The Prata Place - The Ultimate Murtabak & Murtaburger

You all remember the time we reported on The Prata Place participating in Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 right? Remember that awesome Prata with Poached Egg and Indian Hollandaise Sauce?
Yeah! That's the one!

Well, while we were doing research on that dish, we found out that The Prata Place had also created 2 special dishes for the previous editions of Ultimate Hawker Fest in the past years. And the best news is that those dishes are still available when you visit their joint!!

Let's start with something that is as awesome as it sounds.
Let's start with... The Ultimate!!

The Ultimate Murtabak ($12.00)

That thing is so huge that it can barely fit onto the tray!! Whoa!
Well, when you call something Ultimate, it's gotta be something amazing am I right?

So what's in The Ultimate Murtabak anyways?

We've got specialty premium ingredients like Tandoori Chicken and Portobello Mushrooms in there! Top it all off with Mozzarella cheese!!

Quite surprising because these are not usually things you'd get in a murtabak. The murtabak was crispy on the outside but nice and steaming on the inside with all those yummy fillings.

And I know some of you might be saying that $12 seems like a lot to pay for a murtabak. But think about it, this price is not much different from what you'd be paying for an average mutton or chicken murtabak elsewhere but here you are getting super premium fillings!

Plus, it REALLY is a big as it looks in the picture!

Murtaburger ($7.00)

If you're looking for something a little smaller in size but still big on flavour then you might want to try taking on the Murtaburger! (Who comes up with these great names anyways LOL)

So is this what you get when you combine a burger and a murtabak? It would seem so!

ZOMG just look at that and tell me you're not drooling like us now!

Oh yeah our favourite friend Mozzarella Cheese makes a very important appearance here (guess it's a Cheeseburger after all) along with a special chilli/mayonnaise sauce concoction specially mixed up for this special dish.

The meat filling is actually a lamb patty that is made on-site which means it's not those ready-made meat fillings stuff. This is the real deal so you know that they are gonna make it extra tasty!

Adam's Verdict: The Ultimate Murtabak 2.5/5 -- Murtaburger 3.5/5

Call me biased but the more meat there is, that's probably gonna be what I'll lean towards. LOL
But hey, where there's cheese, I'm still okay!

Anyways check out the skills of the prata guy!



Anyways don't worry they still have your expected spread like all kinds of prata (OVER 40 TYPES in all kinds of combinations!!), Thosai, all the Mee Gorengs and the gang so you're gonna be spoiled for choice for sure.

But don't forget to wash it all down with a Teh Tarik okay!

GREAT NEWS! The 2nd outlet at Jalan Tua Kong (Siglap) is now open!! 7am til 11pm!

The Prata Place

1 Thong Soon Avenue

Tel: 6459 5670
www.theprataplace.com.sg

Operating Hours: 7.00am til Midnight Daily

Prata Scholar Workshop @ Casuarina Curry

Advertorial

Hey everyone! Looking for something fun and unique to do AND get stuffed with prata at the same time? Well, we have just the thing for you!!!

Casuarina Curry is an icon when the topic of Prata is brought up. It's been around for ages and is one of the most popular prata places in Singapore. In fact, it's my mum's favourite!!

Well besides offering dozens of Prata variations, Thosai, Mee Goreng and Briyani, Casuarina is now also offering the chance to learn first-hand how to make Prata like the pros and then reward yourself with as much prata as you can eat afterwards! Perfect for family outings or gatherings with friends. And the kids are sure to love it!!

Mr Baboo - The Prata Professional

A real Prata Professional is on hand to show you the ropes and teach you the tricks on how to flip the perfect prata. Mr Baboo has been flipping pratas for a long time so he surely knows what he's doing right? And he's the real deal too... How can we be so sure?

If he can do this, he's a professional

Anyways don't worry he's got most of the stuff ready for you when you arrive.
So all you'll need to bring are your hands and a sporting attitude and you'll be flipping prata in no time! Let me show you how it's done *ahem ahem*

Step 1 - Flatten it out

Step 2 - Flip it (Flip it good!)

