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

Fork & Spoon Toa Payoh - Hanmiga Korean and Japanese Cuisine

As you know, we really loved the HK Beef Noodles from Fork & Spoon but that's gone now and nobody knows where it went (some said Jurong??)

And even though there are other nice things to eat there like the Chicken Rice (which happens to be on our Chicken Rice Chronicles list by the way), we don't really go as often anymore since our beloved Beef Noodles were no longer there.

But recently we were in the area so we stopped by even though we didn't really know what to have and my Darling Wife made a discovery!

BBQ Saba Fish Set ($6.00)

My darling wife absolutely loves Saba Fish and it's so hard to find a nice one nowadays but I think we may just have come across it right here at Fork & Spoon Toa Payoh.

The dish arrives on a sizzling hotplate (yeah you can see it sizzling in the picture!!) nice and piping hot to be enjoyed with rice. The Saba Fish is resting on a bed of chopped onions and served with white rice along with a customary serving of kimchi and Korean ikan bilis (anchovies).

One of the great things is that there is no hamching (fishy) taste or smell to be found here. In fact, even though it says BBQ, the fish is also (confirmed) fried up a little which is actually quite good. The fish is halved so you won't have to deal with any bones and you have easy access to the flesh.

One gripe though - it was a bed of chopped white onions and no cabbage that the fish rested on. In fact it wasn't even a lot of onions :(

But oh well I guess that's a small price to pay!

Maryah's Verdict
BBQ Saba Fish Set 3.5/5

Got quite a few other things to try on the menu but I think Saba Fish is probably gonna be at the top of the list for quite awhile.

Fork & Spoon Foodcourt (Toa Payoh)

Blk 470 Toa Payoh Lorong 6 (Above Courts)
#02-70

Operating Hours: 10.00am til 10.00pm Daily

Le Steak Part II

**This visit was in April and some items may not be available anymore apparently**

The funny thing about my first visit to Le Steak was that I didn't have any steak!
I had the Braised Short Rib which was so-so and the Lemon Curd Tart which I really enjoyed.
But hey, when you go to a place called Le Steak, you gotta have steak am I right?

So I returned with the a whole gang of meat eaters (aka my family) for the 2nd round and to see if all the hype was well deserved or not.

Mushroom Soup ($4.00)

The Mushroom Soup was actually pretty good! Nice and hearty flavour. Definitely the type that you mushroom lovers will enjoy. You can see from the picture that it's nice and thick so none of that watery stuff here.

But after all, we are here for the meat so let's get it on!

So at Le Steak, the have 2 different categories of steak you can choose from.
One is the 'Le Steak Specialties' and the other is the 'Le Premium Cuts'. So what's the difference?
The 'Le Premium Cuts' the higher end premium grade cuts of meat which also means they're priced higher. It's not to say that 'Le Steak Specialties' cuts are not good cuts... But the reality is that they have different grade of meat.

Australian Wagyu Ribeye MS6 ($48.00)

Wagyu beef is undoubtedly the toppest of the tops when it comes to meat and one of the best premium cuts anywhere you go to have steak. Special attention to your cows = better meat and apparently there are none better than Wagyu.

What exactly is MS6 though?
MS stands for Marbling Score and 6 is the score this meat is graded on a scale of 1-12.
The higher the score, the better the meat.

This is actually the most expensive steak on the menu so we thought we'd give it a try!

Dad. Mein Bruder and Yana had the Wagyu and it was pretty okay. You can definitely tell it's a premium grade meat with a fair amount of fat in the meat. Seasoning was pretty okay too actually. The only gripe we has is that we though the steak would be a thicker cut.

They actually ordered their meat to be cooked 'Medium Rare' but as you can see, it was closer to 'Medium'. Hmmmmm....

PS Ribeyer ($28.90)

Mum had the PS Ribeye which is under the 'Le Steak Specialties' category.
Again, the seasoning of the steak was fine which gave it a nice flavour but you can still enjoy the flavour of the beef which we look for when we enjoy steak.

Mashed potatoes were a bit disappointing though.

Prime Tenderloin ($28.90)

I've always been very fussy about my steak (like pretty much all my food) and even though I may not be a purist or an expert when it comes to steak, I guess I at least know how to enjoy the food I like.

This was not the worst steak I've ever had (believe me I've had worse...) but I guess maybe I was expecting more? Or maybe I was disappointed because....

When you go to a place called Le Steak, I'm gonna assume they specialize in cooking steak.
And I know that the preferred for most steak purists is 'Medium Rare' or maybe even 'Medium Well' at most. Well, I'm a 'Well Done' kind of guy and when I ask for 'Well Done', I expect to be served meat that is cooked 'Well Done'.

Err.... that is not Well Done.

Dutch MilkFed Veal Rack ($35.90)

My Darling Wife made the genius decision of trying something new and ordered the veal!
And it was a good decision too because the veal was excellent! It was tender and succulent and juicy and definitely worth its price in the ''Le Premium Cuts' category.

She asked for a 'Medium Well' and it was cooked for the most part but not evenly.
But I agree with her that the veal was definitely better than the steaks (somehow).

Le Steak also has items like Burgers, Pasta, Chicken and Seafood dishes in case steak is not your thing. And don't forget the Braised Short Ribs like the one I had the last time.

Goody Waffle with Maple Syrup and 1 Scoop of Ice-Cream ($7.90)

So this was a crispy/crunchy waffle FYI. I actually find it very plain despite the ice-cream and the maple syrup. Maybe they might consider throwing some whipped cream on there and maybe a cherry on top to make it a little more... well... standard.

