Saturday 20 November 2021

The place for Authentic Indonesian Martabak in Singapore

Indonesian Martabak is a well known street food that comes in two kinds which are the Martabak telur and the Martabak manis. The martabak manis which is also called (Terang Bulan) is initially a thick sweet pancake that is usually covered with various toppings ranging from chocolate, peanuts,cheese, condensed milk, margarine and sesame seed.

Choco Cheese Martabak
Image Credit: Smile Martabak FB Page

The dish which is referred as murtabak is a multi-layered pancake originated in the state of Kerala where it was known among the people as "mamaks' ' ("mama `` means''uncle `` in Tamil). Meanwhile, "mutabar"is referred to as the main name for a particular dish in other languages and dialects as "murtabak”.

Today martabak are made in a way that consist of several international flavours such as skippy peanut butter spread, toblerone, ovomaltine, durian spread and lotus biscoff. In addition, Manis comes in a thin and crispy variety that is regarded as Martabak.


Ingredients that is use for the preparation of martabak are:
250 g all purpose flour
½ tsp bicarbonate soda
2 hand full ground peanut
150 g cheddar cheese
75 g sugar
350 ml water
1 egg
¼ tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter
condense milk
1 tsp water
3 hand full chocolate chunk

The following are listed places you can get authentic indonesian martabak:


This is one of the best shops that are capable of offering you good perishable food. This shop uses home-grown ingredients made from Indonesia to make the most authentic martabak in Singapore. They are mostly occupied by Muslim chefs who are always careful while making martabak in the private kitchen. I can recommend this shop to be the best because they are capable of delivering the martabak to you anywhere in Singapore.

2. Jtown
This place deserves a good mention because of it's grit ,they have stood tall even when other retailers are closing down ,it is well known for serving simple, honest, and most importantly, affordable food. They sell other dishes such as Bakmi Ayam Cabe Ijo and Mie Goreng but one of the most attractive is the Smile Martabak manis which is often sold out at dinner time.

Martabak Manis Choco Peanuty
Image Credit: Jtown Cafe FB Page
3. My Home Cafe
My home cafe sets itself differently by offering the most affordable martabak manis you can find in the part of the town its located, you can get Smile Martabak Budi Plain at S$3 and small at S$5 with additional toppings including Chocolate of about S$0.50, Cheese of S$1, Peanut of S$0.50, or have the best of all worlds with the Mix of S$2. In addition, they offer other Indonesian fares.

4. Pancake Boss
Pancake Boss is also known as a moniker well-earned and it is an OG Singapore store meant for all things in Martabak Manis. Meanwhile, they take that badge of honour very seriously, and this is seen by waiting for at least 30 minutes. Culinary Martabak Manis creativity is at an all-time high with options like the Toblerone of about S$9.50 or the Boss combo of S$10 that comes with chocolate rice, crushed peanuts, and cheese. Other worthy mentions include the Red Robin of about S$14.80 with its red velvet base, cream cheese, oreo, and the Pink Panther of S$14.30, starting with a strawberry base and filled with white chocolate, strawberry, and cheese. Like it's menu, the possibilities here are extensive—even the most discerning Martabak Manis connoisseur would find something they like.

Red Robin
Image Credit: Pancake Boss FB Page
5. Markozar
Markozars nickname is derived from the portmanteau of Martabakand Oza, which implies throne in Japanese. One of their biggest dream is being the queen of desert and it reflected on their sample box Martabak Manis Minis (S$5.80) which comes with smaller portions of their Good Ol Peanut, Choco rush, Nutella Falls, and Original

6. Terang buran
Teran buran is known as the brainchild of Dita who hails from surabaya, indonesia By that virtue you can be assured that they make a very good martabak manis which they range from Party Box (S$9 for four standard flavours; S$12 for four premium flavours; S$10 for two standard and two premium flavours) that promises a quartet of flavours in one round to enable you get the best of all worlds. Furthermore, the standard flavours come with chocolate rice, peanut corn, chocolate banana, and cheese oreo, while the premium flavours include Nutella cheese banana, chocolate cheese, and milo.

