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The search for unique Roti Prata has never quite stopped for us here; after all, it does seem that we are lacking a few of the more unique interpretations of Roti Prata in Singapore when comparing against the varieties of Roti Canai in Malaysia. One variant that we had been searching pretty much high and low for apart from the Prata Tsunami is the Roti Canai Sarang Burung — a rendition that is also dubbed the “Bird Nest” Roti Canai which seemed to have become viral in Malaysia a while ago; and aptly named so as well, considering how the Roti Canai is shaped much like bird nest and holds two sunny side-ups in between. While finding this dish around Singapore has proven to be rather difficult, we finally chanced upon An-Nur Shenton Way Famous that actually serves up the Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema whilst walking past the Broadway coffeeshop at Blk 19 Marsiling Lane — placed at the acrylic shield surrounding the prata-making areas was a poster indicating the availability of Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema and Prata Tsunami. Turns out, An-Nur Shenton Way Famous isn’t particularly an indie establishment; the brand is more of a chain that operates out of coffee shops with three locations in operation — the other two outlets being located at Blk 198 Punggol Field and 36 Chai Chee Avenue.

Some information worth noting about the Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema from An-Nur Shenton Way Famous is that it is not available within a specific timeframe within the day; for the outlets at Marsiling and Punggol, the Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema is unavailable between 12 noon to 4pm, while the item is unavailable at the Chai Chee outlet from 1pm to 4pm. It is priced at $6.50 per piece, and that the preparation time required for the item sits around thereabouts of 5mins if there is space for them to prepare it on the grill (this is especially given that the Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema is sized larger than the usual-sized Roti Prata. Noticing how the Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema is being prepared, the Prata is first shaped into a ring-like form with a hole in the middle; somewhere in between, the folks will crack the eggs that would eventually become the sunny side-up at the centre. Once done, the Mutton Keema will be plated on one side of the Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema with green chillies that adds a tinge of spiciness and a visual contrast. The Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema also comes with a mutton curry that comes with a consistency almost similar to Dhal as well.

Digging into the Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema, we really liked how they seemed to have aced the doneness of the sunny side-up just about right here; the egg yolks being all molten and flowy as one pokes them with a fork. The consistency of the Roti Prata is pretty similar to that of plain Roti Prata, though the Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema comes with Roti Prata that is heftier than the usual plain ones out there; there is definitely some tension as one pulls the Roti Prata with the fork and spoon — all that with a slightly crisp texture especially around the edges and comes with a fragrance of the dough used. We had initially thought the Mutton Keema to be the most intimidating component here; we were impressed with how they have diced them into small cubes that are almost equally-sized providing a good, consistent bite which was surprisingly not too gamey. In fact, it was the mutton curry that was served on the side which upped the gaminess of the dish for us — perhaps something which was included for those whom would like a stronger note of mutton than what the Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema originally comes with. Considering its price at $6.50, we reckon that it might have been more economical to travel into JB for it; this is especially considering that we had given their outlet at Marsiling Lane a go which is almost as near as to the checkpoint that one can get. That being said, if going overseas just isn’t quite your thing or if one resides around Bedok and Punggol and develops huge cravings for the Bird Nest Roti Canai, the Roti Sarang Burung Mutton Keema from An-Nur Shenton Way Famous is as close as it gets to the viral Roti Canai Sarang Burung here!

KNS Restaurant is perhaps one of the more recognisable brand names when it comes to such mamak-style establishments serving up Indian-Muslim food — with multiple outlets being situated in different parts of the island, KNS Restaurant does seem to have a stronger presence in the West, considering their only outlets out of the West would be their outlets at Woodlands and Bedok. Their Woodlands outlet has been opened for quite a while now — located at the ground floor of ACE The Place Community Centre, this outlet is easily accessible via Exit 1 of Woodlands South MRT Station and is a 24-hour establishment. Occupying a shop unit at the community centre, KNS Restaurant at ACE The Place Community Centre does have quite the shopfront — the frontage of the restaurant being full length windows that extend throughout almost the entire dine-in area. The interior would however be more functional however as one would typically find in such establishments — the wooden dining tables and simple plastic chairs form much of the look here; racks retailing snacks can also be spotted around the space. The cashier counter would also be where one can find multiple dishes displayed — much in the style of a Nasi Padang stall. Orders from patrons will be taken by their staff instead of the cashier, and payment can be made after the meal by handing over the ticket which will be presented by the staff as he serves the order. The menu at KNS Restaurant is typical of such establishments — this includes sections dedicated to Prata, Roti John, Murtabak, Chop / Steak, Thosai, Briyani, Curry, Mama Goreng, Fried Rice, Nasi Lemak and Appetisers; just to name a few. The list of beverages comprises of the usual hot and cold beverage options one would find at such establishments — includes items such as that of local coffee and tea, to concoctions mixed from syrups.

