Day 3 of the trip, and having done the Singapore equivalent of a – Curry Mile – yesterday in Little India, it was time for Hector to follow his normal instinct. Authentic Pakistani Cuisine – is the claim at Kebabchi Charcoal BBQ (3 Temasek Blvd, #B1-146, Singapore 038983). The online menu showed a choice of – Karahi, including the rarely offered – White. That should have Marg ordering more than a Salad.
With sleep developing a split shift pattern, it was into the middle of the afternoon before we headed off on the MRT, two stops down from Rocher on the Downtown line to Promenade. Following the – blue dot – we found ourselves in Suntec City, a mall. Google don’t do three dimensions, after ten minutes of searching all upper floors we were told to go to the basement. There – Kebabchi – stands out.
Being located in a mall, it was no surprise to find ourselves seated near the doorway. The next family to arrive were nearly placed beside us, but somehow sense prevailed and they were given a table opposite. Window dressing. The – QR code – was brought to our attention, we had to order thus. So much for service. Staff were consequently hanging about doing sod all.
B
ottled Water (S$2.50) and two cans of Fanta (S$3.00) were entered first. At 33ºC outside, hydration required. The photo of the Mutton Green Karahi (S$18.00) on the menu looked closest to Hector’s beloved – Karahi Gosht. On reading the description of the Mutton White Karahi (S$20.00), Marg and I agreed that it sounded too – creamy. Despite the contradiction, the Mutton Black Pepper Karahi (S$18.00) sounded closer to the – Namkeen.
With Karahi, it has to be Bread. Plain Naan (S$3.00) for Marg and a Butter Naan (S$3.50) for Hector. On another day, the Tandoori Laccha Paratha (S$4.50) could have won.
The drinks were duly brought, there was no other acknowledgement of the Order.
A bit impersonal – observed Marg.
With the freedom to move around Kebabchi, an array of photos was secured. One wonders if it ever gets busy enough that the overflow seats on the mall passageway have to be brought into use.
The background music, if indeed it was – background – was familiar. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s photo was on the wall. I went to capture the image thus paying homage to the Quali Maestro. The wait for the food was in excess of twenty minutes, less and I would have been concerned.
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Marg’s Karahi arrived a good five minutes before Hector’s along with the Bread.
The round Naans were halved, we were back in the land of – that type of Naan, not the sought after teardrop Tandoori Naan as served yesterday at Khansama. This is what we are served in the majority of Curry Houses, I feel another chapter being added to – The Curry-Heute Campaign.
Both Naans were slightly risen, pale, and removed from the Tawa before any blisters may have had a chance of forming. The Butter Naan looked the more appealing, it had the restricting perforations which the Plain did not, yet neither had been allowed to achieve their optimum outcome.
One outcome which was achieved, we ate every morsel of Bread, however, the reason for that becomes apparent.
Mutton Black Pepper Karahi
A reddish-orange Masala, this Karahi appeared to have more in common with – Charsi. I didn’t see why this was presented as a Black Pepper Karahi, Tomato, or worse was giving the colour. Tomato was listed first in the description, Black Pepper last. Shurely shum mishtake (sic)? It was what it was.
The Hector took a Soupçon of the Masala – sweet – was the noticeable feature. Why would a Black Pepper Karahi be so? Had we been given the wrong Karahi? The description of the Makhni Handi (S$20.00) could easily have matched what was presented. Marg was happy with her meal, and given her early start was finished first :
A large dish with plenty sauce and seven medium – to large pieces of lamb. A rich and sweet flavour with a kick, not too strong for my liking. I enjoyed dipping the Naan bread into the sauce and finished it all. A satisfying meal.
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The Ghost of – The Bamberg Dipper – reals its head again.
Muttton Green Karahi
Well it certainly wasn’t – green. And thank * for that. Full marks for presentation of this simple creation, the karahi sat in a basket such that one could adjust the angle to suit one’s eating position.
Ginger strips and a threat of Coriander topped the Meat and dark brown Masala. Lots of Masala, way more than an – authentic – Pakistani chef would add to a Karahi. The Masala did have a decent consistency, Shorva this was not, but – Soupy Curry – this was.
The first dip of Naan in the Masala took me back to the 1960s. There can be few readers who ever had a British Indian Restaurant Curry (BIR) in those halcyon days. Was that distinctive – Earthy Flavour – down to an inability to source all the present day Spices, or was Curry just less tempered back then?
Wedges (?) of Green Finger Chillies were mixed through the Masala, there was no shortage of a – kick. The Seasoning was well within acceptable parameters.
Seven pieces of Mutton doesn’t sound much, but the majority of pieces were ample. Seven, one can almost envisage the script on the kitchen wall – don’t give more than seven pieces of Mutton.
Yesterday at Khansama, I concluded – Goat. Today’s Mutton was definitely from a sheep, which adds credence to yesterday’s interpretation. In terms of – Mutton – this was as Tender as one could hope for, quality Meat.
Good as this – Green Karahi – was , and it had a true depth of Flavour, there was still the sense of something missing. Lamb on-the-bone is always the preferred option, at Kebabchi, not an option. Whole Spices psychologically, or even in reality, suggests the Karahi has more. I wanted more, of something.
Given the quantity of Masala, Rice would have been the better option. Having this again I would wish to share the Vegetarian Biryani (S$12.00).
I could say I ran out of Bread and that is why I didn’t finish all the Masala. I couldn’t have eaten any more Naan, there was no point in even ordering a Chapatti (S$3.00).
Pleasant, enjoyable, far from achieving the – Wow! – but that is the case in too many venues. Kebabchi Charcoals BBQ, a – Mainstream – Singapore-Pakistani Curry House?
On holding the bank card aloft, the new international signal of – I want to pay – the underemployed waitress pointed me in the direction of the till at the entrance. I assumed she would take the payment, but no, a mature lady appeared from the kitchen.
The Bill
S$63.65 (£37.51) Service charge included, as is the Singapore custom.
The Aftermath
The Calling Card was given to the lady, she accepted it graciously. She probably had no idea what I was on about.
No more Curry is planned for Singapore, another style of food dominates this land, and that maybe belongs in another Blog.
2024 Menu extracts
