Pagi Sore- Indonesian Halal Food- Sedap!

A feast.

Working in a multi-racial society like Singapore means that I have to take into account each and every colleague's dietary requirement when thinking of venues for our office lunches. Luckily, I have my best friend Google who did the job for me and I chanced upon Pagi Sore, a Halal Indonesian restaurant.

The outlet at 100AM is an open set-up near the escalator on Level 2. The place is hard to miss and reservations are recommended especially during weekday lunch hours. 

Sambal Balachan and Keropok Barinjau

Each table is decked with small plates of piquant sambal balachan and baskets of crispy keropok barinjau. Despite being set out in the open for however long it has been left there, the keropok barinjau was shatteringly crisp and went brilliantly well with the sambal. Do note that they are not free.

We considered ordering dishes to share but eventually succumbed to the charming maitre'd's suggestion to go for a set lunch for 3-4 pax. For 4 office ladies, a set lunch for 3-4pax was more than sufficient for us. Part of the advantages of having the set lunch is the free flow of rice which came wrapped in the banana leaf. 

Steamed white rice wrapped in banana leaf

The smell of freshly steamed white rice in a banana leaf is heavenly.

Tahu Telor (Deep-Fried Tower of Beancurd & Egg) (not part of the set lunch menu)

The Tahu Telor was not part of the set menu but we couldn't resist ordering it. It was a towering heap of fried tofu and egg nets with a sweet peanut studded sauce and julienned carrots. The crisp outerior housed the egg tofu which broke apart to reveal a steaming hot interior that wobbled and slid down the throats like a kid on a slide. The egg nets soaked up the sweet savoury sauce and when eaten together with the tofu, the egg nets gave the subtle egg tofu bursts of flavour. (7.5/10)

Ayam Bali (Bali Styled Barbeque Chicken)

The smell was incredible when the Ayam Bali arrived at our table. The burnished caramelized skin beckoned and resistance was futile as we sank our teeth into slices of juicy and succulent chicken thigh. The marinade reminded me a lot of satay with its sweet and savoury nuances. (7.5/10)

Tumis KangKong Balachan (Stir-Fried Kangkong Balachan)

I like to think I'm more carnivorous than herbivorous but when you dine with ladies with more lady-like dietary inclinations, vegetables are bound to creep onto your dining table. Not that I minded in this instance because this Stir-Fried Kangkong Balachan provided a welcome distraction from all the meats on our table. While it was not the best I have ever tried, Pagi Sore serves a decent rendition of this famed dish. I think this dish lacked a certain wok-hei (the kiss of the wok's breath) to make it a stellar rendition. (6.5/10)

Ikan Ota Kukus (Steamed Whole Leather Jacket Fish in Ota Gravy)

The star item of our meal was the Ikan Ota Kukus. We marvelled at the uniqueness of the dish and I don't think I have ever come across this dish at other Indonesian restaurants before. The sizealso amazed us because it came with a whole fish and a whole fish usually costs a lot at a restaurant. I think we were expecting just a portion of the fish or a really small fish but this was a sizeable fresh and meaty fish that was steamed to perfection. The accompanying Ota gravy was lemak (coconut milk-like) without being overwhelming. The essence of this dish is that it borrows its concept and flavours from a fish otah but served in a deconstructed and steamed version instead. I would highly recommend ordering this dish and I'm salivating as I type. (8.5/10)

Alpukat Gula Melaka (Fresh Blended Avocado topped with Gula Melaka)

Nothing ends the meal better than with dessert. All of us wanted the Alpukat Gula Melaka instead of the Chendol because we all love avocadoes. However, upon ordering, we were told that they sold out. As we ate our meals and were ready for dessert, the waiter informed us that they went to buy more avocadoes so we could have the Alpukat Gula Melaka if we wanted. Needless to say, we were stoked and said yes! I've tried many avocado blends with gula melaka and/or chocolate sauce that I know it would taste fabulous but the coarsely shaved ice knocked off points off this dessert. The coarse ice made me feel like I was constantly biting into ice and towards the end, it diluted the creaminess of the avocado. Had the ice been fine or if the avocado blend been chilled instead of topping the avocado blend with coarse ice, it would have been a well executed dessert. (6/10)

Not shown but included in the set meal is the Lime Juice (one glass per guest). You have a choice between Refreshing Lime Juice and Homemade Barley Water in case you were wondering.

We paid approximately $30 after taxes per person. While it ain't cheap, we felt like it was every penny well spent. I must say that any criticisms written here is because I'm being picky for the purposes of reviewing the food but if you are after good Indonesian food in general, Pagi Sore is one to check out especially if you are in the CBD area. I liked the dishes I ate that day. I just feel that there is always room for improvement because cooking is an art that can always be improved upon and never perfected.

Pagi Sore Indonesian Restaurant
Address: 100 Tras Street, #02-28, 100AM (Amara Shopping Center), Singapore 079027

Opening hours:
11am-9.30pm
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar

Another outlet:
Far East Square Outlet
Address: 88/90 Telok Ayer Street, Fast East Square, Singapore 048470

Opening Hours: 11am-2.30pm and 6pm- 9.30am
Nearest MRT Station: Raffles Place: 11am-2.30pm and 6pm-9pm.