Eighteen Chefs @ Yishun

DATE VISITED: 190210
ADDRESS: 51 Yishun Central 1 #01-04 Yishun 10, Cinema Complex

Eighteen Chefs has a noble cause besides making food for us. They have a mission to inspire troubled youths and people with conviction backgrounds to find alternative positive ways to reintegrate back into the society. This is being done by providing a platform for them to realize their talents in the Food and Beverage industry.

AMBIENCE : 6/10

Eighteen Chefs has a noble cause besides making food for us. They have a mission to inspire troubled youths and people with conviction backgrounds to find alternative positive ways to reintegrate back into the society. This is being done by providing a platform for them to realize their talents in the Food and Beverage industry.

Yesterday, I had the chance to go down to Eighteen Chefs at Yishun for a Company Cohesion. I have heard of Eighteen Chefs before and I finally got the opportunity to try it.

The interior of the Yishun branch looks similar to the fastfood outlets like MacDonalds and Burger King. It has a dispenser station for ketchup, mayonnaise and also a cambro of ice water for everyone. The atmosphere is casual and bright colours were adopted for the décor of the place. The whole place carries a youthful atmosphere.

FOOD: 4/10

HALAL : YES

On to their menu, what is special is their “Be your Chef” where you get to make your own pasta, cheese-baked rice or cheese-baked pasta. There are 4 steps. The base as mentioned earlier, the sauce (about 8 of them ranging from Black Pepper to Japanese Curry), main ingredients like Salmon, Chicken Sausage and top ups (from the main ingredients). So customers can have their go at making their dream pastas. The only limitation is the quality of the sauce and ingredients.

Besides that, the menu which I must mention is also colourfully decorated has normal items like salads, “Munchies” which are side dishes featuring French Fries, Deep Fried Chicken Wings, “Bread Bonanza” featuring sandwiches and toasts, “Pasta Parade”, classic combinations of pasta like Aglio Olio and an array of drinks.

The price range is from $4 to about $20 max. There is also the Chef’s Special Menu which most of us tried.

Since we come as a company, we had the opportunity to try quite a few dishes on the menu especially the Chef Special:

1. Fried Chicken Wings - $2.00: 3/5
The fried chicken wings are alright. It was quite tasty and crispy. The meat has been cooked satisfactory. For its cost, we are served about 3-5 pieces.

2. Bolognaise Cheese Fries - $1.80: 1/5
The Bolognaise Cheese Fries didn’t do well. The fries are too soggy and there isn’t much cheese in it. It felt more like fries with Pasta Sauce.

3. Snack Platter - $2.00: 2/5
The snack platter was ordered so we get to try most of their Munchies like their calamari, onion rings etc. The fries could afford to have more flavour. The Calamari wasn’t impressive, the batter was oily and thin it was quite limp. It doesn’t give the crunch. The Onion rings are too moist. The Chicken and fish nuggets are normal. Although one of colleague complained that the chicken nuggets are over cooked.

4. E18hteen Funky Salad - $2.00: 1/5
The salad featuring pan-grilled succulent prawns, pine nuts and young Mesclun leaves combined with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette dressing, black pepper and sea salt, wasn’t well-liked by most of us. We felt that the olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette has overpowered the rest of the ingredients. The presentation wasn’t good too. The prawns aren’t fresh and I am unable to taste the pine nuts.

5. Cheese-Baked Pasta with Japanese Curry with Salmon - $2.00: F
This is not a good combination. Their Japanese Curry isn’t good, lacks the fragrance and spice. It was too sweet as a curry.

6. Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Apple Potato Salad : 2.5/5
For this dish, the chicken is cooked satisfactory, but it is separated from the teriyaki sauce. Hence, without the Teriyaki sauce, the chicken chop remains as a chicken chop by itself. The Teriyaki sauce has a taste closer to Oyster sauce, and the texture is too lumpy. The accompanying apple potato salad is a bit sour due to the fact that they use green apples, nothing fantastic or bad about it.

7. Pan-Grilled Salmon with Orange Butter Sauce - $15.90: 3/5
This was my main course. I felt that it was quite okay. The salmon was nicely grilled, with a squeeze of lemon provided. It adds a refreshing taste to the salmon along with the orange butter sauce. I quite enjoyed the salmon dish.

The garlic bread and the soup of the day (Chicken Soup) aren’t great. The soup is abit thick and starchy while the bread is too soft.

SERVICE : 6/10
The service is okay. The management was nice enough to entertain to our requests such as providing warm water and attend to our questions. They seemed rather friendly too and took the initiative to clear the plates.

OVERALL : 4/10
Overall, this outlet in Yishun seems to cater more for the students and teenagers, judging from its design, promotions and the presence of many teenagers and youths patronizing the place. Eighteen Chefs (Yishun) is more like a fast-food outlet than a restaurant. The place is quite affordable. If you want a place just for a drink, to chat, or do homework or study like in MacDonalds, then maybe this place is for you. But you are looking for good food, quality food, a restaurant-like setting then you should leave this place out of the list.

Xin Li didn't enjoy his meal here.
and definitely won't visit the place again.