Khansama Tandoori Village

In Singapore, we are very blessed to be in a multi-cultural society. What does this mean for us? We get the chance of trying out the many different kinds of cuisine. The problem? More often than not, we are spoilt for choice and don't know what to eat. Well, even if we do, we have to decide where. So today, I am very fortunate to share with you this restaurant that serves us good Indian food. They are none other than Khansama.

We arrived at the door and was intrigued at the beautiful ornament and decor of the restaurant. I have been to several Indian restaurants but it usually has a modern touch to it. Indeed, restaurants with traditional decor like this is really less seen in Singapore.

Being handed the menu, we looked through it and was appalled at the wide variety of dishes on the menu. From Veg to Non-Veg dishes, from traditional drinks to alcohol. It was really difficult to decide. So what did we do? Lol, order the drink first. That's the easiest!

Mango Lassi - $5.00

From my understanding, this drink or rather Lassi is a popular traditional yoghurt based drink that is well known to many in our community. This Mango Lassi is a sweet creamy drink made by blending Indian homemade yoghurt and mango pulp. With the humid weather lately, we were very happy to be served this drink which is cold, refreshing and has a distinct Mango taste. I was actually planning to have a second cup. I would say if you visit this place, DO TRY this drink of theirs.

While looking through the menu, I couldn't help but notice the cutlery on the table.

Since we could not decide on what to have, we decided to leave it to them to do the recommendation. Their recommendation was the Non-Vegetarian combo platter, Butter Chicken, Butter Naan, Cheese Naan, Garlic Naan and the Paneer Butter Masala. First up...

Non-Vegetarian Combo Platter - $35.00

This combo platter is a combination of Chicken Tikka, Haryali Tikka, Malai Tikka, Reshmi Tikka, Fish Tikka, Tandoori Prawns, Mutton Kebabs and Chicken Kebabs served hot with mint sauce and green salad. I must commend them on the presentation of this dish. Looking at the platter made me extremely hungry. So we tucked in and it was WOW!

The tandoori prawns were well done and not too dry. I thought that it was interesting how they actually have the aluminium foil in place so you can just hold up the prawn and eat it without having to dirty your fingers. It is good for eating on its own or with the mint sauce that accompanies this combo platter.

Amongst the many different tikkas in the combo platter. A personal favourite of mine is the Fish Tikka. I am not a 'fish' person and the only fish I eat is Dory and Sardines. Lol. I was actually skeptical about trying this because fish pieces this big are usually dry. To my amazement, look at the meat of the fish, the exterior is nicely char-grilled with a moist interior. I couldn't resist it and finished the Fish Tikka that was served on the platter. Just a lil note, tikka actually means bits, pieces or chunks of meat. Next up... Here comes the Naans.

Basket of Butter Naan, Cheese Naan and Garlic Naan

Let me do a brief introduction of Naan. Naan is actually crispy Indian bread that can be eaten on its own or stuffed with other ingredients, in this case butter, cheese or garlic, and roasted in a clay oven with heat of burning charcoal. I will say that the Naans here is a MUST TRY!

Garlic Naan - $3.50

Butter Naan - $3.00

Cheese Naan - $5.50

Accompanying these, the next dish served was Butter Chicken. The dish is made up of boneless barbecued pieces of tender chicken, cooked in thick rich creamy gravy with butter. This is a Non-Vegetarian dish and goes really really well with the Naans. You have to try it!

Butter Chicken - $12.50

For our friends who prefer Vegetarian dishes, there is a particular dish that I think is very interesting. It tastes really good you should order this when you visit Khansama.

Paneer Butter Masala - $10.50

This is the Vegetarian dish that I mentioned earlier. This dish is made up of cottage cheese cubes cooked in rich, creamy mild onion gravy and butter. This is seriously nice and since I have not tried Vegetarian dishes from an Indian restaurant before, I must say that this is good. Initially while we were eating, we thought the the cubes were beancurd cubes or 'Tahu". The texture, however, was much firmer than that so we checked out the menu and ohh... so, its cottage cheese cubes. Goes very well with Naan and just the Naans and these two dishes are good for a meal of 3 persons.