Step 3 - Stretch it out

Step 4 - Realize you need a bit more practice

My first try EVER at making prata and it was actually really fun. I initially thought it was sure to be a cinch and "confirmed no problem one lah!!" and the I realized it's a lot harder than it looks! But it was really fun!

I actually ruined my first one before I even had a chance to flip it because I pressed to hard when I flattened it out. But once you try it a few times you start to get the hang of it.

Let's see how Mein Brudder fared...

Looks like not bad right... Even Mr Baboo looks impressed..
And then suddenly...

Check out Mr Baboo! Totally LOL-ing.
Okay never mind... Maybe we should try it together...

Ready to flip (check out my face of concentration)

FLIP!!

SUCCESS!!!

Mr Baboo gives us the thumbs up!

Okay so maybe we both need more practice but this Prata Workshop is actually something really unique. I'm not aware of anywhere else that you can go and learn the ropes to making prata like this.
And like we said it's great fun especially for the kids!!

Great activity with the family on a weekend out or even with a bunch of friends who want to try something new just for fun and laughs. Got some friends or guests from out of town? Perfect chance to show them some of our local food culture!!

Anyways, the good news is that the price you pay is not just flip pratas.
You also get ALL THE PRATA YOU CAN EAT plus one drink! Is that a great deal or what!!!

YEAAHHHH!!!

So for $15, you not only great a great session of prata-making but you also get to wolf down all the prata you can stomach too! I can think of a few people who would definitely jump at such an offer!
We are talking about Casuarina Prata! one of the pioneers of Crispy Prata in Singapore and you get an unlimited supply of prata til you are filled to the max!

Pssssttt here's a tip for you all... The $15 price applies to unlimited Plain Prata (aka Prata Kosong) only... top up with a few more dollars and you could enjoy the special pratas too!! We're talking about more than a dozen types of prata to choose from!! Trust us - that's a great deal!

And you get a nice souvenir certificate too! Something for the kids to hang up on their wall.
Who knows... if I ever visit a prata place in future and I see this certificate hanging on the wall of the shop, I'll know Mr Baboo's student is running the joint!!

They've got several time slots daily so this will be great for the holidays too!
Start planning now and book your places for this coming weekend!!

Casuarina Curry

136 Casuarina Road (Thomson)

Tel: 6455 9093
www.casuarinacurry.com

Operating Hours:
7.00am til Midnight
(Please refer to poster for Prata Workshop timings)

Yip's by Andik Nurdiany - Festive Cookies

Advertorial

Hey guys you remember our first post on Yip's by Andik Nurdiany and some of the pastry goodies we tried right? Well, not only do they have more pastries for us to try (soon), they also have a wide range of Festive Cookies for us to enjoy!!

Well, they've actually got a lot more variety than that but we're gonna go through just some with you now including a very very unique and special one! I think we'll save that one for last! (kasi suspense sikit)

Okay let's start from the top.

Pineapple Tarts ($16.00 per bottle)

It doesn't matter what festive season it might be.
Chinese New Year? Hari Raya? Deepavali? Christmas? You're almost definitely going to see some Pineapple Tarts somewhere or rather. I think there's just something about Pineapple Tarts that connect us all. They come in all funny shapes and sizes and version nowadays but in the end, it's a Pineapple Tart.

Yip's Pineapple Tarts are definitely very generous with the pineapple filling as you can see.
The ratio of pineapple to pastry is pretty much even from what we gather and no complaints from us!
The pineapple filling itself is not too sweet and the pastry is buttery but does not overwhelm you.
Just the right balance for those who prefer a lighter snack!

We normally have a hard time finding a decent traditional Pineapple Tart nowadays and often buy a different version (as you may have read from our previous posts) but at least now we know where we can get some steady Pineapple Tarts!

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cheddar Cheese Biscuits ($18.00 per bottle)

I love cheese. And I love cheesy pastries and cookies.
I've had some pretty decent cheese cookies in the past but this was definitely something different.

