Medan Town (Closed)

Although there are days when I love to surround my arms around a bowl of comforting ramen, there are days when I am on a hunt for something new! Having tried Medanese cuisine is definitely a refreshing change. But you may be thinking... what is Medanese food? (Medan Town!) And where in Singapore can you try Medanese food? (Tanjong Katong!) I'll introduce this restaurant, Medan Town, to you in this post at a self-paid food tasting attended by other passionate food bloggers.Helmed by Medanese natives, Harianto Teh and his wife, Madam Choo, Medan Town is the first Medanese restaurant launched in Singapore. Although this casual dining eatery opened its doors in September 2012, it is beginning to garner greater recognition in the local foodie scene. Go get your share before it gets swarmed in its 50-seater space!We began the tasting with a plate of Nasi Rendang Ayam ($6.80) which struck me as being very generous with their flavours - everything had so much kick! The sambal potatoes were the most outstanding with its full-bodied spicy aftertaste that had me teary-eyed after a while - I'm not very used to spicy food - but it is not too overpowering. The chicken rendang also maintained a characteristically tender texture in its meat. One point to note is that this dish would perfectly satisfy tinier appetites, but be ready to order appetizers and desserts. The beef rendang (Nasi Rendang Sapi) version is also available, though the rendang sauce is essentially the same... so it depends on which texture you prefer.At Medan Town, they have two types of soup bases that you can choose from to put your bihun/rice/beef or chicken: the Medanese Curry or the Soto Medan ($5.80 for chicken, $6.80 for beef). No pictures for the Soto Medan because everyone was very excited about trying it with its aromatic fragrance wafting about. They are also not the most photogenic dishes around, but hey, taste is still the most important! Let me tell you in words anyway. For an average stomach space, you might only be able to try either the curry or the soto medan... so which one should you pick? The curry is excellently spiced and piquantly thick, and probably impossible to finish the whole bowl if you do not have a high threshold for spiciness. I definitely couldn't, though it was really addictive. Luckily, I had their refreshing Tangy Orange drink on the side which allowed me to enjoy a few more spoonfuls! If you are the sort that derives joy from a lot of spicy food, you definitely cannot skip this. The Soto Medan is a friendlier and overall, more enjoyable option for me because I love coconut milk and all things lemak like that... it is very, very fragrant. The taupoks and vegetables soak up the broth very well too. The chefs at Medan Town really do not skimp on giving you a concentrated experience of Medanese flavours.The Tahu Goreng ($4.50) is one of those side dishes that would delight food photographers with its colourful ensemble. It comprises fried tofu, peanuts and keropok scattered on a thick bed of beansprouts. While I felt that it was more enticing to the eyes than to my tastebuds, it makes for an easy sharing dish across the table. They could have been more generous with the sweet and spicy sauce too.If I can only recommend one side dish, the Sam Chan Bak ($4.80) would be it. It is also known as pork belly. Not only is it easy to photograph (always a plus point), its skin is very crunchy, fresh and did not give me the feeling of being oily at all. The meaty part is also consistently easy to chew and the savoury flavours are well distributed throughout. This is also a dish that were clean swept off its platter very quickly - always a good indication!This satay also left quite a deep impression on me. Unlike the usual chicken, beef or mutton satay, you will probably not be able to guess what it is without a closer look... this are sticks of skewered cockles! Unlike the rendang sauce which may be overpowering for these satays, it is a slightly more muted version that allowed the original flavour of fresh cockles to exude through nicely. Go for this if you're looking for a more extraordinary dining experience.And then we have the desserts! This is always the part of meals that I look forward most to because sweet endings always make me feel really happy... an instant mood booster. The Es Sekoteng ($3.50) was the first one we tried, which I felt that it was very sugary and missing something. There was barley, pink and green jelly, lychee, nata de coco, and Medanese orange peel mixed in one. It felt like eating all the toppings in a bubble tea drink without the drink itself. I probably wouldn't get this for myself but I know a few people who absolutely love those toppings and may be interested.Well, well, look what we have here! I love chendol, but the ones I'm used to are the Melaka ones. The Medan version is definitely different and has its own selling points. The first thing you might notice is how naturally green the rice flour jelly is, and then the fat juicy attap seeds (which I had). The coconut base is much lighter than the Melaka ones... I like to have coconut milk in its full glory, so this did not hit a full score from me either.The ongol ongol ($1.50) is Indonesian sweet cake made from palm sugar and grated coconut. This reminded me of the street kueh snacks in Malaysia and is pretty decent. It makes for a good simple ending to a hearty meal.I'm obviously saving the best for the last... and I'm seriously telling you should never underestimate these little green round things which are pretty stellar. It is similar to ondeh ondeh, but these are wayyy better. They burst explosively in the mouth and then luscious, sweet and warm palm sugar syrup ooze across the tongue as if they are trying to give you an award-winning massage. If ever you walk past Medan Town and don't have time to sit down for a full meal, at least try their Klepon for takeaway or something. Dessert time? Klepon it is.Medan Town works as a really helpful starting point if you want to have a comprehensive idea of authentic Medanese food. It is also a break from the mundane dining options in Singapore. And try the Klepon.Find out more: http://www.amiehu.com/2014/12/your-source-for-good-medanese-food.html continue reading