We were extremely full and satisfied with our lunch. We were so pleased that we were planning to make another visit there. After having a conversation with the owner, we realised that they actually have lunch buffets. No more consideration needed, we will be back again.

Check out their buffet at www.whattoeat.com.sg

Info:

Khansama Tandoori Village87 Science Park Drive
#02-01 The Science Hub
Singapore Science Park 1
Singapore 118 260


Tel : 6299 0300 (No reservations needed!)

Its Easy To Get There:

1. Nearest MRT - Kent Ridge (Circle Line/Orange Line). Transfer can be done at Buona Vista.

2. Exit MRT station and take bus 92 at bus stop B15139. Alight 5 stops later at Blk 85 Science Park Drive. Basically, the end of road where you will see a bend/U-turn.

 

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Bumbu Restaurant

This post is going to quite a lengthy one. Not because I am long winded but because I have taken so many pictures while dining at this fantastic place, Bumbu.

Someone actually recommended me this place which serves Thai and Indonesian cuisine. As mentioned in my previous post, I LOVE buffets. This place actually does serve ala carte buffet. All for the price of $16.80+. Just in case if you are wondering which '+' this is, it is for the service that is rendered to you aka service charge. They do not charge GST here so that means you get to save 7% of your bill. Sounding good? It just gets better.

So here I am finally at the door of this place that promises a good dinner.

44 Kandahar Street

Ordering a drink can be quite tough seriously, especially when you are looking for something that pairs off well with the food that is to come. So here's my pick...

Ayer Bandung - $2.50

And after a major discussion with my fellow dinner mates, we are ready to order. We decided we would order almost everything. Laughs. First up...

Seafood Fried Egg Salad

Let me comment a little on this dish. Well, if you are an egg lover, you probably might like this dish. For me, it was alright though not a dish that I would go for the next round. Slightly spicy, good portion of seafood and generous serving of eggs.

Black Pepper Beef

Black pepper beef was okay but that is because I ain't a big fan of stuff cooked in black pepper sauce. So I suppose that all you Black Pepper lovers out there would appreciate this dish more than me. The only compliment I would give is that the tenderness of the beef slices is amazing. It is so tender if it had bones, the meat would definitely fall off the bones.

Stir Fry Baby Kai Lan Thai Style

Now, I must say that this dish is really quite good. Like seriously. One of my picks to go for the next round. Though I suppose they might want to add some sliced chilies in to spice it up a little.

Steam Fish Spicy Sauce

Okay, it is thumbs up for this dish. Firstly, there are no bones in it. That was kind of the first question that I asked the manager while ordering. The fish is smooth and boneless and served in mild spicy sauce. The combination is really good. One of the must try.

Sambal Kangkong

Well, Sambal Kangkong is sambal kambong after all. A typical dish that we are all familiar with so there is nothing much to boast about this dish. But we still love it anyway, though it is not very spicy.

Fried Fish Slice House Chilli

Hmm... this dish is another must try. For those who prefer fried fish instead of steamed ones, this dish is one that you might really like. Well, at least I did. What is nice about it is the chili. Their house chili is really tasty and spicy as compared with the sambal that they use to fry the kangkong with. Nice.

So while we cleared the food and waited for more to arrive at our table, I managed to get a couple of shots of the interior. I like this place, not only because it is a shophouse, but because it's interior is tastefully decorated with ornaments that allows you to travel through time.. back to the past.

The whole feel of this place is one that is traditional yet modern in its own unique ways. When I peered up from my seat, I managed to catch a glimpse of the little Tiffin carriers that our seniors from the older generations would remember so well. I still remember carrying one when I was little though of course it was one of those plain metal ones where you would 'ta-bao' food in and not one of those beautifully decorated ones sitting along the sides of the wall.