Yip's version is kinda like a flower biscuit shape opposed to the type I normally have which is in stick version. But the good news is - it's still cheesy! It's not the strong salty type of cheese taste which is going to make you 'muak' so fast. This one is kind of salty-sweet and buttery and the cranberry piece on top gives you a nice sweet hint at the end.

I kept popping this one by one by one. Simply could not stop!!

Macadamia Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies ($16.00 per bottle)

This was my darling wife's favourite and I can see why!

Delicious chocolate taste when you chomp down on the cookies. The cookie dough is chocolate and you'll also get the chocolate chips embedded within! And if that's no enough, macadamia nut halves! And as you can see, they're not stingy with the macadamia nuts okay! If you don't see one on the surface, it's probably hiding from you within the cookie!!

Macadamia Nut Butter Cookies ($17.00 per bottle)

If you're not such a big chocolate fan (sure or not???), do not fret!

Yip's also has a butter version for those that still want to enjoy macadamia nut cookies without the chocolate element. Pure butter enjoyment waiting for you here! AND LOOK AT THOSE NUTS!!

And here's a fact for you - Yip's uses ONLY BUTTER in all their cookies, puffs and pastries! No margarine allowed!!

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Almond Cookies ($18.00 per bottle)

This was the bomb. And the bombs went in my mouth!

I've always been a fan of crumbly almond cookies and I can safely say we've come across one of the best here. Nice little bite-sized pieces of almond and butter goodness that you're probably not going to be able to stop from eating if you're a big fan of almond cookies.

That's a view of the inside of the cookie. I took half a bite and took a closer look inside.
If you look closely, you can see the layers of almond nut flakes that are packed into that little cookie.
No wonder it's so nutty and buttery!

And I'm not kidding you - I'm literally eating these cookies as I type this review out!

Anyways now we've come to the special cookies that we mentioned at the beginning of our post.
Are you ready? ***JENG JENG JENG***

Cereal Prawn Cookies ($18.00 per bottle)

When I first saw this posted on their Instagram, the first thought that came to my mind was "Wow. That's very errrrr... interesting!" because I've never come across a Cereal Prawn Cookie before!

And let me tell you, these unique little cookies are really something else! It's not just hype and gimmick here because these cookies really pack a punch! Nestum, Japanese dried prawns, curry leaves and CHILLI PADI make up this cookie. No wonder it's so full of flavour and is actually quite spicy!

Take a big whiff and you're gonna get a strong smell of chilli and dried prawns that's gonna get your taste buds activated. These little cookies actually remind me of those little mini Prawn Popiahs we have.
My Mum absolutely loved these cookies and the spicy factor they bring. A nice savoury taste and then chilli kicks in. I believe you chilli lovers out there will like this too!

Yip's by Andik Nurdiany is really taking things by storm here. We've tried some of the pastries and it was the bomb and now their cookies are the bomb too!

And the best thing is they have so many more things that we haven't had the chance to include in this review!
Love Letters, Cornflake and Raisin cookies, Sugi, Honeycomb and even Almond Bienetta to name a few. And they even have cookies that are 100% Vegetarian-friendly!
Looks like we have a lot more to try at Yips!

So whether it's for the festive season, looking for a gift for someone or even just buying some snacks for yourself and the family, you should definitely check out Yips! You can check out their FB page, Instagram or their website. Look for the Yip's logo on the right hand sidebar of our blog. Click on it and immediately be transported to their site where you can find a full list of their goodies and mouth-watering pics too!

Yip's by Andik Nurdiany

10 Sinaran Drive
Novena Square 2 #B117-119

Tel: 6440 7887 / 8233 0073
www.yips.sg

Operating Hours:
7.00am til 9.00pm (Mondays to Saturdays)
8.00am til 9.00pm (Sundays and Public Holidays)

Yip's by Andik Nurdiany

So we received a message awhile back to visit a makan place called Yip's.