Chocolate Lava with Vanilla Ice-Cream ($10.90)

**This item no longer available**
You guys know what a Chocolate Lava Cake is right? The cake where they have molten chocolate in the middle so when they heat it up, it will flow out like molten lava when you dig into the moist chocolate cake.

Err..... where's the lava???
Definitely not what we were expecting. Unless we were expecting a big disappointment.
The Chocolate Cake (or more like muffin) was okay but hey where's the lava???

Creme Brulee ($6.90)

After what looked to be one of the more disappointing meals in quite awhile, thankfully we got some respite with the Creme Brulee.

It was just the right amount of sweet and creamy too.

There are even little bits of raspberries in there which give you a nice tart contrast to the sweet and creamy custard. Definitely the best thing we had that evening!

Adam's Verdict:
Prime Tenderloin 1.5/5 -- Goody Waffle 1.5/5 -- Chocolate Lava with Vanilla Ice-Cream 0.5/5
Creme Brulee 4/5
Maryah's Verdict:
Dutch MilkFed Veal Rack 4/5 -- Goody Waffle 3/5
Chocolate Lava with Vanilla Ice-Cream 2.5/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Australian Wagyu Ribeye MS6 2/5 -- Chocolate Lava with Vanilla Ice-Cream 1/5
Creme Brulee 3/5

Yana's Verdict:
Australian Wagyu Ribeye MS6 2/5 -- Goody Waffle 2/5 -- Creme Brulee 3/5

Dad's Verdict:
Australian Wagyu Ribeye MS6 3/5

Mum's Verdict:
Australian Wagyu Ribeye MS6 2.5/5

I have read many reviews about Le Steak. Some good and some not so good. But that's pretty usual I guess with any eating establishment. I did however agree with some of the reviews I read about the staff at Le Steak.

No, we didn't get any rude or snide remarks like other diners apparently encountered but it was pretty obvious that they were not trained very well and lacked initiative. I wouldn't say it was a very busy night at Le Steak but the wait staff not only seemed to be taking their time but also at least they can take notice and speed it up when someone calls you for assistance right?

Oh well, can't really blame them because they look like they are part-timers anyways but it really is a big turn off when you meal is not up to your expectations and the staff there make the experience all the more dreadful.

I know there's more on the menu but I'm not sure if we will ever got back to Le Steak again.

image from http://steakandco.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/degrees2.jpg

And just so you know why we were unhappy with the done-ness of our steak, check out the shart above and tell me if you think we got what we ordered.

Maybe next time we should request for Chef Amri to cook our steak. LOL just kidding.

Le Steak

248 Jalan Kayu

Tel: 65563588
www.lesteak.com.sg

Operating Hours:
3.00pm til 11.00pm (Mondays to Fridays)
12.00pm til Midnight (Saturdays & PH Eve)
12.00pm til 11.00pm (Sundays and PH)

Le Steak

So Le Steak has been around for quite awhile but I guess we never got around to visiting. I mean, we've always been excited about visiting but I guess maybe the location kept making us put it off over and over again. I remember someone mentioning about visiting Le Steak when it first opened but only now am I getting the chance to visit with some friends.

Le Steak was opened by Chef Amri and the aim appears to be simple - a place where we can go to get some delicious steaks (among other things).

Le Steak offers Prime cuts of steak including USDA Prime Grade Sirloin, USDA Prime Grade Ribeye and also some very nice Australian Wagyu. They also have other dishes to offer including lamb, veal, chicken, pasta and even some burgers but I'll bet most people are here to enjoy the steak.

Surprisingly, I was drawn to order something else other than the steak that evening...

Braised Short Ribs ($33.00)

As always, I'm a sucker when it comes to something braised. Be it Lamb Shank (which they also have by the way) or in this case - Short Ribs.

Le Steak's Braised Short Rib rests on a bed of mashed potatoes and comes with a side of vegetables.
Just nice for you to scoop on some potatoes and veggies as you dig into the tender meat.
And just how tender exactly are we talking about here?

I'm not sure how long they braised the meat for but it was definitely really tender.
You could just peel back the meat with a fork!

The gravy itself is your typical tomato and spices mix. I didn't really find it very unique but it was definitely very flavourful and goes well with your meat and potatoes.

But we cannot survive on meat and potatoes alone now can we??
Well, technically we can but I ordered dessert nonetheless :P

Lemon Curd Tart ($4.90)

They have options like Waffles with Ice Cream, Creme Brulee and Chocolate Lava Cake but I simply could not resist the temptation of the Lemon Curd!!

It's basically a chocolate tart with lemon curd filling with a cream topping which they flambe. Finish that off with some strawberry syrup to give it a nice and sharp tart contrast.

Oooooooohh look at that lemon curd!
I actually really enjoyed my dessert (although I heard the Creme Brulee was really excellent) and I feel it's actually very very worth the price you pay.

This is definitely something to consider if you have a sweet tooth like me!

Adam's Verdict:
Braised Short Ribs 3/5 -- Lemon Curd Tart 4/5

So many more things to try on the Le Steak menu. STEAK STEAK STEAK!!
They even have fresh Oysters, Mussels and even Caviar on weekends!

But something that has caught my attention is a 200-day aged Angus Prime Rib. But that's like an 800gm-1kg serving so I think I might have to find some fellow carnivores before I order that!!

Le Steak

248 Jalan Kayu

Tel: 65563588
www.lesteak.com.sg

Operating Hours:
3.00pm til 11.00pm (Mondays to Fridays)
12.00pm til Midnight (Saturdays & PH Eve)
12.00pm til 11.00pm (Sundays and PH)

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)