7. Walaku
This is a very good place to get a good martabak, they also sell other dish such as ukus/Bakar Platter Set (S$45)—a behemoth of a dish that comes with Nasi Lemak, spiced chicken, Signature Chicken Wing, smoked duck, Otah, grilled salmon, sambal egg, sambal kangkong, and Ikan Bilis, as well as nuts. They have a good remark regarding their martabak manis though not as competitive with other colleagues but very good flavour.

Martabak Super Ondeh Ondeh
Image Credit: Walaku FB Page
8. Victory restaurant
This restaurant is one of the most famous for their signature martabak, which they have produced and sold millions of martabak over the years.

9. Burgis Cube
Burgis cube is one the small cafes where you can get an authentic martabak.

10. Gading street food
This is one of the most favourite Indonesian eateries that also serves martabak, a kid-friendly Indonesian restaurant that also offers take out.

Martabak is a very sweet Indonesian street food with great history and it is rich in several vitamins that enrich the body.

This Post is brought to you by David Jones.

Friday 19 November 2021

COCA Restaurant – Pao Fan & Premium Broth [MEDIA DROP]

COCA Pao Fan
COCA Restaurant Singapore has recently launched their unique version of Pao Fan. Drawing inspirations from their mouth-watering broths, combining them with fresh and premium ingredients, you can look forward to the delicious and comforting meal not only at their restaurant but also at home.


We received our Pao Fan through delivery. The first thing that we notice is each Pao Fan set is separated and packed neatly into 3 different packages. The plastic container contains the steam rice, proteins and vegetables plus it is microwaveable. The second, paper base bowl will contain the condiments / toppings, crispy rice, deep-fried egg floss, spring onions and chilli. The final container is the soup bag, which contains 1 litre of double-boiled chicken soup.

Hua Diao Chicken Pao Fan 
Hua Diao Chicken Pao Fan ($15.90). Its proteins and vegetables are drunken chicken drumstick, milk cabbage (nai bai), shiitake mushrooms and black fungus. The solid double-boiled chicken soup is infused with a high-grade hua diao wine. When we slurp the soup, we can taste the nice aroma with the sweetness of the wine in the broth and it does not have any bitter taste from the alcohol.

Hua Diao Chicken Pao Fan 
I like the crunchy black fungus that compliments the rest of the ingredients, including the combination of steam rice and crispy rice. The drunken chicken drumstick is tasty but slightly chewy. Tasted more like a Kampong Chicken.

Hua Diao Chicken Pao Fan 
Sliced Fish Pao Fan ($15.90). A simpler version of the Pao Fan. It uses double-boiled chicken soup and the sliced fish as the protein. The broth is robust and filled with the essence of chicken, bodes well with the sliced fish and other ingredients.

Sliced Fish Pao Fan 
Sliced Fish Pao Fan 
Seafood Pao Fan ($16.90). I will call this the upgraded version of sliced fish pao fan. Other than sliced fish, you also get prawns and flower claims here. Since the ingredients and the broth are not cooked together, the seafood flavour is not infused into the broth.

Seafood Pao Fan
Seafood Pao Fan
CBK Verdict: It is a delicious creation from COCA Restaurant. The flavours are robust, the ingredients are fresh and the broths are very generous. For a small eater, one portion of the pao fan can easily satisfy 2 people.

COCA Restaurant Pao Fan is available for dinner buffet, takeaway and delivery. Plus, COCA Restaurant also have their mouth-watering broths available for delivery. Here are the pricing:
Double-Boiled Treasure 双炖鸡汤- 1 Litre $9.50, 2 Litre $13.50
Tantalizing Tom Yum冬荫汤底 - 1 Litre $8.50, 2 Litre $12
Hua Diao Phoenix花雕火凤凰汤底 - 1 Litre $12, 2 Litre $18
Healthy Fresh Tomato番茄汤底 - 1 Litre $8.50, 2 Litre $12
Merciless Mala无情麻辣汤底 - 1 Litre $8.50, 2 Litre $12
Green Pepper Mala青麻辣酸菜锅 - 1 Litre $8.50, 2 Litre $12

Place your order now at https://cocahotpot.oddle.me/en_SG/
Free islandwide delivery for orders above $100.
Get extra 15% off for all self-pick-up orders.