I've actually passed by this eatery many times, but was always doubtful about the food and it's value. Medan Town is Singapore's first authentic Medanese restaurant and the owners of Medan Town are Medanese natives. So be ready to indulge in original and traditional Medanese Duck (Bebek) Noodles and Prawn Soto as well as several other sumptuous dishes.We had Nasi Rendang Ayam ($6.5), Nasi Rendang Sapi ($6.8), Sam Cham Bak (Fried Pork Belly) at $4.8 and Tahu Goreng ($4.5).Rendang flavour was superb for both of our mains. It was moderately spicy which will be suitable for those who has lower tolerance for spice.The Sapi (beef) was slow cooked till tender and yet retaining some tension in the meat. Best!I highly recommend Medan Town as the price is pocket friendly and food were awesome. Indeed an eatery that genuinely serves authentic food at great price!More pics and thoughts at:http://lepakwithyaops.com/medan-town-famous-medanese-food-at-tanjong-katong/ continue reading

Medan Town is the authentic Medan Restaurant in Singapore. It is a family restaurant, opened by Medanese family that has settled down in Singapore.After our unplanned trip to Medan last year, we kind of miss the taste of Medan food. Although we have noticed this place for about 9 months, we only had a chance to visit it recently.The Medan Town restaurant is more like a cafe / eating house. It is simply furnished, but the best part it is air conditioned. The owners put up old Medan photos on the wall, kind of flash back to Medan in the old days.I ordered the Bihun Bebek Soup (Duck Vermicelli Soup - $6.80), Soto Medan Chicken ($5.80) and Hokkian Bihun (Hokkien Style Vermicelli - $5.80).If you have been to Medan, you will probably tried Bihun Bebek Kumango, which is one of the most popular shop in Medan that sells extremely delicious duck vermicelli soup. For Medanese standard, the price is extremely steep, about 50,000 Rupiah (S$6). As the benchmark was already set, it is difficult not to compare the dish in Medan Town to the original in Medan. While the original has very tender duck meat and robust soup, the one in Singapore has a slightly tougher meat, while the soup is clear, less robust, but with more herbal taste. The vermicelli here tasted smoother compare to Kumango. A decent alternative.One of LD's favourite noodle dish in Indonesia is the Chinese style of Bakmi, where they used mince pork in the dry noodle. Here, she had Hokkien Style Vermicelli. The dry vermicelli here served with mince pork prawn fritter, egg with fried shallots and spring onion. It is very tasty and has the flavour that she yawn for.We shared the Soto Medan Chicken. The broth is very robust, rich and lemak due to the coconut milk added to the soup. Although the fillings is quite sparse, the soup would be nice with the rice.To quench our thirst we had Kietna (Medanese Tangy Orange Drink - $2.80) and Liang Teh Medan Style ($1.80). The Kietna is a combination of tangy, sour and sweet flavour all in one, serve chilled it is actually very refreshing. Meanwhile, the Liang Teh is less herbal and more sweet compare to those sold in medical hall here. Tasted like the Jia Jia Liang Teh.Service is minimum but friendly. We did not have to wait long for our food to be served.Overall, although the duck vermicelli is different from the one that we had in Medan, the food here is pretty decent. We feel like we are dining in Medanese family home rather than a restaurant. We look forward to try their other dishes on offer. Cheers!!For the complete review, click here:http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2014/10/medan-town.html continue reading