Tom Yum Soup

More dishes is being served now so it is back to our dinner. Here is the Tom Yum soup. An essential if you are one who appreciates Thai cuisine. Unlike other restaurants who serve this dish, I must commend Bumbu for serving it with a really generous portion of seafood.

Gado Gado

My all-time favorite. Indonesian Gado Gado, a dish mainly made up of vegetables such as cubed potatoes, blanched long beans, some lettuce, quartered hard-boiled egg, crispy tempeh with peanut sauce (similar to the satay sauce) poured over them and topped with keropok.

Tahu Telor

Hmm... another popular Indonesian dish that I would say 'Must Try'. They serve crispy fried pieces of tahu or tofu topped with fried egg, tossed in a mild sweet and spicy sauce. So the name of the dish is a direct translation of what you would find in the dish.

Cold Tofu with Preserved Egg

I did not try this dish because I really do not take preserved egg aka century egg. But from the comments that I heard from my dinner mates, it was supposedly not too bad so I guess century egg lovers might want to give it a try.

Durian Sticky Rice - $4.00

Enough of main dishes now, wished I could have more but I have to leave what space I have left in my stomach for dessert. So first off the list is my choice of Durian Sticky Rice. It is quite similar to what you will find in Bangkok where their most popular dessert would have to be the Mango Sticky Rice. The rich flavor of the durian with its creamy textures blends very well with the slightly grainy sticky rice. Topped with coconut cream, it is one of the best dessert on the menu. My take is you got to try it unless you are allergic to durians.

Sago Gula Melaka - $3.00

Another favorite of mine. I am a big fan of Gula Melaka or what is known in English as Palm Sugar. Gula Melaka is extremely popular in the state of Malacca in Malaysia. The taste of pure coconut palm sugar is quite similar to brown sugar except that it has a tinge of caramel or butterscotch taste which is lacking in the brown sugar. therefore, it is often used in savory foods or desserts. My pick on this dessert served is just an OK. You can try it but I have tasted better ones.

Tapioca Coconut Cream - $3.00

Hmm.. this is another good choice for dessert. Young steamed tapioca that is soft and smooth in texture topped with coconut cream.

Ice Blended Avocado - $4.00

To end the night, the final order is the Ice Blended Avocado. I suppose my take is the same as that of the Sago Gula Melaka. So my conclusion is that the Gula Melaka that they use is not sweet and rich enough else these two desserts would taste really yummy. But nonetheless, you may want to give it a try if you have never tasted Ice Blended Avocado before.

So, to end my post, I would say that it is a great joy to dine at Bumbu. For me, I would definitely visit them again. Cheers!

Info:

Bumbu Restaurant, Thai-Indonesian Cuisine (www.bumbu.com.sg) 

• 44 Kandahar Street, Singapore 198897. Tel: 6392 8628, Opens Daily: 11am-3pm, 6pm-10pm. Closed on Mondays. Free Parking after 5pm.

• 20 Cross Street #01-25 China Square Central, Singapore 048422. Tel: 6536 8636, Opens Daily: 11am-3pm, 6pm-10pm. Closed on Sundays & Public Holidays.

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Suki-Ya

I have always been a big fan of steamboat. Though there are plenty lining the streets in Bugis, I have never really liked it because I always doubted the quality and cleanliness of these places. So there we go... with that out of my options, there is not much choices available except higher-end ones such as Coca Restaurant. However, the only problem with that is, I am a big eater and generally I prefer the 'All you can eat buffet'.

Lately with one of my favorites at Heeren closed, I am forced to seek out other alternatives. Here is one that I found which is seriously not too bad. Although there is a time limit for this buffet, which is 80 minutes, I never have an issue with the limit and have never left the restaurant feeling hungry.