Thank you very much Jennifer Yeo Consultancy and COCA Team for arranging the delivery.

Food & Drink: 7.25/10
Value: 7.5/10
Service: N/A (Media Drop)
Budget per Person: $11 - $25

COCA
5 Stadium Walk
#02-01 Leisure Park Kallang
Singapore 397693

T: +65 6241 3833
IG: @Cocasingapore
OH: Daily 11.00 – 20.00

Monday 15 November 2021

Oscar’s – Festive Dining 2021 [MEDIA INVITE]

Joy at Oscar's 2021
Celebrate this festive period with mouth-watering gastronomic delight at Oscar’s. This year buffet theme will move to "Assisted Buffet" where guests can walk to the buffet lines to get their own food served by the Chefs. 

Cheers!!
We started the Festive Menu dinner with Red and Green Colour Mocktails, inspired by the popular show Squid Game. The red mocktail is concocted from cranberries juice, it has the acidity to perk up your appetite, while the green mocktail is made from refreshing lime.

The Table Setting
Here are the highlights of this year festive menu:
Frutti Di Mare Platter, consist of Boston Lobster, Alaskan King Crab, Oysters and Prawns. What a luxurious seafood platter. The lobster is sweet and bouncy, while the Alaskan King Crab legs are packed with juicy flesh. Looking at the fresh oysters just brings back the memories where you can walk to the seafood bar and see the chef shucking the oysters and you can choose from three to five types of oysters in one seating.

Frutti Di Mare Platter
There are three sauces to compliment the seafood platter, tartare, seafood sauce and vinaigrette.

The Sauces
Truffled Turkey and Caramelized Onions Pincho. Pincho means a small snack in Spanish. It has a combination of sweet (caramelized onions & candied orange) and savoury (truffled turkey), followed by a kick from the garlic cream cheese. A nice intermission between the two seafood dishes.

Truffled Turkey and Caramelized Onions Pincho
Snapper and Pineapple Ceviche, Gazpacho. A refreshing seafood dish. The snapper is cured with sweet and refreshing pineapple. The pickled onions added some sparks to the dish, while Spicy Salsa is surprisingly mellow.

Snapper and Pineapple Ceviche, Gazpacho
Snapper and Pineapple Ceviche, Gazpacho
Foie Gras – Egg, Wild Mushrooms Truffle Toast. Suitable for the all-day breakfast festive theme. The poached eggs are perfectly cooked and the yolk slowly oozes out when you cut through it. It is followed with bold flavours from truffle, wild mushrooms and foie gras. To balance the rich flavour, bite into the acidic lingonberries. Yumz!!

Foie Gras – Egg, Wild Mushrooms Truffle Toast
Foie Gras – Egg, Wild Mushrooms Truffle Toast
From the Chef’s Carving Trolley, we have Whole Roasted Turkey with Brandy infused Turkey Gravy. LD and I are always impressed on how Chef Mandar and his crew at Oscar’s always get their turkey juicy and succulent, including the breast meat. We like the medley of flavours from Spiced Caramel Glazed Chestnuts, Roasted Brussels Sprouts plus the gravy. For the bread stuffing, it is slightly dry to my liking, therefore best eaten with more gravy on top. LD always say that it is the only Roast Turkey that she likes.

Chef’s Carving Trolley

Whole Roasted Turkey with Brandy infused Turkey Gravy
Partnering the turkey on the Carving Board is Dry Rubbed Whole Roasted Ribeye. The ribeye has a good crust around the exterior, followed by tender flesh with a slightly resilient texture. The roast beef is served with horseradish slaw and peppercorn jus.

Dry Rubbed Whole Roasted Ribeye
Dry Rubbed Whole Roasted Ribeye
Meanwhile, their Festive Barbeque selections offered this delicious Rosemary Garlic Marinated Lamb Chop, Chestnut and Cranberry Stuffed Chicken Wings and Orange Thyme Australian Quails.

