Mediterranean Food

Came across the new Izgara whilst scrolling through social media the other day; the establishment, which is one that emphasises of Mediterranean and Turkish cuisine, is a rather recent addition to the Tanjong Pagar/Shenton Way neighbourhood — located at Lumiere along Mistri Road that is a short walk away from Tanjong Pagar MRT Station and Shenton Way Bus Terminal, it is also located fairly close by to cafes such as abseil. and Double Shot Coffee as well. Being rather simply decked out, the furnishing and fittings here are more on the functional side of things, though still rather cosy overall apart from the air-conditioning issue which they were sorting out during our visit. The menu comprises of a pretty decent variety of items, featuring appetisers, sides, kebaps, Turkish pides and other mains, as well as desserts and a decent selection of non-alcoholic beverages (think Turkish Tea/Coffee, Fresh Ayran — a Turkish Yogurt Drink, and Apple Tea, just to name a few).

Ain’t one who would go all the way out for Turkish cuisine usually, so found myself ordering a rather safe item that didn’t seem like it would go wrong. The Musakka is essentially baked minced lamb, eggplant and mozzarella that is served with Turkish Butter Rice. Think of it as a baked rice dish, though with the rice being served on the side rather than within the casserole — there is pretty much nothing that would go wrong with all the stringy, stretchy cheese blanketing all the stuff beneath; while some may find the minced lamb gamey, I found it pretty fitting to match up against the savoury notes of the cheese — the minced lamb also being sufficiently moist and making the entire deal pretty much comforting and easy to eat. The Turkish Butter Rice was also beautifully done; the grains being distinguishable from one another, but what won me over is how immensely flavourful it was without being jelak — pretty addictive on its own and I found myself polishing up all of the grains despite not being one who would finish all my rice in recent years (yes, because they are carbs). The Musakka is best paired with some hot Turkish Tea by the side; the strong punch of the black tea is sufficient to cut through all the heavier notes to cleanse the palate to keep one going here.

Whilst I am not in the position to comment on how authentic the Mediterranean/Turkish cuisine here is, I must say that I am glad to have given Izgara a go; a somewhat adventurous decision on my end given how such cuisine is not something which I would usually go for. Nonetheless, I must say I am satisfied with at least the Musakka and Sutlac (Rice Pudding) that I had ordered — these are without a doubt something which I would order again at any Mediterranean/Turkish cuisine establishment that I may visit in the future!

It’s pretty amazing to know that quite a number of new eateries have been sprouting up around the office of the late — Atas Turkish Kebab being one of the newest F&B establishment to have moved into the former premises of now-defunct 109 Vegetarian Cuisine (the same spot also housed tenants such as Hainanese Curry Fun, and Hong Hu Express) at Fortune Centre on the ground level from their former premises at Fork & Spoon Food Court in Toa Payoh Central. Pretty amazed with the variety of Turkish Kebab dishes offered here — apart from the usual wrap, tortilla roll, burrito and butter rice options, they also serve their Kebabs with Marinara/Pesto Pasta, baked rice/past; think Turkish-Western fusion for the more inventive dishes that they have here.

Opted for the Kebab Tombik (Mixed); found their pita bread on display at the display shelf to be very intriguing — and that’s how I ended up opting for the Tombik which is essentially pita bread, served with a mix of Beef and Chicken Kebab, all mixed with greens, tomatoes, pickled chili and potatoes. The Pita Bread looked amazing; that sort of light, crusty bread that came with beautiful charred marks on the exterior — comes with a good chew with some tension with every bite without being too dry. While the meats do seem to lack a little flavour sauce-wise, the meats were actually pretty well-executed; sufficiently juicy and moist and goes together well with the myriad of textures in the fillings of the Tombik — the crunch of the greens, the juiciness of the zingy tomatoes, soft bite of the potatoes, and the zippy and spicy crunch of the pickled chili all creates a party in the mouth, both texturally and in terms of flavour.

Could see how Atas Turkish Kebab has pretty much garnered a crowd with the hungry diners in the area during lunch hour — the eatery being all buzzy with all tables occupied and a queue that stretches out during a short while when we were dining there; liked how they have quite a number of options to cater to the various customer bases they have access to here. Interesting to see them serve up Turkish Coffee and desserts too; the latter being something I would try next time!

