This weekend go Indian for it is Deepavali. We recommend Annalakshmi, a South Indian restaurant in Chinatown. The social enterprise of a restaurant will definitely be value for money as diners can eat as much as they want and then, pay as much as they wish.

THE FOOD:

The cooks at Annalakshmi are volunteers, mostly housewives with cooking skills honed to perfection with day-to-day practice, who serve homely South Indian food like naan breads, masala dosai (fried rice pancake stuffed with spiced potatoes), bhatura (deep-fried puffed up bread with chickpeas or lentils), and several curries to choose from. As food is served buffet-style here, you get to take more of whatever you like.

Popular dishes are its palek paneer (cottage cheese with spinach), dhal (dried beans and lentils) and kulfi (Indian version of frozen milk pudding). The mango-flavoured Kulfi, a popular frozen milk dessert somewhat similar to ice-cream in texture and taste, is a favourite here but is not often available. Still, do try asking - you might be lucky.

THE MOOD:

South Indian restaurant cum social enterprise Annalakshmi functions on an interesting philosophy of "Athithi Dhevo Bhava" which means “the guest is God”. Like the cooks, service staff are also volunteers who serve as an act of giving and loving. Freshgrads spoke to a few of them and was surprised to find volunteers from all sorts of professions from doctors to clerks. But polite and friendly as they are, the service at Annalakshmi has still a long way to go if the volunteers were to fulfill their aims of making their customers feel treated like a "God".

Besides a devoted staff, the restaurant is elaborately furnished with statues and artworks reflective of the South Indian origins its founder and cuisine it serves. And for the whole cultural experience, people usually pay about S$10 per person.

The restaurant also provides packed lunch ($5) and catering services.

Images are available here: http://www.freshgrads.sg/index.php/articles/lifestyle/food/550-annalakshmi-.html

Along MacPherson Road in Paya Lebar, feel the heat from the Everest Kitchen by dipping into its authentically spice-heavy Nepalese and North Indian cuisine. From its spice-ladened curries to friendly Nepalese staff to its simple decor, the cozy eatery serves up a great deal.

THE FOOD:

Everest Kitchen is a no-frills eatery that survives largely because of the value-for-money homely meals it serves. This is a truly authentic Nepalese and North Indian eatery with three local chefs, opened by Nepalese restauranteur Mr Dan Shahi. The menu is a good mix of Nepalese and North Indian staples such as curries, naan, coloured rice and many others. Customers are served complimentary iced water and papadum with a nice mint yoghurt dip promptly.

Two hot favourites - some literally hot - are the Kukhura makhani (tender pieces of butter chicken simmered in smooth creamy gravy, $8) and the Chicken Tikka Masala (thick and favourful gravy with bite-sized pieces of chicken, potatoes and spice, $8). Order a plate of plain white rice to go along with the gravy-based dishes. Or better, skip the rice and go for the garlic naan. The simple art of a dough is hard to perfect but Everest Kitchen does it well with a nice consistency. There is a wide variety from plain garlic to marsala (stuffed potatoes) to naan with dried fruit and nuts.

Not to be missed is also Everest Kitchen's momos (traditional Himalayan dumplings with minced chicken and onion fillings, $6 per serving of eight) accompanied by a tangy chilli-curry dip. They come both steamed or fried though the fried version seemed a more popular choice when we were there. Nonetheless, ask nicely and the friendly staff will oblige to a request for a sampling of both, steamed and fried.

Mustang Coffee ($4) is a must. The fragrant coffee wickedly spiked with Nepalese alcohol woke us up after a satisfying - and sleep inducing - meal. But end it off on a sweet note with gulab jamun ($4), a popular North Indian dessert made up of flour balls with milk and ghee and doused in sickeningly sweet syrup. Just one to share among four would be sufficient.
THE MOOD:

Seven-year-old Everest Kitchen is located along MacPherson Road in Paya Lebar and would be easily missed if not for the interesting crowd it attracts in and out of its glass doors. Most of its customers are foreigners, if not Nepalese, who treat the hidden gem of a restaurant like their personal canteen.

Customers embrace the smell of curry as soon as they step into the eatery which also warns first-timers of authentic and wholesome but spicy Nepalese and North Indian cuisine ahead. The no-frills, unpretentious eatery is simply decorated with wall paintings and, as its name suggests, posters of Mount Everest pinned up all around to create a laidback atmosphere.

