Pondok Jawa Timur @ North Bridge Road

My visit to Pondok Jawa Timur was back in March 2014 and I have heard that they have relocated to their new location at 737 North Bridge Road. Together with Maureen and Kimberley, we stopped by Pondok Jawa Timur on a weekday night for dinner.

Avocado Juice 3.5/5

A must order drink for me whether I have Indonesian food is the Avocado Juice ($5.80). I have always enjoyed the nutty and creamy drink,

Soto Madura 3.5/5

The Soto Madura with Beef ($6.50) reminds me of Mee Soto. It seems rather similar except it comes with pieces of beef. Squeezed a dash of the lime or add some chilli to alter the flavour for an accentuated enjoyment.

Corn Batter with Prawn 4/5

During my previous visit, I did not get to try the Corn Batter with Prawn ($5.70 for 3pc). I am glad that I got to try it this time round. It is really a delightfully snack to kick start the meal.

Tahu Telor 4/5

The peanut sauce at Pondok Jawa Timur is freshly made daily. There are 3 different types of peanut sauces at the restaurant for the various dishes. The one used for the Tahu Telor ($6.90) is richer and bolder in flavour which goes well with the fried tofu and egg.

Gado Gado 4.2/5

The other peanut sauce is used for the Gado Gado ($6.90). The sauce is lighter but creamier with a subtle sweetness that paired excellently with the vegetables.

Sate Ayam 3.8/5

Lastly the peanut sauce which is more coarse and nutty is the perfect marriage for the delectable Sate Ayam ($8.90). I thought the sate ayam was not as well marinated compared to my previous visit. It was also missing that charred smokey flavour I was looking for.

Mie Goreng Jawa 4/5

If you want to just have a quick meal and you do not want to over order, I would recommend the Mie Goreng Jawa ($6.90). I like the fact that the stir fried noodles is the wet kind, flavourful and with hints of wok hei aroma.

Ayam Penyet 4.5/5

Probably a Singaporean favourite is the Ayam Penyet ($6.90) that is served with freshly made sambal. The ayam penyet is another dish I would order. The chicken is cooked to a nice exterior crisp while retaining the tenderness inside.

Rice

Over at Pondok Jawa Timur, customers have a choice of 3 different types of rice. Namely the normal white rice, pandan rice and yellow rice.

Fish Head Curry 3.8/5

I did not really enjoy the Fish Head Curry ($32.9) during my previous visit as I thought it was too watery. However, the fish head curry was more palatable this time round. According to the owner instead of using coconut milk, they used fresh milk to cook their curry. The gravy will go well with a plate of rice or even bread.

Es Teler 3.5/5

Wrapping up the dinner, I have the Es Teler ($4.50) which is a sweet dessert of fresh fruits, shaved ice and condensed milk. I was introduced to the dessert during a Jakarta trip and this has become my favourite Indonesia dessert. I simply love the taste of condensed milk with the shaved ice. However I think the presentation could be better and the shaved ice can be finer. It was a bit coarse on the palate.

After moving from Selegie to the new location at North Bridge Road, Pondok Jawa Timur exactly dropped their prices. I was actually quite surprise but it is a great news to the customers. On top of that, there is no service and GST. With the type of pricing and good food, it is definitely a wallet friendly place for a meal.


Pondok Jawa Timur
737 North Bridge Road
Singapore 198705
Tel: +65 68845853
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pondok-Jawa-Timur-Javanese-Cuisine/484078558340235
Website: http://www.pondokjawatimur.com/
Nearest MRT: Bugis (DT Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk down Victoria Street towards Golden Landmark Shopping Complex. Turn right onto Arab Street. At the junction of Arab Street and North Bridge Road, turn left onto North Bridge Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

AGNIA at Once Upon A Bar @ Capital Square (Church Street)

I am glad that I am being introduced to Chef Jason Vito and Chef Benson Tong, two young and inspiring chefs who likes to give classic dishes a new life with their own interpretation of classic. After sampling some of the dishes, I fell in love with the culinary skills and inspiration. Chef Jason who is trained in French cooking and Chef Benson who is accomplished in Asian cuisine has found the perfect combination, recreating innovative classic dishes out of the little kitchen at AGNIA at Once Upon A Bar located at Capital Square 3, Church Street.

Albondigas Adobo 4.5/5

As Agnia is located in a drinking place, there are some items on the menu that will be good to go with the alcohol. One such item is the Albondigas Adobo. The huge meatballs made with chorizo and cooked in a delicious tangy tomato paste has a hint of spiciness. I am a meatball lover and this is one of the best I have tried.

