West Co'z Cafe

Okay this post will be a long one. You'll be astonished to see the amount of food I'll talk about. Trust me, we did not order ALL of them at one go, okay! Haha, I was there four times in less than two months. Twice with my Food Buddy, once with my siblings and also once with my friends. That explains how much I love this place! Good food is worth coming back for moreeee. Hehe ;)

More details about the menu and outlets at http://p2e.com.sg/west-coz-cafe/west-coz-menu.

I frequent the outlet at West Coast Plaza rather regularly. I have a straight bus from home and the best thing is, it is located VERY near to school. Yes, my dear fellow NUS mates, food haven is just a few bus stops away! Board bus 189 from Kent Ridge Bus Terminal behind Arts AS7 or alternatively, you can wait for the shuttle bus to West Coast Plaza at certain timings. It is THAT simple!

Review of food

Very fatty fish meat!

Their specialty is Fish Head Curry. I am not a fan of fish head myself (my Food Buddy is!) but surprisingly, the fish meat tastes really good. The element that stands out is the gravy and I must applaud the chef who cooks the curry gravy.The curry is not a typical curry taste but it is an amazing, well-blended fusion of mild curry with a tinge of laksa in it. It is very unique, I must say! There are also dried tofu and long beans in the gravy. But warning: the curry gravy is really spicy! :B

For those who loves spicy food, this is definitely a must-try for your fiery taste buds!

There are other dishes as well. Feast your eyes.................

Tom Yam Chicken (with generous amount of chicken chunks!)

Hotplate Black Pepper Beef

Oats Prawn

Pandan Leaf Chicken

Sambal Kangkong

Chye Poh Omelette

Our parents always tell us not to judge a book by its cover, but trust me, the dishes are as amazing as they look! It is worth every dollar. The Tom Yam (very spicy okay!) soup has generous amounts of chicken as seen in the photo and served hot. The beef is very soft and easy to chew. And the prawns! Very meaty with a lot of oats on top of it. Chye Poh Omelette is a bit salty though, but it tastes well especially with all the spicy food. Hahaha even if you're not really into spicy food, these dishes are a worth every tear you shed and every sweat that drips! :D (well that happened to me lol)

That's not it! West Co'z Cafe also sells noodles and fried rice etc. Our favourites are:

Seafood  Fried Kway Teow

Seafood Crispy Egg Noodles

Crunchy noodles!

If you are not in the mood for any seafood, fret not! West Co'z also has noodles as well. Seafood Fried Kway Teow (you can opt for beef too) is slightly spicy but it tastes good and very filling. The portion is rather  BIG! I love the Seafood Crispy Egg Noodles too. Perfect for rainy days and less greasy :) The noodles are crunchy yet easy to chew, the gravy is light and not so overpowering. Oh, the amount is seafood is generous too! I am beginning to think that the chefs and kitchen helpers have a lot of time because the prawns are already naked haha! There is no need to remove the shells because they have been removed for you. Just have to put them in your mouth!

Last but definitely not the least....... DESSERTS! (Told you it's going to be a long post hahaha)

 Aloe Vera Longan with so many oversized aloe vera bits! (BAIK AHH!!)

Thai Red Ruby with a rich amount of red rubies!

The desserts list is rather limited since they only have Thai Red Ruby and Aloe Vera Longan/Lychee. But the amount they give in the bowl is so huge! I am beginning to think that the people there deliberately want to make me gain more weight I think..............

Let me focus your attention on the Thai Red Ruby! My Food Buddy and I have been searching everywhere for some good bowl of red ruby for dessert and we have finally found it! West Co'z Cafe serves a generous bowl of red rubies in a pool of sinful coconut milk. Such precious gems......

Desserts is just stressed spelled backwards indeed. My goodness, now you tell me why shouldn't I love this place! Amazing, isn't it? :D

The West side of Singapore is not so bad afterall ;)

Ambience & Service

The place is very simple and...... cozy. It lives up to its name! It can be very very packed especially during weekends so please do visit this place on a weekday yeah? The service is good too. In general, the staffs are friendly, polite and thoughtful. One of them even offered another chair for our colossal school bags when my Food Buddy I were sitting on the table for two. Such a nice lady! :')

Budget

Single meals such as the noodles are typically priced ($4-5) and since it is quite a big portion, it is very worth it! Seafood wise, it is not very expensive either but you can check out the online menu! Prices are included in it :) If you are planning to have a seafood fiesta, do check up the prices first, okay!