Apparently 'Yip's Cookies & More' had been around for years before the current Chef De Patisserie (aka Makan Mastermind), Andik Nurdiany, took over to continue the fine art of the tasty pastry and original mouth-watering creations baked freshly on-site!!

One fine day after a check-up, we finally had the chance to sample some tasty treats.

Chilli Ikan Bilis Puff ($2.00)

We started off with something that I seem to have taken a liking to recently - Sambal Ikan Bilis!
And it's not that often I find something unique that incorporates this spicy-sweet favourite of many.

The pastry itself was simply marvelous. As a Home Ec student myself in secondary school, I know how much work it takes to perfect your pastry making and we're talking about professional baking here. Light and buttery (not oily) flavour once you chomp down. Loads of Ikan Bilis to keep you company.

And for those of you who get worried when the words 'Sambal' and 'Chilli' appear, don't worry.
The description says 'Spice - MILD' so you can breathe a sigh of relief. The Sambal Ikan Bilis is full of flavour but will not burn your mouth off.

In fact, I'd say it was more on the sweet side than the spicy side.

Tom Yam Chicken Puff ($2.00)

As most of you probably know by now, I love Thai food and my darling wife follows suit.
So how exactly do you expect us to not try something that has TOM YAM in the name???

And they really don't fool around with the Tom Yam. I guessing it's something they concocted because this is potent stuff. Tom Yam flavour definitely shoots through!

Shredded chicken meat bursting with Tom Yam flavour.
But like the Chilli Ikan Bilis Puff, you might consider sharing with someone unless you're really hungry.

I'm a greedy guy but even I shared because I wanted to have enough space to try a little bit of everything.

Lo Bo Ping aka Sweetheart Cake ($1.30)

Yip's doesn't just offer only savoury pastries by the way.
They have a wide variety of pastries to satisfy anyone who has a sweet-tooth.

One good example is the Lo Bo Ping which I have only read about or seen other people eating because I had never come across a Halal version until we visited Yip's!! Now I've finally got my chance to try this HK-style pastry!

It is basically a pastry-cake with winter melon and sesame seed filling.

The filling is not overly sweet and very subtle. In fact, I thought it tasted more like pumpkin seed than sesame seed with the winter melon. The pastry was light and flaky and literally crumbled as I brought it to my mouth.
I'm not sure why they call it 'Sweetheart Cake' though... Anyone have any stories to share?? :)

Orange and Cranberry Muffin ($1.20)

Looking for some Western flavours instead?
Yip's actually has cookies, tartlets, eclairs, brownies and even muffins for you!

We could not resist trying the Orange and Cranberry Muffin. Too tempting!
The orange flavour (and aroma) was very prominent with every bite of the muffin and you'll get some cranberries every few bites. The muffin itself was moist and soft!

Definitely recommend to try this one!!

Adam's Verdict:
Chilli Ikan Bilis Puff 4/5 -- Tom Yam Puff 3/5 -- Lo Bo Ping 3.5/5
Orange and Cranberry Muffin 4.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Chilli Ikan Bilis Puff 4/5 -- Tom Yam Puff 3/5 -- Lo Bo Ping 2.5/5
Orange and Cranberry Muffin 3.5/5

Yip's by Andik Nurdiany has been featured in the media so many times I'm not sure how we managed to miss out on this gem tucked away in a little corner.

And even though we had received this tip so long ago, it took us quite awhile to finally visit because we east-dwellers seldom traveled to the area. But with regular check-ups at the nearby Thomson Medical Centre coming up for us, we're definitely dropping by again soon!

I can even tell you what's on my radar...
Their famous Chicken Curry Puff, Barbeque Chicken Puff, Creamy Mushroom Puff and Portugese Egg Tarts!

Yip's by Andik Nurdiany

10 Sinaran Drive
Novena Square 2 #B117-119

Tel: 6440 7887 / 8233 0073
www.yips.sg

Operating Hours:
7.00am til 9.00pm (Mondays to Saturdays)
8.00am til 9.00pm (Sundays and Public Holidays)