Bloggers' Dinner @ Shashlik

28th December 2010. Written by Xin Li.

Located on the sixth storey of the Far East Shopping Centre (not Far East Plaza/ Square), is a restaurant that has been serving “Russian” food for more than fourty years. Set up in 1986 by a group of Hainanese people who used to work at Troika, a Russian restaurant. It is pretty well-known in Singapore and even has a 50th place in 625 things to do in Singapore (Lonely Planet) beating visits to Wild Wild Wet, Asian Civilizations Museum, Arab Street and Armenian Church.

After dining at Shashlik Restaurant, it is no wonder why it managed to earn that position. The very moment you enter Far East Shopping Centre, it felt like walking back to the 1980s, it was a huge contrast to the contemporary shopping malls like Orchard ION and Wheelock Place.

The furnishing and choice of interior decoration of the restaurant looked quaint with warm fairy lights, café style wooden tables, little ceramic vases of roses on top of the tables etc. The staff at Shashlik were quite senior as well. The sight of them serving food on trolleys reminded me of my dining experience at Luk Yu Tea House in Hong Kong, I had the same nostalgic feeling in Shashlik as well.

It wasn’t a lonely journey back in time at Shashlik, there were Yuan & Fen, (Indulgence after Workout), Harris from the (*the simplest aphrodisiac), Daniel & Lay Sian (Memoirs of Food), Frances (FoodiesQueen), Jer Lin and me.

A serving of warm bread with S.C.S butter started off the meal.

For starter, I had a bowl of Borshch with Sour Cream (7.00++SGD), a hearty bowl of tomato-based soup with potatoes, beef, carrots and cabbage. According to Britannica, Borsch, a dish with Ukrainian origins, is an important dish found in Russian and Polish cuisine. It has many variants from thick to thin, hot to cold and often use beets as a main ingredient (that is responsible for the reddish color of the soup).

However, in Shashlik, the dish seemed to be customized for local tastes by using tomatoes instead. Despite that, I thought the soup was pleasant and I like how the sour cream gives it a slightly more creamy texture.

Harris had a bowl of Mushroom Soup (6.00++ SGD, not pictured) while Daniel & Lay Sian had a Fresh Oyster Soup (7.00++ SGD)

For the main course, I had the Shashlik of Chicken (18.50++ SGD). Shashlik (from which the restaurant got its name from) is kebabs of meat that is skewered and broiled.

The Shashlik of Chicken was served on a hot plate with mixed vegetables and fries. In humble opinion, it was palatable. The chicken was quite tender with a nicely charred skin. Unfortunately, at this price, I felt that it lacks flavor or the punch to set it apart from what a Western Food hawker can reproduce. In fact, certain parts of the chicken have a very mild gamey aftertaste.

Harris had a Peppered Steak (26.00++ SGD, medium). I found the pepper overwhelming. It has masked the flavor of the beef. I believe the pepper should be a complement to bring out the meat flavor rather than masking it.

Frances had the Chicken a la King (19.00++ SGD,not pictured) which is stewed chicken served with rice and mixed vegetables. I find creamy sauce too thick and starchy to my liking.

The Chicken a la Kiev “Imperial” (19.00++ SGD) was Jer Lin’s order. Tender chicken with a crispy crust filled buttery fragrance. I thought it was a decent dish. It came with a giant buttered toast and mixed vegetables.

One unexpected dish that I enjoyed was the salad of shredded carrots and cabbage that they served as one of the sides. It was sweet and sour almost like achar.

Other dishes that we had include the Fish en Papilotte (22.00++ SGD, not pictured) and one more than I couldn’t recall. The two raved about items, the Baked Alaska (16.00++ SGD for 2) and Oxtail Stew weren’t available.

Overall, I found the food to be just OK for the price I am paying for. The service is quite slow, our orders for garlic bread (0.50++ SGD each) took quite a while. Nonetheless, Shashlik offers a pleasant dining venue for families or small groups of friends with a cozy atmosphere. Located away from the crowds that busied themselves with ION or Tangs, it is provides refuge away from the hustle bustle of Orchard Road without travelling to the fringe of Orchard.

Shashlik

Address:
545 Orchard Road
#06-19 Far East Shopping Centre

Tel: +65 6732 6401

Opening Hours
Daily:
12noon – 3pm
6.30pm – 10.30pm