A new halal Turkish restaurant adds an exotic, cosmopolitan vibe to the dining options at the new-ish Bedok Mall.
Ali Kose
From the people behind successful Indian eateries Zaffron Kitchen and Prata Wala comes Ottoman Kebab & Grill, a Turkish restaurant located at Bedok Mall.
Helmed by head chef Ali Kose, a native Turk, who has worked as a sous chef at Gordon Ramsay’s Michelin-starred Maze in London, Ottoman serves up Turkish favorites amid cheery yet chic surroundings featuring Ottoman-style ceramic tiles with cobalt-blue geometric patterns.
Appetizers include the rather addictive Cheese Borek (S$6), six fried spring rolls filled with feta cheese and—the hallmark of a good Turkish restaurant—hummus (chickpea dip) good enough to be polished clean with some fresh bread. The chef’s version here is a silky smooth, creamy paste with a hint of tahini (ground sesame paste), lime juice and garlic, and it is paired the lava stone-baked Pide Flat Bread (S$2). The quintessential chickpea balls Falafels (S$5) are also served here.
Iskender Mutton Kebab
The Halal-certified casual eatery does a delectable Iskender Mutton Kebab (S$18.50) too. A famed dish throughout Turkey named after its creator, it consists of minced mutton patties perched atop a bed of croutons and slathered over with tangy sun-dried tomato sauce and yoghurt. It’s big enough for two—or one with a hearty appetite.
For a taste of Turkish street food, try the Doner Kebab (S$6.50-12) of chicken, beef and mutton marinated with celery, onions, garlic, coriander, tomato paste and milk before being roasted on a vertical roasting spit. Tuck into it as a wrap, stuffed in a pide or with pilav rice (rice cooked in vegetable broth). For a full-on meat feast, go for the Ottoman Shish Platter (S$29), comprising beef, chicken and seafood (fish fillet and prawns) skewers.
Kunefe
While kebabs and falafels are regular items, the Kunefe (S$8.50) is a much rarer find in Turkish restaurants here in Singapore. This bomb of a traditional dessert is buttery-sweet, made of stretchy nabulsi goat’s cheese encased within shredded phyllo pastry and pan-fried with butter, then drizzled with sugar syrup and crushed pistachios—all in all, a crispy, sweet, chewy dream. The chef even imported the traditional kunefe cooking pan from his homeland—its unique aluminium base allows the heat to be distributed evenly during cooking. Be sure to order this in advance at the start of your meal—it takes 20 minutes to prepare and is best consumed piping hot).
The almost espresso-sized Turkish Coffee (S$4), on the other hand, was more of an acquired taste, being a potent brew to be consumed with bits of ground coffee still floating it in. But the Kunefe and the Iskender Mutton Kebab are enough to draw us back.
Prices start from S$8.50 for lunch sets on weekdays.
Ottoman Kebab & Grill
311 New Upper Changi Road,
#01-75 Bedok Mall,
Singapore 467360
+65 6702 4031