Recommended for

EVERYONE. Haha I think I sound very excited and biased, but I really love this place :D Oh, it is amazing for family dinners as well. I witness many families coming to the place to have sumptuous dinner at the place. West Co'z indeed! (I pronounce it as West Co-Zee)

Nearby praying area(s)

1) Darussalam Mosque

• Just take either bus 175, 189 or 282 from the bus stop across West Coast Plaza. Alight two bus stops after that (if I remember correctly) and walk to the mosque.

Alternatively, we prayed  at some staircase area at West Coast Plaza itself. Remember to bring your praying mats and telekungs for the ladies! :)

West Co'z Cafe is truly amazing. Giving the place 5 ice creams is an embarrassing understatement that cannot be justified at all, really!

Da Jie Niang Dou Fu

 (I think the middle one look like they are having a battle hahaha so cute!)

Assalamu'alaikum everyone :D how's your Eid celebration coming along? Please remember to eat in moderation. Hehe note to myself too.

I love Yong Tau Foo and this has got to be my most favourite eating place in the West so far. So so good and affordable too :) Best thing is both their outlets are in the West and very convenient for a Westsider like me! Yay!!!

1) Clementi outlet

• Blk 354 Clementi Avenue 2 #01-253 (block is behind Darussalam Mosque

2) Bukit Gombak outlet

• Blk 372 Bukit Batok Street 31 #01-34 (very near to Bukit Gombak MRT Station)

Da Jie Niang Dou Fu (don't you think the name is kinda mouthful? Hahaha) is the only place in Singapore that serves various styles of Yong Tau Foo! You can choose from Hakka, Ampang, Laksa, Tom Yam, Black Bean served with a generous amount of sambal. Unique place with excellent consumer choice! (chey chey this reminds me of Econs haha)

Definitely a place to go to when you wanna try something different instead of the simple soup kind. But they still do serve the typical soup style for the Yong Tau Foo and the soup they cook is healthy Soya Bean soup! And of course it is................ halal ;)

Review of food

Ampang Yong Tau Foo

The Ampang sauce is a mixture of mostly sweet and a lil bit sour. The ingredients are deep-fried and drenched with the Ampang sauce. If you are not afraid to try something new, Ampang is easy on the taste buds but still capable of making you come back for more! You can choose to eat with noodles (yellow/bee hoon/kway teow/laksa noodle) or even rice. If you are not afraid to try something new, Ampang is for you! 

Next is everyone's favourite and something more familiar....................................... *drumrolls*

Laksa Yong Tau Foo!!

What more can I say? I love anything to do with Laksa. And let me tell you, the Laksa gravy here is super duper deliciousssss! The ingredients are boiled and cooked together with the Laksa but some ingredients (like the chicken seaweed placed on top) is fried and not soaked in the gravy. The Laksa gravy is rich in its coconut milk (Malays call it 'berlemak' I think hehe yummy!) and spicily goooooood! I love it so much! :D

There are also other styles like Hakka, Tom Yam, Black Bean etc. On top of that, Da Jie Niang Dou Fu also serves halal Chinese dishes and cuisines which have received good testimonials from the public. Do check out their website for their online menu here: http://www.dajie.com.sg/our-menu/.

For my fellow NUS schoolmates, this is even better than the Yong Tau Foo stall at Foodclique, trust me! And I believe Da Jie Niang Dou Fu is located somewhat convenient for most students studying in nearby institutions like Singapore Poly, NUS, Ngee Ann Poly, SIM etc.

Yup, definitely an awesome (and not forgetting convenient) choice for lunch or dinner! ;)

Ambience & Service

Very localized and considered comfortable :) A rather simple eating place, I must say.

