Sing-Ma Food Court in Jhamsikhel isn’t as fancy as other restaurants in the area. However, with a wide range of affordable Singaporean and Malaysian food, the restaurant offers its customers something different.
The restaurant, which opened its doors 18 years ago, still packs a punch. The reason: it offers variety for everyone. You get soups, rice and noodles to name a few. The range of vegetarian dishes is quite pleasing too. No wonder the place is hardly empty. Even during my time there, the place was continuously getting people even though it was way past lunch. This is something not many restaurants in the area can boast about.
After sitting down, we selected a wide range of dishes to munch on.
The first dish we tried was the cha siew bao (steamed buns with pork meat inside). My first impression was that it looks like a da pow, however, it tastes anything like it. While da pow has a more savoury taste, this has a hint of sweetness. The slow-cooked pork gives the dish a different flavour and is a good starter if you fancy pork.
Along with that, I also tried the roti with chicken gravy. The chicken gravy, even though it looks similar to Nepali gravy, tastes a bit different. The use of coconut and other spices gives the dish a nice aroma. The chicken was tender, but lacks the zest a Nepali taste bud craves. That said, the dish can be good for breakfast as it’s not too oily or too spicy.
If you like eating healthy, you can opt for the roast chicken rice set. The chicken is on the dryer side and a bit bland on its own, but for the health-conscious, it might be a dish worth trying. It comes with a side of chicken broth and bok choy and Malaysian pickles.
While the roast chicken was a tad disappointing, the nasi lemak was quite overwhelming. The rice dish is similar to our thakali set and is something that is worth trying. It comes with coconut rice and chicken along with an omelet and fried anchovy. The chicken is savoury and tender and goes well with the coconut rice. The anchovy is crunchy and quite different from other fishes I’ve tried. The dish is on the milder side so ask for a hot pickle to spice things up.
After trying two different rice dishes, I tired the Hokkien mee. This is a traditional Malay noodle dish doesn’t look the best but is worth the try. The noodles are cooked in oyster sauce and come with prawns and chicken. While it looks spicy, the home-made noodle dish is not spicy but has a kick to it. The sambal that comes with the dish adds some zest to the dish. However, from what I’ve heard, the dish tastes a lot better in Malaysia.
For the final dish, I went for the blueberry cheesecake. Unlike some places, this wasn’t too dry. It was creamy and buttery and with the right amount of blueberry to complement the cheese. Priced at around Rs 250, it’s a cake definitely worth trying. Apart from the blueberry cake, the place also has other options such as an eggless cheesecake and an oreo flavoured ones. The restaurant also has some decent beverages which are unique. The lemon sour plum is particularly refreshing. The place also has a downside, it does not serve alcoholic beverages, however, if the place also does delivery so that should solve your problem.
To sum up, everyone who likes trying different cuisine needs to go to Sing-Ma Food Court. The restaurant is simple, it is spacious and it severs some really good food. Add to that, the highest-priced item comes under Rs 500 is just a bonus. And the cakes. You’ll have to come here just for those cakes.
Opening hours – 9:30 am to 9:00 pm
Location – Jhamsikhel (Opposite GG Machhan)
Phone – 01-5009092