Orange Thyme Australian Quails
The Quails is excellent. It is juicy, delicate and packs with a beautiful smoky aroma from the bbq. However, if you are not keen on quails, go for the stuffed chicken wings. It is stuffed with chestnut and cranberry, almost the size of a roast duck drumstick. HUGE!

Chestnut and Cranberry Stuffed Chicken Wings

Chestnut and Cranberry Stuffed Chicken Wings
Rosemary Garlic Marinated Lamb Chop has a nice charred exterior, followed by a slightly chewy texture. The gaminess from the lamb chop is a bit strong, however, the pomegranate glaze and mint oil help to offset it.

Rosemary Garlic Marinated Lamb Chop
We finally arrive at the dessert. Bitter Sweet Chocolate Yule Log, Panettone Yule Log, Traditional Stolen and Pecan Tart. The mini bittersweet chocolate yule log and panettone yule log gets my pick. Not only the designs are cute and adorable, but they are also delicious. Yummy!

The Dessert
Traditional Stolen & Bitter Sweet Chocolate Yule Log
Pecan Tart & Panettone Yule Log
Overall, it was another great preview from Oscar’s for its Festive Offerings at Oscars. If you are planning for your Christmas gathering with your family, better to book soon as they are running out.

Festive Buffet at Oscars
Festive Season with Oscar’s Assisted Buffet starts on Thanksgiving Night.
Available from 25th November 2021 (Dinner) to 31st December 2021 (Lunch).
Lunch: 26th Nov – 24th Dec & 26th Dec – 31st Dec
Time: 12.00 – 14.30
Monday to Friday: Adult S$58++, Child S$29++ (6 – 12 years old)

Dinner: 25th Nov – 23rd Dec & 26th Dec – 30th Dec
Time: 18.00 – 22.30
Sunday to Thursday: Adult S$78++, Child S$39++ (6 – 12 years old)
Friday and Saturday: Adult S$88++, Child S$44++ (6 – 12 years old)

Weekend Brunch, Saturday and Sunday (excluding 25th December 2021)
S$98++ per person inclusive of Coffee and Tea
S$128++ per person inclusive of Sparkling Rosé, G&T Live Experience, House Wines, Beers and Soft Drinks
S$158++ per person inclusive of Champagne, Mimosa, Sparkling Rosé, G&T Live Experience, House Wines, Beers and Soft Drinks

Click > HERE < for Lunch Menu
Click > HERE < for Dinner Menu
Click > HERE < for Weekend Brunch Menu

Christmas Eve Dinner, Christmas Day Brunch & Dinner and New Year’s Eve Dinner
Available on 24th, 25th and 31st December 2021
Price:
S$178++ per person unlimited soft drinks, chilled juices, ice tea bar, and coffee & tea
S$208++ per person unlimited soft drinks, house wines, beers, sparkling rose and G&T live experience
S$228++ per person unlimited soft drinks, house wines, beers, sparkling rose, champagne, mimosa and G&T live experience
S$89++ per child (6 – 12 years old), S$44.50++ per child (3 – 5 years old)

Click > HERE < to view our Festive Menu

For Hilton Honors members, enjoy the benefits of the “Like a Member” offer by calling Oscar’s directly on 6432 7481

For more information or to order please call 6432 7481 or email sinci.oscars@conradhotels.com.

Thank you very much Conrad Centennial Singapore Team for hosting us.

Food & Drinks: 8.5/10
Value: 8.75/10
Service: N/A
Ambiance: 8.5/10
Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 & Above

Oscar's
2 Temasek Boulevard
Lobby Level, Conrad Centennial Singapore
Singapore 038982

T: +65 6432 7481
IG: @Conradsingapore @Oscarsatconrad
OH: Daily 07.00 – 22.30

Tuesday 2 November 2021

Dignity Kitchen – Good Food for Good Cause

Fish'N'Chips
During this stabilisation period, I saw frequent posts in FB Group calling for support of this makan place. Dignity Kitchen by Project Dignity is a food court run by people with disabilities (physical and intellectual) and disadvantaged (social and mental).

