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2013-07-15
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Located near Pinnacle @ Duxton, tucked away in shophouses in between Chinatown & Tanjong Pagar, this coffee shop sees itself in prime location for an eatery. With chic restaurants in the district, Keong Saik Road has earned it name for itself for being a hotspot for great food and ambience for those seeking an eclectic mix of the vintage and the modern.This coffeeshop is nothing to look at -there are rectangular calligraphy writings on the wall (their menu haha). This gives this place a really v
Located near Pinnacle @ Duxton, tucked away in shophouses in between Chinatown & Tanjong Pagar, this coffee shop sees itself in prime location for an eatery. With chic restaurants in the district, Keong Saik Road has earned it name for itself for being a hotspot for great food and ambience for those seeking an eclectic mix of the vintage and the modern.
This coffeeshop is nothing to look at -there are rectangular calligraphy writings on the wall (their menu haha). This gives this place a really vintage feel which I suppose isn't completely deliberate. Thankfully, they do have a menu on paper for those who have difficulty deciphering the mandarin scrawls! They serve their famous Yong Tau Fu Claypot, as well as other zichar dishes -delicious.We ordered a variety of dishes to try -Bittergourd with Braised Pork ($13), Claypot Yong Tau Foo ($13), Sambal Kang Kong ($8), Cereal Fried Squid ($11), steamed white rice and homemade barley.
The Cereal Fried Squid ($11) looks much more than it actually is -hidden under that layer of cereal and frittered eggs is a meagre portion of squid. Nevertheless, the taste was definitely there. There was a slight sweetness, but the overall taste was more salty than anything. It's definitely tasty and the fried bits go heavenly with the rice and spicy kang kong. A terribly SINFUL indulgence.
The Claypot Yong Tau Foo ($13) is their signature dish, and I believe this is one of the contributing factor to their successive Green Book Awards! Homemade and simmered in a delightfully savoury (and not overly starchy!) sauce, this dish is an instant winner when served sizzling hot. The yong tau foo does not disintegrate easily and consists of stuffed chillis and eggplant. You can taste the distinct taste of prawns in the paste which gave the dish a nice flavour.
This dish, Bittergourd with Braised Pork ($13), is definitely not for non-bittergourd fans as the bitterness permeates the entire dish such that even the meat carries a slight bitter tinge. I enjoyed it though; the meat was so tender and I could really taste the dark soy sauce and the gravy that it was cooked with! The pork also has fatty bits that are really good, complementing the taste of not only the heavy sauce but also the bitterness of the gourd.
What struck me as unique about this Sambal Kang Kong ($8) is that it tasted more like tom yum kang kong rather than sambal. There was a hint of lime and overall, a tangy yet spicy flavour which was refreshing. The "sambal" wasn't overwhelming and chunky like in other places, but it had a lighter taste to it which was pleasant. Give this a try because you might be surprised!Other must tries would include their Chicken in Sambal (this sambal is boasted to be different from the one used in the kang kong and all sambals are homemade!) as well as Crab. We suggest that you start with the Claypot Yong Tau Foo and the Pork rib Bittergourd. These really impressed us.
While the food was undeniably delicious, tasty and gave good value, we were dismayed at the oiliness of it all!! Every plate left a pool of oil, and the oil can be seen when the dishes are set on your rice. Nevertheless, if you don't freak out over a bit of oil, all the dishes here are well worth your time and calories. The total bill came up to slightly below $50 for 4 dishes, 3 bowls of rice and 3 drinks. Fantastic!
P.s. The barley was a bit thick and sweet for my liking, it'd be best to have it with ice so that the ice can dilute it!
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