Budget

$4-5 should be enough I guess for a bowl of Yong Tau Foo and a drink. $3.60 for 6 pieces of ingredients unless stated for some ingredients like cuttlefish etc. And if you would like to have more than 6 ingredients in your Yong Tau Foo, you are charged for every extra ingredient you take :)

Recommended for

Yong Tau Foo lovers or basically anyone who enjoys the freedom of choosing the ingredients in your meal :D Personally i love love loveeee silk tofu, fishball and spinach in my meal! Hehe.

Nearby praying area(s)

1) Clementi Outlet

• Darussalam Mosque is just a 5-minute walk away! Very convenient! 

2) Bukit Gombak outlet

• Pardon me as I have not been to the Bukit Gombak outlet but Ar Raudhah Mosque is relatively near in the area and just a few bus stops away :)

I strongly recommend you to come to Da Jie Niang Dou Fu and try their specialties! *salivating*

Oh and welcome back to school, oh fellow undergraduates! Hahaa I feel your pain, I really do D:

Now it is time to face all my readings and textbooks and scholar writings and what not...........

Across the sea: Halal food in Vientiane, Laos

Assalamu'alaikum everybodehhhh! First and foremost, I would like to thank each and every one of you for visiting this humble food blog of mine despite my less frequent updates nowadays. Thank you! :)

Okay so as I promised, here is a post regarding several halal food outlets in Laos that my team went during our trip recently. These halal restaurants are located in Vientiane which is the capital and largest city of Laos.

First up (and my most favourite actually heehee) is......

Nazim Restaurant

The egg thosai is soooo good! (This very unprofessional photo does no justice)

Delicious Fish Fillet; made of fish and perhaps some mashed potatoes with spices added on the inside but crispy on the outside!

Nazim Restaurant is actually recommended by a Pakistani who have been living in Vientiane for decades. We met him after our visit to the mosque since he lived right in front of Vientiane Jamia Mosque. And well, his taste buds are awesome :) This restaurant is, hands down, my favourite halal restaurant in Vientiane. The Indian food is really the best food I tasted during the trip! Nazim Restaurant offers a vast menu of Indian cuisine. So for all you curry lovers, this restaurant is definitely for you!

Check out their website for details of their four outlets all across Laos: http://www.nazim.laopdr.com/

P.S. It is known fact that most halal restaurants in Laos serve beer (especially locals' favourite Lao Beer) and wine in their outlets to attract both tourists and locals alike, but other than that, the food and drinks they serve are halal and alcohol-free. So no worries! :)

Review of food

The Mutton Briyani is great! The mutton was soft and tender while the rice is perfectly cooked as well. Oh, the curry adds ooommph to the briyani taste! I LOVE IT :) Other than the briyani, the naan is awesome! If I remember correctly, it was Butter Naan with Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Shai Korma (as shown in the photos above) and they are heavenly! What I like and miss most is their Fish Fillet actually. Unique fried food with a typical Indian taste in it :)

Other than the food, the drinks menu is extensive as well. You'll be spoilt for choice!

Ambience & Service

Clean, neat and air-conditioned place. Alternatively, you can choose to dine outdoors too! Service wise was fine too. A bit slow to me, but perhaps I was getting impatient since I was starving! ._. HEH. But well you know what they say.... Good things (food) come to those who wait! ;)

Budget (for each person)

50 000 kip is enough I guess. But if you wish to order more dishes, of course you need more kips!

Must-try

Seriously everything aforementioned :)

Recommended for

Hungry Muslim travelers in Laos, definitely! And those who love uniquely Indian spices ;)

Nearby praying area(s)

Vientiane Jamia Mosque which is of walking distance. Alternatively, you should pray at your place of stay and plan your timing well! We were at Sinnakhone hotel which is quite near to the restaurant. There are a plethora of hotels in the area too so praying locations will not be a hassle!

So my verdict for Nazim Restaurant is....... 5 ice creams! Yayyyyy!

Next up is:

Vieng Restaurant

 Cool spiral staircase to go to the prayer area at second level!

 They have soft drinks in these classic glass bottles!