First, be greeted by friendly service staff as you approach the restaurant. After being seated, you will be asked to make a choice of steamboat base, namely: Kimchi, Sukiyaki or Shabu Shabu. Alright, so what's the difference you might ask? Kimchi, as we all know, is a spicy soup base. Sukiyaki is a soup base that is sweet and generally well-liked by most. Shabu Shabu is a light soup base which is slightly salty and is good if you like to have some bowls of soup with your meal. My preference have always been Shabu Shabu but this time 'round, I decided to try something different and so... I chose Sukiyaki.

On the left side of the pot, the clearer soup base is the Shabu Shabu. On the other side, the darker soup base is Sukiyaki. Basically, if you want to cook noodles such as Udon, it is much better to cook it in Sukiyaki. This is because Sukiyaki has a unique taste and is sweet so the noodles will be cooked with a distinct taste and much more flavorful. 

This buffet counter is situated in the middle of the restaurant. Don't be fooled by the appearance of a small counter. What's on the counter is basically our typical steamboat items such as leafy vegetables, tofu, beancurd skin, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, crab sticks, udon, ramen, vermicelli, frozen meatballs, cheese balls, corn, carrots, fish cakes, cheese tofu among other items. But it doesn't matter how huge the counter is to me. What I really want is the free flow of meats. 

Here is typically what I will choose to soak in the hot soup. One of their specialty is the meat ball that you see in the picture. Don't be fooled by the appearance, it is what's in it that will surprise you. 

A great feast is about to start. Now, there is free flow of meats at this wonderful place. The choices of meats available are beef, chicken and pork. All you need to do is to tell the service staff how many trays of meat of your choice you want. Usually, I will go with two trays of meat to start my meal with but feel free to order more although you might want to take note not to waste food. 

The top picture is trays of pork and the picture below is trays of beef that you can order. There is no limit on the amount of meat or number of trays that you can order so just feel free to order. Just remember: DO NOT WASTE FOOD!

Also, to compliment your cooked vegetables and meat, do prepare some condiments to go with it. There is a choice of Ponzu sauce or Miso sauce. Ponzu sauce is similar to soya sauce whereas the Miso sauce is a bean paste sauce which is richly flavored and goes very well with meats. Just add a little spring onion, radish and chilies to it and you're on your way to a great meal.

As I was mentioning earlier about their specialty, the cheese meat ball. Let me tell you more about it. It is really not one of those meat balls that says contains cheese and after eating a whole load of them, you start thinking to yourself, "Hmm, so where's the cheese huh?". This little ball is seriously world's apart from those. One important tip to eating this little ball is to first use your chopstick to poke a hole in it before sinking you teeth in it. You really do not want to scald your neighboring table diners, let alone your dinner date. Making a hole in it first reduces the pressure so when you bite it, the melted cheese in it does not spurt out and you do not embarrass yourself. 

The little ball that has been fished out from the ocean of Sukiyaki

A glimpse to the inside of the little ball

Close up shot of the cheese that is overflowing from the little ball

Continue fishing out your cooked vegetable, food items and meat from the pot and dip it into a bowl of beaten egg or into your little bowl of 'power' condiment to compliment your food. I am just enjoying myself dining here.

Lastly, and most importantly, the price of this buffet is approximately $15.90++ for lunch and $24.90++ for dinner. You may always give them a buzz to either check out the buffet price or to make reservations. Also, iced or hot green tea can be ordered to wash it all down at $1.90 and it is refillable. My take on this place is that it is good if you want to enjoy good steamboat and also a place for large groups of friends catching up with each other over dinner.

Info:
Suki-Ya (all you can eat sukiyaki & shabu shabu)
Outlets:
112 East Coast Road #03-05 Katong Mall                                                      Tel: 6636 3789
6 Raffles Boulevard #02-138FG Marina Square Center Stage                   Tel: 6337 9969
4 Tampines Central 5 #B1-02 Tampines Mall                                                Tel: 6789 6166

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