What's more, the Nepalese staff spoke good English and refills iced water at remarkable speed - with a smile.

Images are available here: http://www.freshgrads.sg/index.php/articles/lifestyle/food/556-everest-kitchen.html

Vittles is situated along Sembawang Road after Kathib Camp. It's at the same building as the drive-through MacDonald's. This suburban dining serves pasta, burgers, and grills. The mains come with a wide choice of 10 side dishes, e.g. gratinated potato, coleslaw, cheese pasta salad and others.

The Food:

Their menu is filled with interesting items that are worth a try such as Sauteed Escargots with pasta, Grilled Chix on Pasta, Grilled Salmon on Pasta, BBQ Pork Loin on Pasta. The economic set meal is worth a try at $9.90 excluding GST. The portion is quite large, and comes with the soup of the day, a drink and dessert, with a choice of 3 options. The unique thing about Vittles is that it has self-service free-flow popcorn. While the food averages around its price, don't expect too much.

The Mood:
The cafe is filled with retro Coca-cola bottles and decorations and you feel like you're transported back to the 1980s, the surrounding environment helps too. Vittles seems to be patronised mainly by the heartlanders and residents staying close by. It's a unique find, but even though it's located next to the main road, it's rather inaccessible by public transport. Do look out for the MacDonald's sign and you should be able to spot Vittles with its loud green signage.

For images: http://www.freshgrads.sg/index.php/articles/lifestyle/food/586-vittles.html

Think yoghurt and what comes to mind is usually Yami yoghurt, which has been around since the 1980s. Now, there is a new and local choice of yoghurt – Yoguru. The Singaporean company specialises in frozen yoghurt in two flavours and comes with a choice of more than 20 healthier toppings like fruits, cereal and nuts.

THE FOOD:

Unlike other yoghurt parlours here, Yoguru comes in only two flavours – Original and YoguBliss. YoguBliss is a mix of dragonfruit and pomegranate. Both are fruits filled with antioxidants, which protect cells from harmful molecules and helps stall that aging process. And like the rest, it comes with fresh fruits, cereal and nut toppings.

Yoguru's yoghurt is fat-free and made right at each store using fresh ingredients without preservatives or additives. Also, those less of a sweet tooth will prefer Yoguru yoghurt as it is slightly less sweet than choices like Yami yoghurt and Frolick.

THE MOOD:

Simple, no-frills decor that is good enough for customers to rest their feet while enjoying a ice-cold yoghurt but it will not entice people to buy a yoghurt just to sit in.

For images, visit: http://www.freshgrads.sg/index.php/articles/lifestyle/food/594-yoguru.html

Quiznos, one of Amercia's first toasted sandwich parlour, recently opened three branches in Singapore. FreshGrads finds out exactly what has been drawing the huge crowds of hungry executives, especially during lunch hours.
THE FOOD:

FreshGrads tried the Mesquite Chicken which was layered with thin slices of bacon coated in melted cheddar and fresh greens and onions all fitted within a plump, fluffy sesame loaf. All meat at Quiznos is freshly sliced by a machine displayed right at the counter and each slice then marinated for a full flavour. Hence, no surprise here that the Mesquite Chicken sandwich gives a delightfully juicy aromatic smoked bite.

The Honey Bourbon Chicken sandwich is more spicy than others. And if that isn't enough, you can have your fill of peppers at the free flow - a favourite word for kiasu Singaporeans - at the seasoning bar, where various sauces, pickles and olives are for the taking.

Quizno's top three sellers are the Zesty Grill Steak on rosemary parmesan (S$6.20 for 6", S$10.90 for 12"), Mesquite Chicken Sandwich (S$5.40 for 6", S$9.50 for 12") and the Honey Bourbon Chicken (S$5.40 for 6", S$9.50 for 12"). A 6" sandwich is a great hearty meal for the average female and add on a salad or one of its fabulously thick soup with a drink for an additional S$2.70, you are sure to be satisfied.

THE MOOD:

Staff at Quiznos are polite and constantly with a smile on their faces. Sandwiches are served promptly and in an ingeniously designed Q-shaped speech bubble of a tray. What didn't really make sense to us and irked us was that Quiznos does not serve coffee but instead recommends us to join yet another queue for our daily dose Tully Coffee next door.

For images, go here: http://www.freshgrads.sg/index.php/articles/lifestyle/food/598-quiznos.html