Charco's

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A couple of years ago, we were introduced to Charco's.Situated in AMK at the time, the draw of this place was that it served authentic BBQ Ribs and a special Roast Chicken at an affordable price.However, the ribs were Lamb Ribs.When we tried it a few years ago as a Father's Day treat, there seemed to be more fat than meat on the ribs.Firstly, we're talking lamb ribs so automatically the size is smaller and the on top of that the fat outweighs anything else of the plate. So I wasn't really impressed with the whole thing.So recently I'm told that Charco's is now serving Beef Ribs as well so obviously I have to check it out right?The only way we could get Beef Ribs is when we go to KL and makan at Hard Rock, Tony Roma's or Chilli's but it looks like finally we might have it right here!And to make it even better - Charco's has relocated to Marine Parade!The one thing that they still have is their Salad Bar.So you have a choice of Caesar's, Seafood, Tuna Pasta, Egg, Greek, Potato, Chicken Avocado or good ol' Coleslaw.You can get it ala carte at in either 2 or 3 salad choices on a platter in Regular or Large Sizes. (Between $5.70 to $8.80 depending in your choice of salad)Or you could buy a meal when you order your meats which come with a choice of salads which may be more worth it in the end.You'll see what I mean in awhile.All this talk of salad alone is making me hungry.Bring on the meat!So my darling wife decided to choose Caeser's salad, Egg Salad and Coleslaw.I have to say this - the Egg Salad was THE BOMB!!On my plate you can see some peas (which were surprisingly tasty!!) and Charco's 'famous' Creme Potato.It's basically potatoes in cream with some chilli powder sprinkled over it.And I remember it being bloody delicious from our previous visit to the AMK branch all those years ago so I thought it would be a good idea to get an extra serving of veggies.More peas and more Creme Potato.Add in a Corn-on-the-Cob and some roasted potatoes and you have a healthy add-on side dish!But to be honest the Creme Potatoes seems to have lost their magic. I remember they used to be slice a lot thinner which seems to make a difference. Or may it was just Potato Overload.Okay okay enough about the vegetables and the side dishes.Let's get down to business and talk about the actual ribs.Actually the reason I've been putting off talking about the ribs is because I'm in a bit of a quandary.After tasting it ourselves and then later checking with my brother how it was when they had his meal there (my brother and his wife were the ones who alerted me to the Beef Ribs), I think I'm going to find it very difficult to come to a conclusion on this one.These were the ribs served on my wife's plate.See the one on the left and compare it the one on the right. This is important.Taste-wise I have to say that the ribs were delicious.They had the nice smoky taste and the BBQ sauce was excellent. Not too strong at all.But the next part is the problem.The rib on the left was perfect apparently.Nice. Juicy. Tender. Fell off the bone when you pulled it with your fork. Sounds like a delicious Beef Rib!But the one on the right...The rib on the right (aka The Right Rib) was a different story altogether.It was on the tough side. You really had to use your knife and put some elbow into it.Taste was still there. But definitely not as tender as the one on the left. An obvious case of overcooking the meat which caused it to dry out.And the photo at top of the post?Those were the ribs on my plate and you can see they look exactly like The Right Rib on my wife's plate so that means I got all dried-out ribs.As you can see - on the left it looks juicy and delicious but on the right it's dry and stringy.And I was quite disappointed actually. It was a waste of meat. Bad enough we didn't have much choices in SG and it turned out that the one place we found was serving dried-out meat.And then I called my brother and asked him about his experience about a week ago and he claims that ALL of the ribs they got were tender and juicy!!Hmmmm.... so this could either be a case of inconsistent cooking or my bad luck I got the wrong ribs...Well it looks like we'll probably have make another trip to Charco's to test our theory and decide once and for all if this is the real deal for Halal ribs.Oh and by the way. Just few more notes.Charco's has quite an extensive menu for the whole family. You have chicken, beef, lamb and fish in dishes ranging from kebabs to rolls, served with veggies or rice and even a kids menu.(One of the items I'm gonna try next time is the Schnitzel!)But one item I'd actually advise you to avoid is the Mushroom Soup.Looks delicious I know but it's not that great.It's actually the instant powder type (not even Campbell's lor) and they make some modifications.I'm not saying it's terrible but if you're the type (like me) who expect to have a proper fresh made mushroom soup then you should give this a miss. The $3.50 price tag compounds my decision to advise you to avoid.For those of you who are curious, that's the Charco's Portuguese Chicken.They actually have two types;The Herb Chicken which is milder I guess and the Portuguese Chicken which is more robust in flavour and spicier by the looks of it.You can order 1/4, 1/2 or a whole chicken and as usual you have a choice of the side dishes you wanna pair it with.Unfortunately we didn't order it this time so we can't give you a proper review but Fadhilla and Aziz Rai say it's juicy and tender and pretty worth the money. 1/4 Chicken with 3 Salads will cost you $11.00.Charco's also offers Family Feasts which gives you a helluva lot of food for a helluva lot of people so you might wanna check it out if you're gonna have a family reunion there soon. Don't worry Charco's. I promise to return soon and try your ribs again.Let's see if you can give me some consistency the next time and not a slab of dry meat. continue reading

I and hubby went out wondering around east area to eat and we found a halal western food in Marine Parade Coffee Shop opposite Parkway Parade mall. We try their lamb ribs and chicken, its comes together with 3 different side dish which you can choose from pasta to vegetable.The coffee shop environment was ok and so the service but most important the food was overall awesomely delicious. This becomes my favourite dishes now. continue reading

**Do take note that they have change their venue to a coffee-shop nearby (the one nearer to the Polyclinic). Blk 80 Marine Parade Central #01-770 (as of 6th April 2012)Something to splurge and binge one once in a blue moon.Often visit of this and your heart will hate you forever. ServiceIt is a self-service restaurant where you have to take your own menu and pay after you order.The cashier is friendly. She would recommend you whats best if you're spoiled for choice.Suggested daysWeekends peak hours (dinner) is always crowded. I'm not too sure about Lunch time though but I guess weekdays are fine.Prices $$Prices starts from $3.Cheapest is Hot Dog Roll.On average is $9.90 -$15.More prices can be found in their website: http://www.charcos.com.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=58RatingI see myself coming here once in a while so I'm giving it 4/5.Besides, waiting time doesn't take that long for simple dish. (approx. 15mins)And yes. I do recommend this shop. Best for all sorts of occasions!Other varietiesRack of RibsWhole ChickenSchnitzel (Deep-fried Breaded Chicken)Portuguese Chicken Kids MealVeggie Meal continue reading

I am really a cheese lover and this cheesy baked rice really has impressed me! Fried rice instead of normal fragrant plain rice is used for this dish. This make it more tasty and with that extra flavour in it. Lots of cheese and tomato paste are topped on it before bake in the oven. The secret weapon will be their beef meat balls which are really big, juicy and tender. Eat the meat balls with the fried rice really give you that special unique taste which you cannot get from anywhere. Try it and you will know the reason. continue reading

This grilled fish with mashed potato here may not be the nicer and delicious choice out there, but it is definitely consider one of the best healthier main course which you can get here. The fish is quite thick and all skins have been removed to reduce more fat intake here. The fish is lightly grilled so that the juices in the fish is still seal in it. The mashed potato is moist and soft and you can eat with the small bowl of black pepper gravy. The cut vegetables are really fresh and crunchy which add on the nutrition value to this dish. continue reading