Jiakpalang Eating House @ Alexandra Road

~Invited Session~

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"Jiakpalang" for the longest time meant everything also eat in the most Singlish explanation I can think of. Albeit broken, this term would resonate with almost every Singlish speaking citizen. Sin mod cuisine is what they specialise in and this gives our local cuisine a jolt of creativity and breath of fresh air.



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More work is planned to dress these walls up to feature more local scenes and I'm looking forward to seeing the completed wall!

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Chef Nixon is one Chef whom I've become acquainted with through the years . The dedication to his craft can be seen through his dishes, hardly boring and always never fails to amaze me. I was definitely in for a treat that night and before the meal began, I knew it will be spectacular.

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Signature Sesame Soy Chicken ($6.90)
Marinated Wood Ear Mushrooms, Pomegranate

This lunch only menu item is a hot favourite, and for all the right reasons. Lunch is apparently a sell out always, tables are full and queues perpetually there and with such a friendly price point, I only wish they deliver to CBD!

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Rice and vegetable bowls are all the rage everywhere and Jiak Pa Lang's version includes a taste of Singapore in each of their creations. This sesame soy chicken features a tender chicken breast with crunchy wood ear mushrooms and pops of flavour in those pomegranate seeds strewn in.

If my confinement meals had this, I definitely have no problems polishing the sesame soy chicken clean!

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A bevy of local inspired drinks are available on the menu, from a lemongrass chiller to a Milo-ca (reads as milo mocca beverage!).

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Silken Tofu, Century Egg Sauce, Tobiko ($7)

Taking inspiration from the famed century egg tofu sold at most Japanese rstaurants, this is tobiko-popping good! I suppose flying fish roe, century egg sauce and tofu is a no brainer recipe for success. 

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Sour Plum Vine Tomatoes, Seaweed ($7)

These juicy chilled orbs marinated in vinaigrette are particularly refreshing on the palette and the serving of seaweed at the bottom makes this vegetarian course so yummy! 

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Cream of Dried Shiitake Mushroom Soup ($8)

No simple cream of ordinary mushroom, Chef Nixon did a fine job roasting and extracting the mushroom essence prior to creaming it into an earthy broth.

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Har Cheong ($13)
Prawn Paste Chicken Roulade, Shredded Purple Cabbage, Calamansi Mayo

Too brilliant a version of har cheong kai, infact I was duped into thinking this was just chicken thigh fritters. Turns out, it was a labour intensive chicken roulade with a prawn paste coating and deep fried. The calamansi mayo is worth wasting some calories on, the tangy and creamy flavours are not to be missed.

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"Assam" Pulau Ubin Sea Bass ($15)
Confit Eggplant Puree, Compressed Pineapple

I got reminded of assam laksa particularly with that piquant yet tangy gravy made from pineapples. The only thing missing from this dish had to be noodles, otherwise it was a very comforting plate. Compressed pineapples were a brilliant move here, ensuring that every bite was crunchy and not too sour!

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Charcoal Katarosu Pork Collar ($16)
Kopi "C" Sauce and Soil, Wok-Fried Garlic Chives

I loved the smokeyness of this dish, and pork collar always give a firmer texture. Kopi "C" sauce took reference from the cups of Kopi C drunk over zichar meals and kudos to the team for such a beautiful presentation. 

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"Ang Ji Kao" Stout-Braised Beef Cheek ($17)
Crunchy Peanut Butter Mash, Nashi Pear

Beer bellied uncles limming Ang Ji Kao (also known as guinness stout) and popping peanuts became the main source of inspiration for this dish, stout braised beef cheek that was thankfully not tender till it lost its bite (my main grouse with alot of braised dishes out there), infact this had such a firm texture I loved it at first bite. Crunchy peanut butter mash was completed with scatterings of peanuts for an added crunch and the sweet nashi pear cubes definitely gave this dish plenty of flavour too.

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Milo Dinosaur ($8)
Milo Panna Cotta, Milo Crumb Powder

Since the heritage menu, I have been lusting after the milo panna cotta, and joy is having it anytime I crave for it! It is reinstated in the current menu with a wobbly milo panna cotta, a ton of milo powder and those cute as a button milo dinosaur mochi eggs. Milo overload? You bet.

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Truffle Fries with Gruyere Cheese ($10)

Chef Nixon's signature is also served in the current menu, truffle perfumed fries with gruyere cheese shavings. This certainly brings back memories of the good ole days.

During this month where we hang our nation's flag high, I urge you to show some support for our home grown cuisine, Jiak Pa Lang will be running a series of lunch promos with limited time specials - Braised Bak Kut Teh Pork Rice (7-11  August), Nonya Curry Chicken Rice (14-18 August) and Chilli Crab Rice (22-25 August)!

What else can I say apart from visit and be wowed? Chef tasting menus are available by the counter and I am dying for a return!

Jiakpalang Eating House
456 Alexandra Road
#01-04/06 Fragrance Empire Building

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