We originally had our eyes set on their Mozzarella Cheese Prata — one of the items that we especially enjoyed having at Springleaf Prata Place that we would order from time to time, but was told that the item was not available during our visit made on a weekday night past usual dinner hours (it is always a case with such establishments, however). Since that was the case, we went for the Plain Prata and the Garlic Prata instead. The two Pratas does take a while to get served up — KNS Restaurant at ACE The Place Community Centre does make their Roti Prata upon order, and this ensures that the Prata served to the patron is piping hot. Digging into the Plain Prata, there was something that was undeniably childhood for us with the Plain Prata here — the consistency of the Plain Prata was absolutely spot-on to the ones we have had as a child with a somewhat crisp exterior and a fluffy interior that comes with some tension to pull apart; not sure if this had something to do with them using packaged Roti Prata dough that already comes portioned out individually (we saw them open the cardboard box and taking the dough out), but we definitely enjoyed the texture of the Plain Prata we had. There was also a hint of fragrance with the dough here that makes it delicious to have even just on its own, though we would still dip the Plain Prata into the dish of fish curry provided by the side that was pretty flavoursome with evident hints of curry without feeling like it has been watered down. The Garlic Prata also carried a texture and flavour consistent with the Plain Prata; the only difference being how it comes with cloves of garlic within that provides an extra garlicky crunch that further gives the Garlic Prata a flavour burst that the Plain Prata did not have.

Having been to KNS Restaurant at ACE The Place Community Centre for the first time, it does seem to be a godsend to this neighbourhood considering how all of the food courts and fast food restaurants (yes, including the Golden Arches) in the nearby neighbourhood mall and the coffeeshop in the neighbouring areas closes before midnight — KNS Restaurant likely being the only establishment operating for 24 hours serving the residents in the area. That being said, KNS Restaurant isn’t quite that establishment that would suit some as a decent dining establishment to eat at — for one, there is a lack of staff actually serving the tables and thus do expect some time for tables to be cleared; the only staff clearing the tables would also be the one taking orders and bringing the food to the patrons at the table. As such, the air-conditioned establishment also seems to have a few houseflies going around the dining hall; something which we didn’t recall was too much of a problem when we visited the likes of Springleaf Prata Place, Casuarina Curry etc., or even open-air establishments like Chindamani Indian Restaurant or Al-Sahira Restaurant per se. It really did not help that the air-con was also a little leaky; felt a droplet of water from above drip on our head, though its not too bothersome since it was just one droplet throughout the whole duration we were dining there. There is also some language barrier experienced between us and the staff, though such things are pretty expected in establishments like this. Overlooking all of that though, we would think that we are ones who would return to KNS Restaurant again though — they do serve up some very decent Prata that could bring up some of our childhood memories; not quite the establishment that is meant for everyone, but definitely one that is convenient with a respectable quality that one can hit at any point of the day.

Cost:$8

Never tried murtabak before but I guess this would not be the best one.
The egg and chicken filling between the prata slices were just so-so, and it tasted exactly like egg prata. Prata layers were doughy and nothing spectacular.

I dont think it was worth $8, although it was rather filling.

Grade:B

Never had an Appam before until several years ago when we had made Tekka Centre a lunch destination due to it being near the work ‘hood — ever since then, we have been pretty much on a lookout for the dish all around the island. Thankfully, it does seem that Appam is slowly getting popularised of the late — the most recent opening of a Appam specialty store that is widely-known would be Mr. Appam at Maxwell Food Centre that had pretty much the hype all over social media. Hidden away in the North Food Court of Republic Polytechnic within walking distance from Woodlands North MRT Station along the Thomson-East Coast Line is yet another Appam specialty store named Appam Aunty. There is no denying on how big they are on Appam here — the menu features a wide variety of Appam ranging from classic ones such as the Plain Appam, Cheese Appam and Egg Appam, all the way to inventive ones such as those listed in the “Delights” section of the menu which includes Red Velvet & Sea Salt Caramel Appam, Avocado & Gula Melaka Appam and a Power Berries Appam — just to name a few. Then, there is also the “Local Favourites” section; think items such as Cempedak Appam, MSW Durian Appam, and Nasi Lemak Appam (yes, a savoury flavour), while there are also Kulfi Appams as well. Aside from Appam, Appam Aunty also serves up other dishes such as rice sets and Nasi Lemak sets; probably to cater to the school kids here whom may not appreciate Appam as much as we do over here.

