Makanista, Tampines Mall
Makanista is a new establishment that just opened on 4 April 2018 by Food Junction.
It simply means "Makan" which is to eat and "ista" deriving from the word fashionista. Hence this new outlet seeks to combine those ideals to create a vibrant dining space for this generation of foodies.
This concept embodies a high end food court, where there are two food sections that you can order from, pay and pick-up.
The layout is quite spacious with 2 levels of dining areas for customers to dine in. This space caters to the surrounding local Singaporean community, suitable for families to gather for a quick tasty meal or for students to hang out after a long day at work.
Chef Eugene has tirelessly reworked the menu to suit local taste buds in order for everyone to enjoy a good dining experience.
The first dish I tasted was the Combo Meal - Duo ($16.50) inspired from the traditional Javanese Nasi Ambeng. It is served on a larger ratan tray that is great for sharing. Each combo meal comes with a choice of chicken (Hainanese, Roasted, Thai and Mala), a soft drink, Japanese inspired ramen egg and a side of seasonal vegetables or Tahu goreng. I decided to go for the Mala style chicken (upper right corner) and the Thai chicken. They were both delicious but I preferred the Mala chicken for its spicy punch.
Next, I tried the Yong Tau Foo served with soup ($6.50). It includes a choice of seven items along with either rice or noodles. The main bowl had mee siam with aubergine, chillies, fried fu chook and tofu served with a spicy, sweet and zesty taste.
The other two soup bases you can choose from is Satay (left) and Soto (on the right). However, the satay sauce was a let down, as it was a tad to sweet for my liking. Singaporeans may enjoy this style of satay sauce but I may be too used to how it usually tastes like back home in Malaysia.
Makanista also has some trendy dishes and one of them is the Beef Hamburg and Fries ($10.90). If you don't feel like having any Asian food, you are able to choose from the western selection. This is a combination of a hamburg steak and poutine with a black pepper and truffle cheese sauce to bring the whole dish together. You'll get a mix of soggy and crispy fries with a sunny side egg that oozes out when cut through. This was overall a good hearty dish.
I did not expect an Asian style food court to have Spicy Honey Mustard Wings ($7.50 for 6 pieces). The presentation surprised me and it was certainly delicious, I had to go back for a second helping. This was one of my favourite dishes.
Everybody loves a good prata! This one is called the Okonomiyaki ($7) inspired by the traditional Japanese dish. The filling had carrots, purple and white cabbage wrapped with cheese and egg and finished off with a sweek okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise and bonito flakes. This was an interesting dish with a twist and the flavours were prominent.
The next prata was filled with tandoori chicken, onions and egg for ($8.50) that comes with a side of dhal and fish curry. This was very filling and well flavoured, very similar to a murtabak.
The night ended with a peanut butter and jelly prata ($2.80). Yes you heard this right! This sweet prata is suitable for children and also everyone who's looking for an interesting dessert.
Food Junction hopes to revolutionise the dining scene in Singapore with brand new concepts such as Makanista, bringing you a bit of heritage and a modern twist to local delights. Every dish here is affordable in price, cooked well and easily shared on the table. Enjoy your local delights in a cool upscale location!
Makanista
4 Tampines Central 5
Tampines Mall #01-42/43/44
Opening Hours
8:00am- 10:00pm (Daily)