's definitely not a curry so it's you're looking for a 'curry', this is not for you. But having said that, this chicken we got was huge!
The thigh part you see above was enough for 2-3 people to share!

Tahu Telor ($8.80)

Now the Tahu Telor was a horse (or rather a beancurd) of a different colour!

Beancurd and egg deep-fried to a crispy perfection on the outside but a steaming wonderland inside. Smother it with peanut gravy and top it off with beansporuts, carrots and keropok udang and you have yourself a winner!

If tucking into the hearty egg/beancurd is not enough to grab you, the peanut gravy was excellent and very very tasty. Come on! How can you pass up on some Tahu Telor!!

Tumpeng Mini ($9.80)

JENG JENG JENG!!
Here's something that I've been dying to try since our first visit but it's either sold-out or I end up ordering something else because I'm eating in a group.

Well since this was my 4th visit, I had no excuse.
It was definitely - TUMPENG TIME!

Well let me introduce you to the gang.

You've got a nice mount of their special Yellow Rice surrounded by a lot of goodies to go along.
The meat portion is a piece of Ayam Bumbu Rojak which is chicken with some 'rojak' gravy. This was my first time trying it and I thought it was delicious! It definitely went will with the yellow rice and very tasty!

You've also got some perkedel aka bagedil. Let's face it - chicken and potatoes are like... chicken and potatoes. Must have combination! Some peanut acar, vegetable (cucumber, carrot and pineapple) acar and keropok round thing off.

This is actually a very famous Javanese dish and the bigger full version is meant to be enjoyed by a whole group of people which gives everyone a chance to bond and share in the happiness found when sharing a meal. IndoChili also has the full version (for catering) but the Tumpeng Mini is a perfect intro if you've never had anything like it before and a hearty meal to enjoy by yourself or even to share between 2 people.

Mein Brudder decided to try the Strawberry Cream Soda because it looked damn nice.
It was quite tasty but here's a tip for you. Just mix the cream in and drink. Don't worry if it's a little sour. We checked with the staff just to be sure and it's meant to be that way. Kinda like a yoghurt. Refreshing!

Yana actually had the Es Kopi Durien (which I am so sorry I didn't take a picture).
And she says it was the BOMB! Surprisingly, durian and coffee apparently go very well together and they do it perfectly at IndoChili.

She even went as far as to say that if she had to order just 2 things from IndoChili, it would be the Es Kopi Durien and the Es Teler.

Es Teler ($6.80)

That's right. You heard me. ES TELER!
You didn't think we'd miss out on a chance to order it did you?
If you had to bet your last dollar on what we'd order at IndoChili, bet on the Es Teler.

Too sweet for some. But it's the bomb.

Es Delima ($6.00)

We also decided to try something new in the desserts department so we tried the Es Delima.
This is also another pretty popular Indo dessert. A bed of shaved ice with Red Ruby, coconut and jackfruit.
Not as sweet as the Es Teler so a good choice if you're looking for something to coll down without the sugar overload.

Adam's Verdict:
Sate Ayam Madura 4/5 -- Kari Ayam Padang 2.5/5 -- Rendang Sapi 3.5/5 -- Tahu Telor 4/5
Tumpeng Mini 3.5/5 -- Es Teler 5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Nasi Timbel 3/5 -- Tahu Telor 4/5 -- Es Delima 1.5/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Sate Ayam Madura 4.5/5 -- Rendang Sapi 3/5 -- Tahu Telor 4.5/5
Tumpeng Mini 3.5/5 -- Es Teler 4/5 -- Strawberry Cream Soda 3.5/5

Yana's Verdict:
Sate Ayam Madura 4/5 -- Kari Ayam Padang 1/5 -- Rendang Sapi 3/5 -- Tahu Telor 5/5
Es Teler 5/5 -- Es Kopi Durien 5/5

Needless to say, another happening visit to IndoChili.
We heard they might be making some changes to their menu items this year so we hope we get to visit soon and we will report back our findings soon!

IndoChili

54 Zion Road

www.indochili.com
www.facebook.com/IndoChili
Tel: 6445 1766 / 8168 4958

Operating Hours: 
11.30am til 10.30pm Daily

IndoChili Part III

I'm guessing most of you might know by now how much we simply adore IndoChili.
This is our 3rd visit and probably not our last. And everytime we visit, we order some favourites and try some new stuff too!!

This time we visited to celebrate a birthday with the whole family of about 12 people!
IndoChili is definitely suitable for a quite dinner for 2 or even a celebration with a big group.

Sate Ayam Madura ($7.80)

As always, one of our favourites and a must-have whenever we visit is the Sate Ayam Madura.
Tender chicken bathing in peanut gravy is a sure win. Never ever fails to satisfy and most times we even end up ordering a 2nd serving.