Foie Gras Rojak 4/5

I have tried foie gras paired with rojak sauce but at Agnia this is even bolder taking the whole Chinese salad or better known as rojak locally to pair with the French foie gras. Foie Gras Rojak may sound crazy and one will wonder whether this combination works? Surprisingly the combo works for me. The chefs have managed to marriage both classics into one while retaining its individual character. The chefs even made the prawn paste from scratch and baked the pineapple slices to reduce the raw sourness of the fruit. These affects is demonstrated in the nicely balanced dish.

Duck Confit Penyet 4.2/5

Another dish that clearly demonstrates the chefs idea in the alternative cuisine is the take on the classc Ayam Penyet. At Agnia, we are presented with their own version of Duck Confit Penyet. The duck was crispy and tender with a tad of Asian spices. Cooked using French technique and smashing it before servicing in the Indonesia way, once again we see how classics are recreated but yet not losing its roots.

Mushroom Soba 4.2/5

For a more comforting dish, one can go for the Mushroom Soba which is another take of Italian and Japanese influences. It has a nice body in the konbu dashi broth while the used of soba gave the dish a more enjoyable texture bite to spaghetti. Vegetarian will be rejoice in this refreshing, earthy and comforting Japanese noodle dish.

You probably can see why I am excited in both Jason and Benson's culinary interpretation of the classics. It gives a new live and excitement to classic dishes while not spinning off from its fundamental. Some may labelled it fusion or called it alternative cuisine. Be it what, people only put good food into their mouth and only good food brings people back. You may think these dishes will come at a price, great to say that they are not and mostly remains under $15. I actually look forward to visit Agnia again because there is another dish in the menu which is the Beef Noodle v2.0 that is highly raved. I understand briefly it is a dry beef noodle interpretation with a slab of steak resting on top. The sound of it is already very interesting isn't it?

Update: Due to some unforseen circumstances, AGNIA has made changes to the menu.


AGNIA
Capital Square 3
25 Church Street
#01-01
Singapore 049482
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agniadd
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 230pm, 5pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk down Telok Ayer Street towards the direction of China Square Food Centre. Turn left into Pekin Street. Walk to destination at the end of the street. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Pondok Jawa Timur @ Wilkie Edge (Selegie)

Driven by the passion to offer authentic Javanese cuisine to Singapore, Mdm Indah opened her first eatery house at Indonesia Embassay in 2007 before moving to Atrium Orchard 3 years later. The popular Indonesian Javanese restaurant, Pondok Jawa Timur at Dhoby Ghaut area has since relocated to Wilkie Edge at Selegie area. Fans of their Indonesian Javanese food will be glad to know the platoon of Indonesian chefs in the kitchen has remained the same all these years. Meaning you can expect the same quality and standard at Pondok Jawa Timur in their current premise.

Ayam Penyet 4.5/5

Upon sighting the smashed fried chicken that looked as if it has just been run over by a car, I knew I am into something good. Deep fried to a crispy exterior, the chicken was tender and moist. This is definitely one of the best Ayam Penyet ($7.90) I had for a long time.

Tahu Telor 4/5

I have mixed feeling towards the Tahu Telor ($9.90). I prefer my tahu telor to be the tower form so that every bite has a good mix of the beancurd and fried egg. Saying that I like the robustness of the prawn paste that complemented the fried tofu in egg.

Rendang Jawa Timur 3.8/5

The Rendang Jawa Timur ($8.90) was pretty flavourful and fragrant with all the spices. It felt that the beef redang needed a couple more hours to be more tender.

Gado Gado 3/5

After ordering all the food, we realised we did not have a vegetable dish. Hence the owner recommended us to try the Gado Gado ($8.90), mixed vegetable in peanut sauce. Some may think it is weird to have your vegetables with peanut sauce but in fact it is quite a staple dish in Indonesia. The nutty sauce actually goes very well with the natural sweetness of the mixed vegetables. Quite similar how goma sauce is used in Japanese cuisine.

Sop Buntut 3/5

My first introduction to Indonesian cuisine is Sop Buntut in Jakarta. Since then I have quite an high expectation of the oxtail soup. The Sop Buntun ($11.90) at Pondok Jawa Timur was hearty and comforting but fell short in the robustness to satisfy my expectation.

Gulai Kepala Ikan 3.5/5

One of the popular dishes here is te Gulai Kepala Ikan ($28.90). Served in a claypot, the fish head was fresh and succulent. While I can taste the aroma of the spices in the gulai sauce, the spicy scale is too mild for my palate and I prefer something more lemak. However, my dining partners did not agreed with me and they actually enjoyed the fish head curry. Hence it is down to one's preference.

