Chicken Satay Downtown East Food Centre
Photo: Chicken Satay from Downtown East Food Centre
The Chicken Satay that I sampled at Downtown East's single storey non-airconditioned Food Centre was not as good as I expected.
There were about 8 to 10 stalls at this food centre serving similar food. So I had expected competition to raise the culinary levels, especially for a common dish like chicken satay. Besides, spouse and I noted quite a number of patrons at this corner stall. Like what most patrons would have thought, the more customers, the better the food. Big mistake!
I felt the Chicken Satay at this Downtown East Food Centre was a letdown because of several reasons. The main culprit was the satay peanut gravy. We had two bowls, one was oily and dilute, the other was more concentrated. But the concentrated peanut gravy was still rather dilute. It lacked the oomph that I had grown accustomed to. While sweet, the peanut bits were too refined and uncrunchy.
The chicken satay meat was rather small, less than what I had expected for 50 cents per stick. There were several burnt bits that I had to tease away. That reduced the amount of protein even further. The real test was in the tasting and it lacked the robustness and crunchy dynamism that I expected.
Recommendation For Chicken Satay Downtown East Food Centre
Score = 4.5 out 10
Showing posts with label 5 - Halal Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5 - Halal Food. Show all posts
Sakura Buffet Restaurant
For something different, we had our family reunion meal at one of the branches of Sakura International Buffet Restaurant at NTUC Downtown East in Pasir Ris recently.
Sakura Buffet Restaurant serves halal international cuisines in a mouth-watering buffet spread. We were impressed by the wide range of dishes. Some dishes looked as good as it tasted, while most were adequately tasty.
The good thing about having a buffet meal at a halal certified restaurant is that it allows all members to eat what they prefer in an air-conditioned environment.
The selection of food at Sakura Buffet Restaurant ranges from Chinese-style wok-fried cooking, to Japanese food like sashimi & sushi, to Western-styled dishes like lamb chops and beef steaks. There is also a wide choice of dim sim dishes.
The Sakura's salad bar buffet spread was also generous in its range of edibles. There's also desserts like ice-creams, durian puffs and cakes that you'll find at hotel restaurants during high-teas.
To wash down all those goodies along your gullet, there's plenty to choose at Sakura Buffet restaurant in terms of drinks -sodas, soft drinks, cappucino, tea and many more.
For something different, we had our family reunion meal at one of the branches of Sakura International Buffet Restaurant at NTUC Downtown East in Pasir Ris recently.
Sakura Buffet Restaurant serves halal international cuisines in a mouth-watering buffet spread. We were impressed by the wide range of dishes. Some dishes looked as good as it tasted, while most were adequately tasty.
The good thing about having a buffet meal at a halal certified restaurant is that it allows all members to eat what they prefer in an air-conditioned environment.
The selection of food at Sakura Buffet Restaurant ranges from Chinese-style wok-fried cooking, to Japanese food like sashimi & sushi, to Western-styled dishes like lamb chops and beef steaks. There is also a wide choice of dim sim dishes.
The Sakura's salad bar buffet spread was also generous in its range of edibles. There's also desserts like ice-creams, durian puffs and cakes that you'll find at hotel restaurants during high-teas.
To wash down all those goodies along your gullet, there's plenty to choose at Sakura Buffet restaurant in terms of drinks -sodas, soft drinks, cappucino, tea and many more.
My personal favourites were Sakura Buffet Restaurant's shark's fin soup, roast duck skin crepe, chicken satay, lamb chop, chocolate cake, raw salmon sashimi and prawn dumpling. Plus I could help myself to second and third helpings of my favourite dishes.
The branch of Sakura Buffet Restaurant at Downtown East does not give an image of a high class restaurant. It's cafeteria-like long tables and plastic chairs on non-carpeted floor gave away its Pasir Ris neighbouthood heartlander clientele. What it lacks in ambience is more than made up by the ample selection of free flow of all dishes to fill any plus-sized stomach to satisfaction. Guaranteed.
While not all dishes at Sakura Buffet Restaurant tasted exceptionally good, most tasted average or better. For the price of $22 for an adult and $10.90 for a child at their Weekend Lunch buffet, it is definitely value for money.
Lunch is served until 2.30pm only. So don't think of paying for one meal and hanging inside the restaurant till dinner time for a free second meal!
Address: Sakura Buffet Restaurant
NTUC Downtown East, Pasir Ris
Lasagna From Spize Restaurant
The lasagna that my companion ordered at Spize restaurant in Bedok Shopping Centre looked very presentable and appetizing. You can take a look at the lasagna in the picture that I took (above).
Their version of lasagna was halal made. I took one bite of the lasagna as a sampling and was impressed. It tasted as good as an Italian restaurant's lasagna. The layers were soft and melted in my mouth. The minced beef could be discerned although its presence was not obvious.
The sauce looked and tasted like sphagetti sauce, with just the right amount of sweetness, seasoning and not too oily. The lack of an oomph could be due to the mild presence of cheese, which anyway is not my favourite condiment. Their version of cheese does overpower my senses and so it earned my accolade.
I would prefer that the oil/sauce stains on the white porcelain bowl was removed before being served to make it look less oily. Anyway this is a small matter. I came to this kopi-tiam-like cafe to taste the food, not to pay extra for fine dining.