We did try something a little differently this time though.
Since we were dining with a pretty large group, we didn't order individual dishes like we normally would.
Instead, we took the opportunity to try something on a slightly larger scale.

Combo Bakaran ($42.80)

If you've got a large group and looking to try a few different things, then this is definitely something you should consider trying.

It's basically a platter of grilled goodies including fish, squid, prawns, sate and some chicken.

And of course, we are going to run it down for you :)

This is a Black Pomfret grilled in the style of the 'masak kecap'.
And unfortunately this was the only disappointing thing in the whole Combo Bakaran platter.

Maybe it was our bad luck but the fish wasn't as fresh as you'd expect.
I visited with a whole bunch of 'professional fish eaters' and I definitely trust their taste when it comes to the consumption of fish and other assorted seafood.

Seasoning was nice but just unlucky with the quality of fish this time around.

Next up was the Cumi Jimbaran or grilled squid.
This was definitely better and was just as good as the first time we tried it.

We had the Belado the first time around and for the grilled version this time, it's got a very nice and sweet glaze to go along with the tender squid.

For me, this was the real star of the platter - the Udang Bakar Jimbaran.

Jimabarn in Bali is famous for its delicious seafood and IndoChili has taken a page out of that book and definitely put it to good use with the squid and prawns here. A nice sweet glaze coats the prawn and enhances the already sweet flavour of the prawn. And as you can see, it's a bloody giant prawn!!

I'm not really big prawn fan to be honest but even I enjoyed this which really says a lot.
But there are only 2 prawns in this platter so you have to either be nice and share or be quick and stingy!!

For the chicken component, they have 2 servings for you.
2 skewers of some Sate Ayam Madura (which is already a win) and Ayam Panggang Padang.

If you remember, we tried the Ayam Panggang Padang the last time we visited.
And it was one of the biggest surprises! (Pleasant one of course)

It looks like a really simple dish but sometimes simplicity is best I reckon and it's proven here.
The chicken is tender and grilled to perfection and the spice gravy coating is simple delicious.
The chicken is marinated well because you can taste the flavour when you take a nice big bite.

So overall, the Combo Bakaran is worth it if you have people to share it with so everyone can have a bit of something that they like. But if you like something specific, then perhaps it might be best to order just that dish for yourself and be satisfied.

Nasi Kuning ($2.00 per serving)

Oh and by the way, I decided to try the Nasi Kuning this time instead of the usual white rice.
Thought it'd be nice to have something new with all the dishes we ordered.

This is definitely more tasty than the normal white rice.
But I must give you fair warning - the rice is cooked to a soft and still slightly mushy texture. So if you're like me and have a preference for a drier texture, you have been informed!!

Rendang Sapi ($9.80)

This is a dish that I tried during the last visit but didn't get a chance to review.
The reason being - it was snapped up so fast that I didn't get a chance to photograph it!
But alas! I have succeeded this time!

The menu says that they the meat is "slow-cooked for at least 4 hours". And they weren't kidding.
The beef is super tender and succulent. I just just through it with a fork!
And the spicy gravy is a delight and bursting with flavour.

Tempe Pete ($8.80)

And last but not least for the feast is something that some people may fancy and some people may not.

Some people call it Stink Beans. It's scientific name is Parkia Speciosa.
One thing for sure - Petai is definitely an acquired taste.

I only started eating (and enjoying) petai in recent years. Most people are put off by its strong taste and pungent after-smell. Well it may be quite a mouthful but for those who enjoy it, it's simply a delight when enjoyed with some accompanying sambal.

The IndoChili version is paired with some tempeh which is fine. The dish itself is quite tasty and definitely on the spicy side. But I do find the price a little on the high side though (it's more expensive than the Sate!!)

Adam's Verdict:
Sate Ayam Madura 4/5 -- Combo Bakaran 3/5 -- Rendang Sapi 4/5 -- Tempe Pete 3/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Sate Ayam Madura 4/5 -- Combo Bakaran 2.5/5 -- Tempe Pete 2.5/5

Simply put - enjoyed the dinner at IndoChili and can't wait to visit again.
Still so many things we want to try on the menu! Mark my words... next time - Tumping!!!

 IndoChili

54 Zion Road

www.indochili.com
www.facebook.com/IndoChili
Tel: 6445 1766 / 8168 4958

Operating Hours: 
11.30am til 10.30pm Daily

Makan vs Makan --- Rendang Burger

I don't know why it took us so long to think of this...
In fact the promo for BK has already ended and McDonalds' one is probably gonna end soon but we are gonna put up this post anyways just for debating sake.

Anyways I think quite a number of you have already had this debate amongst yourselves...

Everyone was abuzz when Burger King suddenly re-launched a special promo for one of Singapore's most beloved burgers of all time - The Rendang Burger!

But for some reason... something just wasn't right. It just didn't seem to be able to match up to the original burger that was stopped back in 2004...