Two Giant Skewers with Chicken Thigh, served with fresh rosemary, caramelised red shallots, roasted garlic, and a wedge of lemon. From the new Pano Kato Grill, Pizza & Deli at Tanglin Mall, opened by the same folks behind House of AnLi which is better known for their Aussie-style brunches and contemporary cuisine.

This is off their Josper Grill menu; essentially meats sourced from Australia that is grilled using charcoal and wood from their Josper oven. Really enjoyed the Chicken Souvlaki here; the greens being even more amazing than the meat itself. Don't get me wrong; the chicken is really lovely on its own; the lack of seasoning helps to bring out that smoky, charred notes from that cooking process, but the greens are immensely juicy yet carrying a myriad of flavours from the distinct notes of the capsicums to the crunchiness of the onions. The onion bulbs and roasted garlic were truly amazing however; all sorts of juicy yet soft to the bite — absolutely wonderful. Needless to say, whilst we only had just a small selection of the sides and the desserts, we would certainly be back for more; the food, the vibes — all the things I would want to sink into on a leisurely weekend.

Visited Kafe UTU over the weekend; possibly Singapore’s first Afro-themed specialty coffee cafe that also carries dishes “From Mama Africa” as what the menu suggests.

The Swahili Fish Curry comes with elements such as Red Snapper, Tamarind, Coconut Milk, House Curry Paste, and Habanero, served with coconut rice and salsa on the side. Really liked the thoughtful touch behind the use of red snapper fillet — coming all boneless, it does make the item easy to eat, while doused with a Fish Curry that is unlike the Chinese and Indian variants we are familiar with; instead, it carries strong hints of turmeric and other spices — almost Middle Eastern whilst being thick and rich without being too creamy. The distinct flavour of spices, coupled with the slight sweetness, tanginess and the fiery kick of the habanero does make the curry gravy pack quite the punch in terms of flavour, with the long-grained coconut rice soaking up all that goodness. Pair the salsa up with the curry gravy for another take on the dish; it provides a juicy and zingy note which is pretty refreshing overall. A cafe that distinguishes from the others with its unique vibe and theming — certainly a destination to check out!

From Sideways, a tapas-esque concept by the folks behind The Hangar at Arab Street.

Off the cold section of the menu is the Sourdough and the Smoked Eggplant and Bell Peppers Dip — the sourdough baked in-house with their wood-fired oven; light and fluffy without being particularly dense, whilst carrying a slight hint of sourness from the fermentation process of the dough. Being a perfect accompaniment to the sourdough, the dip carries tangy flavours from the bell peppers with light, earthy notes of eggplant all laced with the aroma of olive oil. A great way to start off the meal before going to the meatier items.

From the set lunch menu which is introduced today. Overall a dish that seemed to be inspired by Mediterranean flavours; the couscous reminded me of olive rice especially with bits of dried fruit within. The chicken was marinated with turmeric for flavour — a wee bit dry but still decent overall. Green Sambal on the side does give the entire dish a little kick in terms of spiciness — of a level slightly above moderate if had in a substantial amount.

Moving out of Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre, Mi Casa has found a new home situated just a stone's throw away at Jalan Jurong Kechil serving a wider range of Spanish fare at wallet-friendly prices. The menu here consists of Ciabatta, Salads, Soups/Stews, Seafood, Meat and Pasta/Paella dishes. At $6.50, you get a decently portioned paella. Can't comment on how authentic this was for I rarely have Paella, but you get lightly fragrant rice that absorbed the flavours of the stock it was cooked in while coming with five tender, handmade meatballs covered in tomato-based sauce that gives it a tangy flavour. A salad which is dressed with a zingy dressing comes on the side. Pretty sure there are many more authentic and better executed Spanish fare around, but this does add an interesting option around Upper Bukit Timah that is also pretty affordable as well!

Mi Casa Kitchen & Bar is situated at 102C Jalan Jurong Kechil, Singapore 598602.

A rather decent wrap if not for the slightly washed out flavour caused by mayonnaise and extremely bitter vegetables. The Truffle Fries were crispy and somewhat flavourful; enough to put some cafes to shame.

Tender chicken in a sauce that seemed to contain a middle-eastern taste to it. Buttered Rice was not too strong in taste thus not sickening.