Trip Ko Lang

Here’s another unexpected food discovery we recently had, Orchard Road… another Singaporean food stop next to our Makansutra in Manila Ocean Park. Orchard Road had its soft opening sometime on the last week of February 2010, so they still have these signs topped on their tables.

Orchard Road soft opening

Orchard Road and Makansutra have similarities like with their food, prices and interior shop design. But I can definitely say that Orchard Road is a lot better than Makansutra because (1) they have their own order style, (2) food tastes better, (3) they offer new dishes not available in Makansutra, (3) prices are more reasonable, (4) located in Mega Mall, very much accessible to anyone, (5) quick service, (6) friendly crew, and most important (7) taking pictures is allowed.

Here are some shots of Orchard Road’s entrance, open kitchen and pay counter.

Orchard Road in 2/f Bridgeway Mega Mall

Orchard Road Open Kitchen

Orchard Road Counter

Once you arrived, you will be given this order slip, you just have to select your desired foods and drinks then give it to the cashier when done. You will be given a number and have to wait for your order to be served. Waiting time was just fine; I can say that they are really effective even if they are still under training. Keep up the quick service, guys!

Orchard Road Menu and Order Form

So here we go again, seeing the menu with different types of food, we can’t easily decide on what to order and just ordered what we feel and think would be great for us… We were just 2 and our order was really too much for us and so we even had some take homes. Hehe.

Black Pepper Chicken Rice @ 145php

Black Pepper Chicken Rice, one of their most ordered dishes coming from the Mini Wok or Kuali set. It tasted really delicious and with good amount of serving.

Malaysian Nasi Goreng @ 135php

Here’s another dish, Malaysian Nasi Goreng, Malay fried rice topped with fried egg. There were a lot of ingredients included and chicken chunks were enough to complete the meal and make you really full. Rice can be good for 2 if you are like me…sometimes on a diet…Hehe.

Char Kway Teow @ 150php

We also had Char Kway Teow, my favorite stir-fry noodles, very tasty and we loved it!

Satay Chicken 4 sticks @ 110php

Another favorite food, Satay Chicken, Singapore’s barbecued style dish with peanut sauce. Flavor tasted strong and rich. Peanut sauce was a bit spicy.

Shrimp Dumplings 3 pcs @ 99php

We can’t eat without dimsum and so we ordered for their Shrimp Dumplings; tasted just the usual… Good!

Bandung @ 60php

As for our drinks, we had Bandung and Iced Teh Tarik. Bandung is a popular drink in Malaysia and Singapore made with milk and rose cordial, it’s like our own malamig drink, Gulaman. Teh Tarik is tea with condensed milk, you can have it hot or iced. Both drinks tasted good and reasonably priced.

Teh Tarik (Iced) @ 50php

Orchard Road is now my favorite food stop whenever I crave for Singaporean dishes. Everything is good – food, service, price and location. I hope they can maintain this positive look, good quality and service and not because they are just new in business.

Thanks Orchard Road for coming near us! By the way, Orchard Road is one popular road in Singapore that is known for the best shopping destination with all the popular malls and branded boutiques. While here in Manila, Orchard Road is a Singaporean food stop located inside Mega Mall and soon to have its next branch in Mall of Asia. Visit it now!

I’m a food adventurer, I love to eat, I’m not afraid to try something different; I love to discover new food, wanting to be a food critic… hehe. But I don’t know how to cook and sometimes I’m on a diet! Anyway, my stay in Singapore opened me to diverse cultures which includes the variety in their dishes. Visiting Singapore would not be complete if you didn’t get to try Singaporean, Chinese, Thai, Malaysian and Indian cuisine.

Now here in Manila, you can savour these authentic cuisines at reasonable prices, comfortable ambience and good taste.  They offer Dimsum, Porridge & Pao; Satay & Barbeque; Nasi Lemak & Roti Prata, Singapore chicken rice; Pad Thai & Bagoong rice; Singapore fried noodles; Char Kwey Teow; seafoods and a whole lot more. Beverages include Kopi, Kopi-O, Lemon Barley, Longan drink, Bandung,  fruit juices, etc. and Singapore’s Ice Kachang as one of their desserts.

Makansutra Menu

We ordered Nasi Lemak (soft coconut rice with fried chicken wing, seafood sambal, potato cutlet, egg & cucumbers) and Nasi Goreng (sambal fried rice with 2 sticks satay skewers, fried egg, and archar (sweet, spicy pickles) priced at 125php each. Singapore Chicken rice is also a must-eat as it is considered as Singapore’s national dish priced at 140php.

In my opinion, food tasted good but not to be rated as excellent. I think I’m saying this because I can’t help but compare with the ones I have eaten in Singapore which I can say are real authentic in taste and has generous food servings. But still I would recommend Makansutra if you want to get a feel of Singapore and try their different cuisines at reasonable prices.

Nasi Lemak and Nasi Goreng @ 125php each

Singapore Chicken Rice @ 140php

Lemon Barley @ 45php, Michael Jackson @ 60php and Green Apple Carrot juice @ 100php

As for our drinks, we had Lemon Barley, with “pinipig” (crispy rice puffs) bits; Michael Jackson, Malaysian drink which is soy milk with strips of dark jelly and a regular Green Apple Carrot juice. We didn’t really enjoy our drinks but they are worth trying. Ice Kachang for our main dessert, the famous red bean ice which is mainly made up of ice with sweet flavored syrup and jelly that comes in bright colors. This tasted good especially with the mango pudding in it.

Ice Kachang @ 85php

Makansutra Sign

I have been in Singapore late last year, now misses Singaporean/Hawker style foods and have decided to get a feel of Singapore again and have a taste of their authentic cuisines in Makansutra. Makansutra Asian Food Village is located in the 2nd floor of Manila Ocean Park in Luneta, Manila. It has been a long time since I last visited Luneta Park and it really looked different now that Manila Ocean Park has been built just behind the Quirino Grandstand. Last night, I was just like a tourist in my own place… hehe. Getting inside Makansutra gives you a feeling you are in a different environment/place but not Singapore because it doesn’t look like this. I think the look of Makansutra is more on the classic and elite style of hawker foods.

Overall, I love the place and its ambience. Interior design is very well thought of as well as all the facilities used. Here are some pictures of Makansutra, able to get these after being approached by the management several times (more than 4 times? ) and reminded that taking pictures is not allowed. It was a bit disappointing that they would not allow pictures and videos even taking pictures of our ordered food. I really don’t get the management’s view on this and I would not recommend anyone to celebrate their birthdays or any special event in Makansutra and surely you won’t have souvenirs of it.

Makansutra entrance

Makansutra walkway and stalls

Makansutra walkway, beverages section and stalls

Makansutra signage