And then, McDonalds masuk campur and released their own version of the Rendang Burger...

McDonalds' (Single) Rendang Burger ($6.80 for the meal)

BK (Single) Rendang Deluxe ($6.95 for the meal)

As always, we had to be fair and order the same version for both places.
We ordered the Single Rendang version but both BK and McDonalds offered the Double version as well.

The first thing we simply have to touch on was the taste. Were they able to replicate the unique taste of Rendang with their own versions of the special sauce?

In this department, the hands-down winner was the McDonalds' version.
It tasted the closest to actual Rendang so much so that you could even taste a hint of lemongrass when you took a big bite of the burger. The BK version however merely tasted like a not-so-peanuty Satay sauce.
And they go the extra mile by adding, of all things, mayonnaise and  turkey bacon.

Which really makes you wonder. If the original BK version had such a fantastic and popular sauce, why wouldn't they try and get the same thing or at least something close? It can't be that not a single person didn't realize that this didn't taste anything like the original right? And adding stuff which doesn't really compliment the burger doesn't really help either...

Besides the sauce, another thing we noted was the onions that top the burger...

As you can see from the pictures above, McDonalds definitely gives you more onions which will surely pack a punch in the flavour department.

It's actually really baffling. The original BK Rendang burger used fresh onion rings which made a big difference so it's kinda weird that they would used chopped onions in the new version. And further to that, McDonalds, which is famed for using chopped onions in almost all their burgers, uses bigger onions strips in this burger.

Even small factors like this make such a big difference...

As you may know, my Darling Wife and I used to work at BK when the original Rendang Burger was being sold and it was definitely one of the most unique burgers out there. But in this case...

The winner is -

The McDonalds Rendang Burger

I think this one was pretty unanimous and I'm guessing most of you had the same feeling?

Actually, I think there are some people who might actually choose BK as the winner and we're actually prety curious to know what might have made you decide that the BK version was better than the McDonalds one.

Please leave us a comment!

Well anyways, let's be honest.

Even though the McDonalds Rendang Burger won here, nothing matches up to the original BK Rendang.

So far...

Ramadhan Special 2013: Nasi Tomato

Hey everyone! Just a quickie here for you.
We received an email from Lynn a few days ago to recommend some Nasi Tomato!

Apparently there's a stall in Bedok that is selling Nasi Tomato that Lynn says is "uber delicious" (aka The Bomb in my language) but it's only going to be offered during this fasting month period. Since there was only like about a week to go, I figured I'd better make my way down ASAP!

Nasi Tomato with Daging Rendang ($5.00)

Now that's a pretty picture isn't it?

So anyways this is a special set-up in front of an actual stall called Nur Indah's Kitchen/Abang Wan's Roti John at the market in Bedok North (across the road from the Bedok Stadium) and it's only going to be around until this weekend (4th August) before they pack it up.

They have quite a number of special dishes on offer including Briyani, Ayam Penyet and even Mee Bakso but I was there to sample Lynn's recommendation - Nasi Tomato!

The picture above was taken just after I got the food which was freshly packed after I ordered.

You actually have a choice of what you'd like to go with your Nasi Tomato, Firstly it's either beef or chicken and then you decide which style of meat you'd like.

For example, you have Rendang or Briyani style for the beef and you have briyani or masak merah style for the chicken.

 On top of the rice and meat, you'll also get some dalcha and some acar as well. Two types of acar for you to choose from. It's either the Acar Timun you get with Briyani or the Acar Tomato seen in the picture above.

A word of advice though - remind them to separate the meat and acar from the rice since you'll need to keep it for quite awhile before iftar time.

The beef and chicken were actually pretty nice! Well cooked and tasty. The chicken in particular was very flavourful and not over-cooked. The beef was good but the portion was a little small (for a meat lover like myself of course). The dalcha went well with the dish and definitely packed a punch in terms of flavour.

The tomato rice itself was a little hard though. This might be due to the fact that we had to keep it and then eat it later maybe? I bought it at around 1pm and kept it in the fridge before heating it up via 'kukus' method just before iftar time. Not sure if that was the cause of it?

Anyways if you're not fussy like me then you will have no problems. The rice was tasty and definitely worthy of a recommendation (unless you don't like hard rice of course).

Adam's Verdict:
Nasi Tomato Daging Rendang 2.5/5 -- Nasi Tomato Daging Rendang 3/5

I've actually only had Nasi Tomato one other time which is when my Dad cooked it at home.
I hear it's really actually quite troublesome to make for some reason so if you can find a good one, you should definitely try it.

But just remember - you only have 3 more days til the stall closes on 4 August!
Thanks to Lynn for the recommendation! Keep them coming in guys!

Nur Indah's Kitchen/Abang Wan's Roti John

Blk 59 New Upper Changi Road
Marketplace@59 #01-187

Operating Hours:
12.00pm til 7.00pm (until 4 August only)