Recommendation:
Score for Lasagna from Spize restaurant = 8 out of 10. (more beefy flavouring would up this score)
Lasagna from Spize Restaurant
Price = $10.50 (before GST)
Address:
Spize Restaurant
338 Bedok Road
Bedok Shopping Centre
I would prefer that the oil/sauce stains on the white porcelain bowl was removed before being served to make it look less oily. Anyway this is a small matter. I came to this kopi-tiam-like cafe to taste the food, not to pay extra for fine dining.
Recommendation:
Score for Lasagna from Spize restaurant = 8 out of 10. (more beefy flavouring would up this score)
Lasagna from Spize Restaurant
Price = $10.50 (before GST)
Address:
Spize Restaurant
338 Bedok Road
Bedok Shopping Centre
Muthu's Curry Tandoori Chicken
This plate of Tandoori Chicken from Muthu's Curry at Suntec City branch is a wonderfully delicious North Indian dish. I was in Suntec City and had a chance to sample the Tandoori Chicken recently.
Their Tandoori Chicken appeared as a tantalising fiery red pieces of fowl, covered with streaks of burnt bits. Before my first bite, I suspected that it could be spicy. The initial suspicion was confirmed after taking a few tentative bites.
The piece of Tandoori Chicken that I ate felt soft to my palate. The chicken flesh gave way easily between my teeth, releasing its aromatic fragrance. The Tandoori Chicken marinate was a giddy mix of sweetness and spiciness.
As I have a low threshold for hot and spicy stuff, I needed gulps of ice water to wash away the hotness after devouring a large piece of Tandoori Chicken.
Recommendation:
Score for Muthu's Curry Tandoori Chicken = 8 out of 10. Would be higher if chilli concentration could be lowered.
Eating Places Singapore: Fried Carrot Cake
There are many eating places in Singapore. Some eating places I go because of the recommended food. Some Singapore eating places I go because of the convenience. Some eating places in Singapore I go because of the ambience. Some eating places like foodcourts I go in Singapore because it is the cheapest option to eat out.
The foodcourt at Simei's Eastpoint Mall Shopping Centre is one of those eating places in Singapore that I went to recently because of the prices.
I tried eating their fried carrot cake. They prepare both 'white' and 'black' versions of the friend carrot cake. I saw the queue at this eating place for the fried carrot cake and was tempted to give it a try.
I chose to eat the black fried carrot cake as I like it that way. They used plenty of sweet sauce which is the way I like. However, the oil that was used to fry the carrot cake was also very generously poured all over the hot work.
With one egg mixed into the wok and the carrot cake, the smell was inviting. The texture of the carrot cake was fairly soft, very sweet and the egg gave it an added robustness. But the oil drip was not a positive.
Overall, this simple dish is easy to prepare but hard to reproduce to a standard that everybody will appreciate. Perhaps next time I shall ask the lady to save the oil for another customer.
The dish is halal certified.
Recommendation:
Overal score for fried carrot cake = 7 out of 10.
Hokkien Noodle, EastPoint Mall Foodcourt
This Hokkien Noodle dish served at the foodcourt in EastPoint Mall is halal. I tried it some time ago and discovered a new eating place in Simei.
Taste-wise, I must say that it is different from the usual hokkien mee that I've tried. The noodles have a springy texture and are less soggy than those that I regularly eat. The gravy sauce used in this hokkien noodle dish looks clearer and tastes more watery but it is still sweet.
I realise that the most important aspect of hokkien noodle is its prawn paste. Sadly, the prawn taste was severely lacking in their version. Even the prawns that was used lacked the taste of a juicy prawn.
As I like my hokkien prawn noodle with a thicker and richer prawn paste, I am afraid that I can't score this dish highly. Those who like simple noodles in a clear watery sauce will like this Hokkien noodle dish.
It is different from the Hokkien noodles that use thick prawn (hae-bee) paste. The good thing about this cersion that is served at Eastpoint Mall foodcourt is that it is a much healthier choice.
Recommendation:
Score for hokkien noodle dish = 6.5 out of 10.
Sri Bistari Penyet Chicken
I ate Sri Bistari penyet chicken for takeaway dinner recently. This halal penyet chicken came from Sri Bistari located at a neighbourhood coffee shop “Kopitiam” in Simei housing estate, just a few steps away from the Simei MRT Station.
This Sri Bistari penyet chicken stall is apparently a branch of the famous Sri Bistari chain that serves the famous penyet chicken from Changi Village food center. Perhaps it was a takeaway penyet chicken meal box that affected its taste, or perhaps it was the delay before we ate it, somehow this penyet chicken does not live up to that produced from the Sri Bistari Changi Village oven.
The penyet chicken meat from Sri Bistari (Simei) had a rather salty coat of thick seasoning. While this was tasty and somewhat unusual, the bland chicken flesh was not as soft as I preferred. There was no outstanding texture nor flavour that would have garnered Sri Bistari penyet chicken a higher grade from me.
The Sri Bistari penyet chicken rice was of a good-grained kind, fairly firm to bite. Although the rice grain had above average firmness, it failed to match the basmati type of rice that I had come to expect from Sri Bistari.
My verdict: 6.5 out of 10.
I’ve tasted the better alternative of penyet chicken at its Changi Village branch, so this stall’s penyet chicken somehow fails to live up to Sri Bistari’s fame.
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