Are you a broke student looking to treat yourself with some atas food? Look no further as we review some affordable yet quality food near EJ.
Watami
Star Vista #02-16 (Just take the escalator nearest to the MRT!)
Though it may seem like an atas restaurant, Watami actually serves really affordable meals for students! With 9 different mains to choose from, ranging from deep fried tendon to raw salmon sashimi, there will definitely be food for everybody. We tried the ‘Pepper Beef Rice in Stone Pot Set’ ($8.90) and the ‘Chicken Cutlet with Scrambled Egg Sauce Set’. All sets come with a drink and some come with either miso soup, rice or a salad.
For the pepper beef rice, it consisted of japanese rice, beef, corn and black pepper. The stone pot gave the rice a nice crunchy texture and distinctive char while the beef was also well-marbled. However, since the stone pot takes awhile to cool down, it continued to char the rice. This means that you’ll have to keep mixing the rice unless you want burnt rice. Also, the meat-to-rice ratio was not good as the portion of meat was considerably smaller than the rice served. (6/10)
The meat-to-rice ratio was better for the chicken cutlet, which we were thankful for because the chicken cutlet’s scrambled egg sauce was too salty to be eaten on its own. The japanese rice was able to cut through the saltiness of the sauce well. The hot plate was able to keep the meat warm without burning it. (7.5/10)
The miso soup that came with our sets can be described in one word: salty. We know that miso soup is supposed to be salty but the one they served was unbearable, leaving our mouths salty and our throats thirsty for water.
TL;DR: The set meals were really value-for-money and the affordability of the meals actually made up for its shortcomings. The place is really crowded during lunchtime so coming as a whole OG/CG is not advisable.
Ikea (Take bus 14 or 100!)
317 Alexandra Rd, Singapore 159965
Fries($2.50): Thick and crispy, the fries Ikea had to offer had a lot of potential. It was nice and lightly salted but unfortunately fell short since they were served cold. (4.5/10)
Mushroom soup($3.50): Honestly the soup they gave just tasted like regular campbell’s mushroom soup but it went surprisingly well with everything. You get quite a lot of soup since it is self-serve, so you should fill your bowl with as much soup as you possibly can get for your money’s worth. It’s delicious and I highly recommend it (6.5/10)
12pcs meatballs($8.50) Undeniably one of ikea’s classics and must-trys, the meatballs were delicious. The cranberry sauce and gravy really complemented the dish well and the broccoli is refreshing to the palate. (7.5/10)
Almond cake($3.50) : I highly recommend this cake since it really ties together with your meal, no matter what you get, and tastes amazing. It’s totally worth it and you can actually get a whole box of this at the mart located in Ikea, so you can bring it home to enjoy it as well. (7.5/10)
Nun Song Yee
Rochester Mall #01-03
Nun Song Yee offers a range of bingsus that will surely satisfy your dessert cravings. Though on the pricier side, one bingsu is enough for a group of people and is perfect for sharing.
The oreo bingsu ($12.90) can be compared to an oreo milkshake, the milkiness of the shaved ice complements the crushed oreos really well. The bingsu was also served with a scoop of ice cream, providing the dish a thick and creamy texture that may cure the ‘jelat-ness’ that the bingsu brings along. (7.5/10)
The mango cheesecake bingsu ($18.90) is one of the premium bingsus and for good reason: it comes with chunks of cheesecake aesthetically placed alongside slices of mango. The mango adds a refreshing touch to the bingsu while the almonds lent it a nice texture. However, we found that the mangos were not very sweet and overall, the bingsu’s quality does not match its price tag. (6/10)
If bingsu isn’t your thing, Nun Song Yee also offers injeolmi toasts.
TL;DR If you have bingsu cravings, Nun Song Yee is your one-stop destination. One bowl is too much for a normal human being, so bring along your friends!
The Origin* 