Kampong Glam Cafe

For more reviews and photos, please see http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.com/2011/03/kampong-glam-cafe.html

Kampong Glam Cafe offers not just the usual nasi padang dishes but Malay favourites such as mee rebus, ayam soto, mee siam and lontong. It's really cheap, our entire meal, including drinks, cost less than $30! Take note though, the mee rebus and ayam soto are only available after the peak lunch hours, around 2pm. 

We had:

1) Lontong - rich, spicy, tumeric base that complemented the plain soft moist ricecakes, and the still-crunchy-but-slightly-softened cabbage, long beans and carrots. Topped with some flossy pounded dried shrimp and sweet sambal chili, this really packed a punch

2) Fried Beansprouts - very clean flavours, seasoned only by sliced red chilis, spring onions and the barest minimum of soy

3) Fried Egg with Dark Soy and Cut Chilis - delicious, even if the egg was a little rubbery. I think it was the combination of the slightly sweetened smoky saltiness of the dark soy, the tart raw onions, and the spice of the red chilis

4) Sayur Lodeh, using the same curry vegetables as those in the lontong, was really yummy as well. And really, if you didn't add extra chili to this dish, this was really quite mild and low on the spice level

5) Beef Rendang- I think they gave us the tendon part, which was why this was so chewy and tough. Still, the spice paste was suitably hot and aromatic

I work around the area and head to KGC to fix my craving for late night mee goreng or prata and 'put out the burning fire' on my lips with bandung.

 

From the start, it has to be said that I am by no means an expert on malay food, and honestly only really started eating it once i'd moved to Singapore. However, in my experience it usually turned out to be suitable for my tastebuds, sweet, spicy, a little sour...delicious.

I work in the area and must have walked by Kampong Glam Cafe several dozen times. It is only last night (and again this morning!) that I got my first taste of the place...As the menu is entirely in bahasa, I found it a little intimdating...nonetheless I, by accident, ordered some Mee Rebus, in an attept to order something else....however when it arrived a few minutes later, it did look pretty tasty so took it as an opportuniy to try something new.....

It......was......awesome! The noodles, the gravy, the chili, the crispy onions, the boiled egg.....so so so good. My lips were left burning and my forehead in a sweat but I didn't care....The Mee Rebus was so damn good I just went back there this morning and ate it again for breakfast. As I write this my lips are still burning a little...but it feels fantastic. :-)

At KGC they have a typical style view with lots of goods, pre-made in the window...Now I tihnk about it, I have had them before and they weren't bad, but not great either. I very much feel that to take advatange of the meals here you need to order something that will be made to order, and be served hot.

As you will guess from my profile name, I am on the neverending search to fine good middle eastern food in Singapore (still haven't outside my own kitchen), but if you are around Arab St and want some good Malay food....KGC is a good choice....very cheap - a meal will set you back less that $5 per person and it's yummy. Simple as that.

Service is also very friendly and helpful. Nice :-)

Kampong Glam is our very own Zouk, or town center. This is the area bound by Beach Road and North Bridge Road centering around the Sultan Mosque. It is unique and one of a kind, with a rich history (Sultan's palace) and a mix of old and new restaurants. Kg Glam Cafe is one of the older joints.

Food: Malay fare. Their rendang is fabulous, must eat, mixing it with their sayur lodir and their sambal chili - a potent combination for the weak stomach. Matching their rice with hot, thick tea with milk (teh tarik) completes the meal. They also have fried fish, chicken which I did not try.

Ambience: Sitting by the roadside, under awning, in this old renovated building is an experience, just round the corner is a Turkish restaurant and Eleven at Bussorah (Western fare) towards Beach Road. What a heady mix of food outlets.

Value: Higher than market stalls, cheaper than Zion road.

Service: DIY, pleasant smile and encouragement to enjoy your food.