Mie Goreng Jawa 4.5/5

We were already quite full from all the yummy dishes but since the owner has been raving about their popular Mie Goreng Jawa ($7.90), the curiosity in us just could not let this be missed without trying. The Javanese fried noodles was unlike the Malay style which is reddish in colour. The mie goreng jawa here is more inclined to the Chinese style, wetter with the noodles infused with the wok hei flavour.

Sate Ayam 5/5

The one dish that blown me away at Pondok Jawa Timur it the Sate Ayam ($9.90). Charcoal grilled to a nice smoky flavour, the tender chicken thigh meat satay was drenched in a very delish sauce that accentuated the whole flavour. For a more spicy kick, have a dip of the chilli sauce to further enjoy the chicken satay to the fullest.

I am glad that my food journey has brought me to Pondok Jawa Timur. The halal restaurant uses only fresh ingredients with their Indonesian chefs cooking up tasty and authentic Javanese cuisine since 2007 following closely at heart Mdm Indah's recipes. The wallet friendly restaurant with delicious Indonesian food offers an extensive menu that caters for both individual and families.


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Pondok Jawa Timur Indonesia Javanese Restaurant
Wilkie Edge
8 Wilkie Road
#01-21
Singapore 228095
Tel: +65 68845853
Website: http://www.pondokjawatimur.com
Nearest MRT: Bras Basah (CC Line), Dhoby Ghuat (CC Line, NE Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bras Basah MRT station. Take Exit D or E. Walk down Bras Basah Road to the junction of Bras Basah Road and Prinsep Steet. Cross the road and turn right onto Prinsep Street. Walk down Prinsep Street and continue onto Selegie Road. Continue walking down Selegie Road until destination. Journey time about 15 mins. [Map]

2) Alight at Dhoby Ghuat MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Orchard Road to the junction of Orchard Road and Prinsep Street. Turn left onto Prinsep Street. Walk down Prinsep Street and continue onto Selegie Road. Continue walking down Selegie Road until destination. Journey time about 15 mins. [Map]

Ayam Penyet President @ Serangoon NEX

Ayam Penyet President is the new resident at Serangoon NEX servicing authentic Indonesian cuisine. I have to admit I was looking for an experience and meal that is fit for a president. Unfortunately, I am brought to reality very soon when I needed to walk up to the cashier to place my order and made payment before I got my food served. This is not how you treat a president or rather I thought I will be treated like a president.

Tahu Telor 2/5

The Tahu Telor ($5.50) was a big disappointment. I was expecting a tall standing tower of the tahu telor but instead I was served with with pieces of fried beancurd wrapped in by a omelette. I really felt I was being cheated.

Ayam Penyet 3/5

The Ayam Penyet ($6.50) is a Malay word which literally means smashed fried chicke does not come with steamed rice. The Steamed Rice ($0.80) needs to be order separately. While the chicken was tender and moist, the chicken was not flatted or smashed enough. I also wished I could have more of the crispy bits.

Ayam Bakar 3.5/5

I also tried the Ayam Bakar ($6.50) which is served with grilled tofu, bean cake and cut chilli in black sauce. Actually the waitress left out the cut chilii in black sauce and I have asked for it. The grilled chicken with the sweet sauce drenched over it was rather flavourful. It complemented the moist and tender chicken.

Mixed Fruit Juice a la President 3.5/5 Iced Chendol 3.5/5 

The meal ended on a sweet note with the Mixed Fruit Juice a la President ($4) and Ice Chendol ($3). The mixed fruit juice a la president is quite similar to our Chinese version of Ice Kachang.

Overall I find that the food here is just average and definitely you won't be getting the president treatment. Unless I need a quick meal or avoid the crowd, I probably would not visit the eatery.

Ayam Penyet President
Serangoon NEX
23 Serangoon Central
#B1-13/14
Singapore 556083
Tel: +65 66348165
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ayampresident
Website: http://ayampresident.com/
Nearest MRT: Serangoon (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 1130am - 930pm
Sat-Sun & PH: 11am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Serangoon MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes.

Mazni's Family Ayam Penyet @ Changi Airport Terminal 1

This is probably one of the best ayam penyet in Singapore. The fried chicken skin was very crispy and fragrant. The must have is their sambal chilli. It was very good and many customers even asked for more. Besides ayam penyet, the stall is also very popular for their Malay snacks.

Ayam  Penyet 4.5/5

Mazni's Family Ayam Penyet
Changi Airport Terminal 1
Staff Canteen Stall 22
Nearest MRT: Changi Airport (EW Line)