Dignity Kitchen
Project Dignity has a mission to restore dignity to different-abled and disadvantaged through vocation with passion. Project Dignity provides sponsored training for unemployed adults with special needs and places them with our employment partners within the F&B, hospitality and retail sectors. Some of the graduates will be hired in their food court (Dignity Kitchen) and book retail stores (Dignity Mama). For more information on Project Dignity, you can check them out here.

Stalls 1
Dignity Kitchen is a food court concept, with the following stalls Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rice, Claypot Rice, Rojak, Noodle, Western, Bakery, Fruits and Nanyang Kopi. When you enter the food court, you just place all your orders at the cashier and wait for your number to be called on the screen. Afterwards, proceed to the designated stall for collection. All the stalls and cashier are manned by the differently-abled and disadvantaged crew.

Stalls 2
On my first visit to Dignity Kitchen with my regular makan kaki “K”. We ordered Signature Rojak ($4) to share. The portion is very generous, consisting of fruits, vegetables, youtiao, coated evenly with the rojak sauce and sprinkle with ground peanuts. The ingredients are fresh, the sauce is thick, however, it can be better if fermented prawn paste is stronger to give the sauce more OMPH.

Signature Rojak
Fish’N’Chips ($6.50). A huge place of fish and chips. The batter is crispy and the fish is flaky. I found out later that they use a higher-grade dory fish for the fish and chips. The crinkle fries are crisp externally and moist internally. There is fresh salad, lemon wedge on the side and mayonnaise as a dipping sauce instead of tartar sauce. The fish and chips here have the same standard as those in bistros or gastropubs.

Fish'N'Chips
Flaky Dory Fish
K decided to have Chicken Chop ($6.50). Since he is watching his carbo intake, he only has protein and vegs. I tried a bite of the chicken chop, it is juicy, succulent, with a touch of crispiness externally.

Chicken Chop
We also tried their Muffins ($2.50 each). There are moist, light and packs with flavour, especially the Oreo Chocolate Flavour Muffin.

Muffins
On the second visit, I had Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang ($4). Looking at the portion, you are likely to pay more outside. The rice is rich and fragrant, while the beef rendang is tasty and succulent. The achar is a bit spicy, yet refreshing.

Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang
LD ordered Prawn Laksa ($5). According to her, the broth is rich, lemak and packs a good spicy kick. The portion is generous and the prawns are fresh. A very good serving indeed.

Prawn Laksa
The environment at Dignity Kitchen is clean, tidy with simple furnishing and air-conditioned. While dining at Dignity Kitchen, you can also see the two training classes use to Train-and-Place programme for adults with special needs seeking employment; and for WSQ and SkillsFuture eligible hawker culinary courses for the public.

Menu 1
CBK Verdict: Although Dignity Kitchen main mission is a social enterprise, the food serves here are of a good standard. They are also tasty and generous with their portion. What better way to support a social cause with a happy tummy. Cheers!

Menu 2
Here are some ways you can contribute to the operation cost of the Dignity Project:
- Dine or Take Away on food from Dignity Kitchen
- Take a course at Dignity Learn. An inclusive training centre that provides WSQ and SkillsFuture eligible hawker culinary courses for the public. LD and I attended a Food Hygiene course, coinciding with our second visit to Dignity Kitchen.
- Purchase items from Dignity Mama stores, located in local hospitals.
- Dignity Outreach combines team bonding with impact, offering corporate and government entities an avenue to engage in corporate citizenship while achieving team building objectives.
For more details, visit https://projectdignity.sg/

Public Training Courses
Food & Drinks: 7.5/10
Value: 8.5/10
Service: N/A (Self Service)
Ambiance: 6.5/10
Budget per Person: $0 - $10

Dignity Kitchen 
(by Project Dignity)
69 Boon Keng Road
Singapore 339772

T: +65 8189 7678
OH:
Mon – Fri: 08.00 – 19.00
Sat & Sun: 08.00 – 14.00

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