Byblos Grill @ Bussorah Street - An Authentic Labanese Fare In Kampong Glam

Food choices aplenty at Kampong Glam, and Middle Eastern cuisine is one of them. Located at Bussorah Street, Byblos Grill serves up Lebanese cuisine with a wide selection of mezze and main courses.

Hummus 3.5/5

Lavash 4/5

Chickpeas were and are abundant in the Middle Eastern, resulting in this highly nutritious, and delicious Hummus. Made with chickpea, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, ours was creamy and rich with nutty tahini flavour. What it needed was perhaps a couple more dashes of lemon juice for an extra zing. The best way to appreciate its flavours is to have the Lavash, a thin flatbread served to us poofy and warm.

Platter 4/5

For mains, we had a platter consisting Lamb Kofta, and Chicken Tawouk served with rice and homemade sauces. The Lamb Kofta is a Middle Eastern meatball made with minced lamb marinated in 7 different Turkish and Lebanese spices, mixed with chopped parsley and onions. Skewered and grilled, the meat wasn't too gamey, and flavours of the spices came through quite well without being overpowering. The latter is chicken chunks marinated in a yoghurt spice mixture, skewered and charcoal grilled. The chicken chunks were lean but moist. Similar to the lamb skewer, the spices were just right. Their version of tomato salsa and a spice dip which is made of several spices were punchy and also helped to cut the richness of the meat skewers. The fluffy rice was a plus too.

Lahmacun Lamb 3.5/5

Lahmacun Lamb is like a Turkish pizza made with flatbread and minced lamb toppings. The sweet tomato base worked well with the juicy minced lamb.

Kunafa 4.2/5

For dessert, try Kunafa, a traditional Middle Eastern dessert made with thin noodle-like pastry soaked in sugar syrup and layered around cheese and baked. Although the expected stringy cheese was missing, as well as that sprinkle of vibrant green crushed pistachios, all other elements made it really yummy - the tart citrus wedges, the savoury cheese bits and the milky cream that mellow out and complement the sweetness of the pastry. And Turkish Coffee is a must!

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting. 


Byblos Grill
14 Bussorah Street
Singapore 199435
Tel:+65 6296 8577
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Nearest MRT: Bugis (EW Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 1am

Direction:
1) Alight at Nicoll Highway MRT station. Take Exit A. Take the overhead bridge to Beach Road. Walk towards the junction of Jalan Sultan and Beach Road. Cross the road and walk down Beach Road. Turn right onto Bussorah Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk towards Raffles Hospital. Walk to junction of North Bridge Road and Ophir Road. Cross the junction and walk down North Bridge Road towards Arab Street. Turn right into Arab Street. Walk down Arab Street. Turn left onto Baghdad Street. Turn right onto Bussorah Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Lucky Seafood Catering @ Geylang Lorong 17 - You Do Not Need To Travel To Ipoh For Handmade Lai Fun & Hakka Yong Tau Foo

My last overseas travel was to Ipoh with a group of foodie friends to explore the food there. One of the places we visited is Dai Shu Geok (大树脚) Yong Tau Foo. That is when I get to know the local likes to have their Yong Tau Foo with a bowl of assam laksa. For those that are unable to travel to Ipoh during this pandemic period, I am glad to say that Lucky Seafood Catering at Geylang Lorong 17 offers a similar experience. They even handmade their own Lai Fun noodle at the stall. I have to give credit to Miss Tam Chiak for discovering and sharing the place.

Approaching the stall, you will see a variety of fried Yong Tau Foo in the display for you to pick and choose. If you look beyond the display shelf, you will probably find some staffs making and frying the Yong Tau Foo on the spot.

Yong Tau Foo 3.5/5

The Yong Tau Foo that you have chosen and picked will be served in a bowl of soup. 

Sak Kok Liew 4.5/5

A must-have is the Fried Jicama or better known as Sak Kok Liew in Cantonese. The mang or turnip is wrapped with dried shrimps and rolled into a circular shape with beancurd skin. This is then deep-fried to golden brown, giving it an enjoyable crispy bite on the exterior with a crunchy interior. 

Fried Tofu Skin 3/5

I am not a fan of Fried Tofu Skin if it is to be eaten plain. Over here, it is served with an accompanying dipping sauce. My recommendation is to dip it into the Assam Laksa, allowing the fried tofu skin to soak up the savoury broth.

Assam Laksa 3/5

The highlight at Lucky Seafood Catering is their handmade Lai Fun noodle which is used in the Assam Laksa. I really love the freshness and the delectable texture. However, the assam laksa lacks the consistency from my friend's previous visit. We spoke to the owner, and it seems that he is continually adjusting his recipe to suit the customers' feedback. My advice is to keep to his original recipe, which makes him different from others.

Lai Fun Soup 4/5

The best way to enjoy the freshly handmade Lai Fun Soup is to have it plain with some beansprouts and spring onion. 

Kon Loh Mee 3.8/5

If you not into spicy or plain, there is a third way to appreciate the Lai Fun in Kon Loh Mee style. The noodle is tossed in a dark savoury sauce and topped with minced meat.

Curry Chee Cheong Fun 2.8/5

Besides the Yong Tau Foo, you can also order Curry Chee Cheong Fun here. This is a staple dish in Ipoh that comes with pigskin and long beans in a pool of curry sauce. I thought there was too much curry powder in the sauce for my liking. By the way, the cheong fun is sourced from a supplier. They do not make it themselves.

Lucky Seafood Catering

134 Sims Avenue (Geylang Lorong 17)

Singapore 387456

Tel: +65 84049266

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Nearest MRT: Kallang (EW Line), Aljunied (EW Line)

Opening Hours:

Daily: 5pm - 12midnight

Direction: 

1) Alight at Kallang MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Kallang MRT station (Stop ID 80031). Take bus number 2, 13, 51, 63, 67, 80 or 100. Alight 2 stops later. Cross the road. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Aljunied MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left and walk to overhead bright. Cross the road and walk Sims Place. Walk along the MRT track to Geylang Lorong 17. Turn left onto Geylang Lorong 17. Walk to Sims Avenue. Cross the road. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]