There are really too many flavours of appam to go for here and we found ourselves going for the Mango Sticky Rice Appam since it pretty much stood out for us. We were served pretty quickly here and with good reason; the Appam is the only item that requires preparation, and the other elements for the dish are simply drenched atop. The Mango Sticky Rice Appam sees a generous drizzle of mango sauce, accompanied by a glutinous rice purée atop the Plain Appam that is used as the base here. As far as the Appam goes, we really quite liked the one here — light and crisp sides; all that with a fluffy centre that bears almost the same texture as a Kueh Bingka. It is fluffy, chewy and came with a slight tang in the middle; really went well with the sweet mango sauce that they had decided for it come with over the top. We found the glutinous sticky rice purée to be really interesting of the lot however; the purée was something almost akin to a rice pudding — there is this “rice-y” note going on amidst all the sweetness that attempts to replicate the glutinous rice usually found in the typical Mango Sticky Rice. Overall, a really inventive creation by the folks here that deserves a bit of cred.

As far as it goes, Appam specialty stores do typically carry some special flavours on their own but Appam Aunty does seem to push the limits here quite a fair bit — the flavours offered at Aunty Appam can be said as a more “hipster” offering; something which may appeal to the younger audiences in general which is pretty much probably a consideration since they are located within the food court / canteen of a campus. Some may argue about this being the start of gentrification of traditional fare, but it is possibly necessary after all in order for traditional foods to survive the test of time and remain relevant in the long run. Whatever it is though, Appam Aunty does pretty decent Appam; a rare find considering the lack of such fare within Woodlands, and is a worthy mention for its attempt to bring Appam to a wider audience. Looking forward to be back to give their savoury Appam as well as the Avocado Gula Melaka Appam a try; those items definitely piqued our interest as we were skimming through the items on their menu!

💰$15.
📍KNS restaurant ACE.
120 Woodlands ave 1, #01-02.

I ordered Maggie goreng Super with Mee Goreng Super from Al Ameen Eating Corner.
The Maggie goreng is tasty, slightly soft (coz from boiled before fried it) and served with mutton in sweet and spicy sauce.
The mee goreng also tasty, not spicy and texture noodle is more Al dente compare to Maggie goreng, also served with mutton in sweet and spicy sauce.
💰$7.
📍Al Ameen Eating corner.
35 Marsiling industry estate road, #01-11.

Top left clockwise
Prata bomb (2pcs) + cheese w mushroom prata
Kothu prata w chicken
Roti john w chicken
Total $22 with teh tarik and teh halia, no price breakdown given.

First time trying prata bomb and kothu prata and both were excellent. The prata bomb was of thicker dough and it's sweeter. We like that it's soft and chewy and a little crisp on the skin. The kothu prata is also very tasty and delicious.

The roti john and cheese mushroom prata are good too though quite normal. The drinks are also not too sweet, which is also to our liking.

Will be back to try other dishes!

Too doughy and not crispy at all, kind of not what we expected, so a bit disappointing. It comes with the chicken/mutton dish (we chose chicken) which has the sweet sauce but doesn't really complement the coin prata, so thought it's a bit strange.

It's been a long long time since I had this and it's really good 🤤

There's a very strong wok hey taste to this maggie goreng which makes it really yummy and the veggie (lettuce and spring onions) are also less raw than others we've tried.

Only thing is the egg yolk is slightly cooked but it doesn't make this dish any less good!

Fragant basmati rice served with
Vegetables like carrot, corn. Its quite tasty and aromatic.
💰$5
📍Al Ameen
Marsiling industrial estate Road 3#01-11.
Central Industrial Estate, 739257

Located in marsiling industrial, they open till very late, like 2 am, served Indian, malay till western dishes.
I tried the coin prata, its doughy type, slightly crisp served with mutton cubes and sweet spicy gravy.
It's my first time tried the gravy, very interesting coz normally we will have it with curry.
Definitely will come back to try more dishes.
💰$6.5
📍Al Ameen
Marsiling industrial estate Road 3#01-11.
Central Industrial Estate, 739257