For pictures and the full blog post, visit http://melicacy.com/?p=5109Nestled along the thriving dining enclave of Tanjong Katong, Medan Town dishes out homely Medanese cuisine and street fare found in Medan. This absolute gem of a place also functions as a remedy for the homesick Medanese natives residing in Singapore.Owners of Medan Town are Medanese natives, who used to frequent Singapore for both business and leisure. Missing food from home is always part of the travelling experience. During their long stays, cravings are often left insatiate due to the lack of Medanese cuisine in Singapore. Hence, they decided to bring a tasty piece of their home to our island, introducing the true flavour of Medan’s cuisine. Every dish is lovingly prepared by the expert husband-and-wife team.Kietna ($2.20)Quench your thirst with their homemade drink, Kietna. This sweet and slightly citrusy beverage is made from boiling a mixture of calamansi rind, water, sugar, dried sour plums and limejuice, to form a nectareous syrup that is chilled for several days to allow all the ingredients to fully integrate, and for the flavours to intensify.Bihun Bebek Dry ($5.80)Bihun Bebek is an Indonesian-style rice noodle dish, served with duck herbal soup.The rice noodle, imported from Indonesia, is endowed with a unique springiness that surpasses all the rice noodles I’ve had. Noodles are tossed with pork lard oil and soya sauce. Yes, pork lard oil. Omit this fatty condiment, and grouse in regrets. The pork lard oil is what elevates the flavour profile. Noodles are then topped with fried garlic, Chinese parsley, spring onion, bean sprouts, and lettuce, accompanied by a generous amount of shredded duck, which is slow-cooked for five to six hours in a rich herbal broth to yield a fork-tender texture. This is a must-order.Medanese Chicken Kari Rice ($5.50)I also enjoyed the Medanese Chicken Kari. The curry is slow-cooked in their special blend of spices and coconut milk –fragrant and not too spicy. I also like that it’s not too rich and cloying; I could drink it like soup.Soto Udang ($6.50)To make this Medanese-style prawn broth, a spicy paste of galangal, ginger, tumeric and chilli is fried till fragrant before prawn stock and coconut milk is added.Each bowl comes with three whole tiger prawns, perkedal deep-fried mashed potato (which I totally couldn’t get enough of) and is topped with diced tomatoes and crushed melinjo (Indonesian cracker). You have a choice of enjoying this with yellow noodles or steamed rice. The broth is highly addictive.Combo Platter ($6.20)To get a taste of all the sides dishes, the Combo Platter comprises 1 piece of Perkedal deep-fried mashed potato, 1 piece of Chicken Wing, 1 piece of Chai Tau Kue, 2 pieces of Hepiah and 2 pieces of Talam Ebi.Hepiah is a homemade prawn fritter; diced fresh prawns, egg, garlic, flour and seasoning are mixed together before being deep-fried. It loses its crunch rather quickly, so it’s best eaten immediately when served.The chicken wings veer on the dry side, but the flavoursome morsels are tasty right to the bone; a spicy paste of coriander seeds, garlic, lemongrass, galangal and ginger is deeply massaged into each wing before being left to marinate overnight.The Chai Tau Kue (radish cake) didn’t impress. I’d go straight for the Talam Ebi (yam cake with traditional dried shrimp) and would even ask for seconds.My favourite item from the platter would be the Perkedel. Potatoes are fried before being mashed with finely chopped chicken, shallots, garlic and coriander. Each patty is then moulded in shape, brushed with an egg white wash and deep-fried till golden brown. I’d sooo order multiple servings of this separately ($1.50 for 2 pieces) the next time I visit.Es Campur Medan ($3.50), Es Sekoteng ($3.50)Es Campur Medan is a Medanese shaved ice dessert; it is served with a mixture of red beans, grass jelly, fermented tapioca, and atap seeds, topped with palm sugar and coconut milk.I’m not a fan of red beans; therefore the Es Sekoteng gets my vote. Shaved ice is accompanied with pearls of barley, basil seeds, pink and green jelly, Medanese orange peel, lychee, nata de coco, mixed with a simple syrup. This refreshing dessert is perfect to end the meal with. I will order this again during my next visit.Medan Town accepts cash payment only. There’s no service charge or GST. continue reading

Food prepared by true Medanese couple, truly satisfies Indonesians who are craving for their home food. Their items are priced rather low, and all their items are truly Medanese food. Especially liked their kway tiauw bebek (duck noodles), and their Kietna (tangy Medanese orange drink). Their mains are relatively huge for the price being stated.For more information, please visit http://foodesteem.blogspot.sg/2012/12/medan-town.html. continue reading