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]

Flavours at Zhongshan Park @ Ramada Singapore

With a new Executive Chef Melvin Lim on board and a bigger selection of Straits Chinese delights, I looked forward to my second visit to Flavours at Zhongshan Park since I last dine here back in July 2013. The new menu consists of a larger selection of Straits Chinese cuisine while maintaining a carefully selected mix of international and western favourites, providing customers with more dining options.

Not to be missed is the condiments freshly prepared by the kitchen at Flavours. The different chilli sauces were so good that we actually suggested to the restaurant to sell them.

Clear Oriental Oxtail Soup 3.5/5

Whetting the appetite, we started with a hearty hot piping Clear Oriental Oxtail Soup ($13.90) of slow cooked oxtail infused with herbs and spices.

Braised Beef Cheek Rendang 4.5/5

I still remembered how tender the Braised Beef Cheek Rendang ($24.90) was when I tried it the last time. Once again the beef cheek rendang did not disappoint me. Cooked in a homemade spice paste with lemongrass infusion, the premium beef cheek cut simply melted in the mouth.

Tamarind Prawn 4/5

Looks the the chef has made some changes to the menu. Previously the tiger prawn was cooked in a chilli crab type gravy but now it is done in a tamarind gravy with pineapple and ginger bud. The new version of Tarmarind Prawn was just as good. It has a more refreshing and fruity finish. If the prawns have been more crunchy it would have been perfect.

Slipper Lobster with Chilli 4/5

Another chance is the slipper lobster dish. Instead of black bean paste, the Slipper Lobster is stir fried in a thick, savour paste of tomatoes and chilli. The succulent slipper lobster with the delectable gravy is served with fried mantou.

Ayam Buah Keluak 4.2/5

The Ayam Buah Keluak ($19.90) has also underwent some fine tuning too. The kuluak nuts are now mixed with minced chicken to give it more textures. The chicken was also braised to a nice folk tender absorbing all the beautiful flavours.

Dessert 3.5/5

For dessert, we have the Durian Pengat with Pandan Jelly, Pandan Tiramisu and Sago Gula Melaka. Noteworthy is the Pandan Tiramisu ($13.90) which has only 15 portions available each day for freshness reason. The mascarpone is infused with homemade pandan essence resulting in a dessert wafts with aromas of pandan leaves and gula melaka that was smooth, rich and yet light on the palate.


Flavours at Zhongshan Park
Ramada Singapore
16 Ah Hood Road
Level 1
Singapore 329982
Tel: +65 68086846
Website: http://www.flavoursatzhongshanpark.com
Nearest MRT: Novena (NS Line), Toa Payoh (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 6am - 1030am (breakfast), 12pm - 230pm (lunch), 6pm - 1030pm (dinner)
Weekends, Eve of PH and PH: 6am - 11am (breakfast), 12pm - 3pm (lunch), 6pm - 11pm (dinner)

Direction:
1) Alight at Novena MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to the shuttle bus service pick up point at Velocity @ Novena Square. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Novena MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Irrawaddy Road. Walk towards Ren Ci Community Hospital direction along Irrawaddy Road. Turn onto Shan Road and walk to the end. At the end of the Shan Road, cross Balestier Road to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Toa Payoh bus interchange (Stop ID 52009). Take bus number 139 or 145. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

4) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Toa Payoh MRT station along Toa Payoh Lorong 2 (Stop ID 52189). Take bus 56, 105 or 153. Alight 1 stop later. Cross the canal. Cut through the cluster of HDB flats and carpark towards block 103 onto Ah Hood Road. Continue on Ah Hood Road to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

IndoChili @ Zion Road

I got to know about IndoChili after reading the good review at Maureen's blog. I finally got my chance to make my way down to Zion Road to check out the restaurant that was opened last year serving authentic Indonesian cuisine at Zion Road. The restaurant is just located at the stretch of shop houses opposite Great World City or beside Zion Riverside Food Centre.

Stepping into the restaurant, it felt like I have been transported to Java with its woodcraft decor and traditional music playing in the background. The restaurant is owned by the Java Kitchen Group which has 13 casual eateries in Jakarta and 5 nasi padang stalls in foodcourts.

Jus Alpukat 4/5

Lunch was served with a complimentary plate of keropok. I like that they have a varieties of it however inside me was screaming for a chilli dip to go with it. Paired with a glass of creamy and refreshing Jus Alpukat ($6.80), fresh avocado juice, I look forward to the rest of the lunch.

Tahu Telor 4.2/5

Initially, I wasn't impressed with the presentation of the Tahu Telor ($8.80) when it was served. I was looking forward to a beancurd tower instead of pieces of beancurd drenched with the peanut sauce. What hit me is the unique savoury sweet peanut sauce that comes with a hint of spiciness. This is probably the best Tahu Telor sauce I ever had. I also spotted an interesting white ingredient garnished on top of the beancurd omelette that has a raw garlic taste. I realised it was baby bean sprout head which they painstakingly peeled after checking with the staff.

Redang Sapi 4.2/5

The Redang Sapi ($9.80) is a traditional from Minangkabau, West Sumatra. The fork tender beef redang was slow cooked for at least 4 hours packed with richness of the spices.

Ayam Kari Padang 4.2/5

The Padang style curry chicken, Ayam Kari Padang ($8.8) may not be as rich or spicy compared to the Indian version. The curry is more watered down with a strong ginger taste, I am actually surprised that coconut milk was added in it. Nevertheless the chicken was cooked perfectly, tender and moist. For diners that can't take too spicy, the kari ayam will be easy for your palate.

Sop Buntut 4.5/5

A must order at IndoChili is the Sop Buntut ($14.80). The thick and yet clear broth was comforting and hearty. No wonder it is known for serving one of the best oxtail soups in Indonesia. I have learnt from my Indonesian friend that you can squeeze a bit of lime, add a few drops of sweet soy sauce and mix a bit of sambal to enhance the flavours of the soup, giving it a different punch.

Es Cendol 4.2/5 and Es Teler 4.2/5

Wrapping up lunch on a sweet note with Es Cendol ($5.80) and Es Teler ($6.80). The Es Cendol was really good with the mixture of pandan jelly coconut milk and palm sugar. Once again, my Indonesian introduced me to Es Teler during one of my Jakarta trip. I am glad that the assorted fruits of coconut, avocado and jackfruit in a milky ice mixture was as good as the one I had in Jakarta.


IndoChili
54 Zion Road
Singapore 247779
Tel: +65 64451766
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndoChili
Website: http://www.indochili.com/
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW Line, NE Line), Tiong Bahru (EW Line), Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun: 1130am -10pm
Fri-Sat: 1130am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT Station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Outram MRT station (Stop ID 06011). Take bus number 75 or 970. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Tiong Bahru MRT station (Stop ID 10169). Take bus number 5, 16 or 195. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop opposite Orchard MRT station (Stop ID B09022). Take bus number 16 or 175. Alight 4 bus stops later. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]