i always wanted to write about ikan bakar but often the motivation to post the topic diminishes everytime i satisfy my cravings for one! but not today, as i definitely have to share with you guys a place that serves really great ikan bakar… (more of the place later.)

for those who are unfamiliar with ikan bakar, it’s grilled seafood wrapped with banana leaf and laced with sambal.

for myself, i prefer stingray for my ikan bakar. bawal or pomfret is ok, but it’s stingray when covered with lipsmacking sambal and a dash of lime that really sets the mood for a sweating good time. many say it’s the sambal that makes or breaks a good ikan bakar, for me its more the freshness of the fish. ikan pari, if it’s past its due date, would have a really strong fishy smell no matter how much sambal you add to it.

you can generally get good halal ikan bakar at newton, simpang bedok, changi village and bedok corner. i used to go across the causeway to get my ikan bakar fix, usually at pantai lido, but their standard has really dropped, so i prefer to spend money eating in Singapore. although it costs more here, it tastes better and fresher.

my family SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for bbq food during gatherings will definitely include ikan bakar. my late mother made one of the best sambal ikan bakar. she would add grilled coconut flakes in her secret recipe that until today, no one in the family could replicate. well, we DID manage to find a close replica of the sambal during the recent bbq gathering, and it came in a bottle from ntuc. ;)

so, anyway, the mess i would make when preparing the ikan bakar in the kitchen at home usually annoys my wife so much that it’s better to just eat out!

the place that a friend recommended has one of the tastiest sambal without the spicyness overpowering the dish. the stingray is fresh and the serving, generous, $10 can satisfy 3 persons. the grilling is perfect, not burnt nor too watery.

so where is this place? tucked in between geylang serai and the darul aman mosque, is a little eatery at PKMS. don’t let the simple decor fool you. it looks like your normal malay coffeeshop but the dishes there are surprising good. another good dish to try there is the hotplate tofu. topped with generous vegetables and seafood, you can just eat it on its own. simply delicious! 

you guys can check it out at Ar Rifai Seafood Restaurant: 218 Changi Road, PKMS Builiding.

hmm, no need to dress up or spend so much at expensive restaurants for a good hearty meal, eh? :)

ok, talking about food in the middle of the night makes me really hungry now…

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