Oh and say hi to my friends :D

From India to Thailand! Vieng Restaurant offers Thai food and the place is owned by an Indonesian imam who resides in Vientiane. Vieng Resturant serves no beers/wines/alcohol etc at all and is strictly alcohol-free and of course, halal in the right way! :D

Review of food

Their specialty is none other than Tom Yam! I ordered Tom Yam Noodles with Seafood for myself while my teammates ordered Tom Yam Fried Rice or just the soup itself to go along with white rice. The Tom Yam is hot and spicy but can be very addictive! (That's the thing about myself; I really love spicy food but sadly I do not have a high tolerance for it. It is like a love-hate relationship with chillies!) The Green Curry tastes exceptionally good too! Sorry I do not have a photo of it T-T Other than Tom Yam-related dishes, they also have dishes to choose from which is served together with plain rice. I actually took photos of some of the food that my friends ordered but I do not exactly know what is the name of the dish. Sorry again :( I hope the pictures do the talking! The food they have look good but personally I feel that the portion they serve is a tad too small for this tummy ._. Or maybe I was just too famished idk!

Ambience & Service

Beautiful ambience with this vintage feel to it which is really up to my liking! And not forgetting the place is sparkly clean too :) the service, however, is pretty horrible. Well maybe it is our fault for not being able to effectively communicate in the local language so the staffs ended up confused with our orders. Hence all the wrong  orders came (or came in lesser quantities than what we ordered) so there was a slight delirium for a moment. Minus the poor service, the place is not so bad :)

Budget (for each person)

50 000 kip is more than enough!

Must-try

Tom Yam Noodles/Soup/Fried Rice and Green Curry! The drinks are not bad too especially the Iced Tea, Iced Milk Tea and Iced Cocoa :) perfect thirst quenchers in the humid city!

Recommended for

Hungry Muslim travelers and Thai food lovers (erm I seem to be repeating the same thing for this portion hahahahaha)

Nearby praying area(s)

There is a prayer area at level 2 with a fan and some praying mats! Telekungs, kains etc are not provided though.

Okie dokie, so here's 4 ice creams for Vieng restaurant! :D

Next up....................

Aashifa Restaurant

Okay first I apologise for the unclear photos. It was during our first dinner in Vientiane and I actually forgot to snap photos! MEH T-T So I stole some photos from the team's facebook page. Heehee anyway, aren't my teammates adorable! :D

Okay now we are back in India (and lil bit of Malaysia) again! Haha! So Aashifa serves Indian food and also Malay food as well such as Nasi Goreng Kampung, Nasi Goreng Ayam, Mee Goreng Udang etc. My apologies if my memory fails me on this one haha as we were here only during the first few days of the trip so it was weeks ago already. I am cracking my brain right now to recall! HEH......

Review of food

The girls at my table ordered naan and several chicken dishes! The naan serving is however rather small for each person. If I remember correctly, we ordered Buttered Chicken, Tandoori Chicken, Hyderabad Chicken etc. Hyderabad Chicken is quite cool to me, it's dark green in colour and is a mixture of Indian herbs and spices which is a lil bit spicy. Tandoori is nice although it is rather dry as compared to other chicken dishes that has gravy on it. I like my naan to be served with a variety of chicken dishes actually :D

Ambience & Service

Ambience is pretty simple. We ate outside in the evening! Service wise, it was rather hard to ask questions about the food but thank goodness for Baddy who can speak Tamil to the staffs! :D the staff who ordered our food did not seem to understand us when we posed questions in English but Baddy came to the rescue! Hoooooray!

Budget

40 000 kip (the Indian food here is definitely cheaper than the ones at Nazim's!)

Must-try

Naan and the several chicken dishes that I mentioned! But do order more naan if you're really hungry!

Recommended for

Hungry Muslim travelers finding cheap yet simple Indian food :)

Nearby praying area(s)

Pardon me as I am not sure of any mosque/praying area nearby :/ But this restaurant is the nearest to the hotel that we stayed and I saw many many hotels nearby too! So do stay at these hotels nearby so that it will be convenient for you to perform your prayers before/after heading out for food :)

Okay so here's 4 ice creams for Aashifa Restaurant!

Alright, that's the end of my post on halal food overseas! Hope you enjoyed reading the post and hopefully it will be helpful if you happen to be traveling in Laos :)

Oh and for all my Muslim friends, Ramadan Mubarak! May this month of Ramadan be full of blessings and spiritual purification for you and for me, insyaAllah :)

Till the next post! Heehee toodles!