Singh's Curry House

It was a subject of some debate amongst the Lunch in Suva group as to whether this article needed to be written at all. Singh's Curry House is famous enough without any help from us. However in the interest of full coverage of the Suva lunch scene, we've decided to write this completely unnecessary post.


The first thing one notices about this place is that it is popular. If you want to sit in for lunch you need get there before 1230. Turn up after 1245 and takeaway is probably your only option. Luckily the takeaway is well packed.


I do recommend that you make the effort to turn up early and get a seat as you get a bowl of good dhal soup (and a rather boring salad) with the sit-in meal.


We have the standard meat curries (chicken, goat, duck, lamb) and typical vegetable curries (bhindi, aloo baigan, kattar). Often prawn, fish, and kai are available as well. As vegetables go in and out of season Singh's does a good job of adjusting their menu accordingly (as the excellent Duruka curry that we ate attests).


The lamb curry is uneven, sometimes quite tasty, other times way too salty. Heartburn is almost guaranteed with the lamb curry. The other meat curries are all arse burningly excellent. The vegetable curries are probably too spicy, vegetables generally do not absorb chilli as well as meat does, but Mr. Singh insists on adding the same amount of the red stuff nonetheless.


The ambience and décor is quite bizarre. The music seems to consist of Bollywood ring tones on continuous loop. The décor is one third nautical (lighthouses, lifesavers, boats), one third Chinese, and one third 1930s art deco. The doorman is forced to wear a silly uniform with a ridiculous hat.

Note from Picky Eater: (1st May, 2008)
Kania Tiko's coverage of the lamb curry warrants further coverage. So, after yet another trip to Singh's (yes, citizen journalism requires a strong stomach), we present you with the following evidence:


Quite nice, even a little curry leaf putting in an appearance. And now, we present the leftovers:


Perhaps a larger than normal dose of cholesterol ... we still recommend Singh's, just not the lamb curry.

In Summary

Singh's Curry House

Cnr of Gordon Street and Victoria Parade

Opening Hours:

Mon - Sat: 9:30am - 9:00pm

Sun: 10:30am - 8:30pm

Spend:

$4.50 - $10 per person

Verdict:

Thumbs-up (avoid the lamb though)

Central Cuisine

Having been told marvellous things about Central Cuisine by the gang at the water cooler, Kania Tiko and I felt moved to verify some of the claims of excellence being thrown about.

Central Cuisine certainly is central, so central there is usually a substantial line trying to reach the counter, comprising lunchers from every office building in a one-block radius (read 'half of down town Suva')

The overhead menu board boasts a range superior to anything we have seen on an overhead board anywhere else in Suva ... which is quite a feat when you realise that every single dish on the board is laid out in one of the many food warmers lining the counter.

Your order is handled efficiently: "Rice or noodles?" ... "Which dish?" ... "A drink?" ... and you are handed your tray and shuttled toward the cashier to hand over money within 30 seconds of having hit the counter.

Being desirous of trying as much of the range as possible, we both ordered combo-deals, which involve a quartered tray, a serving of starch, 2 selections from the menu and a bowl of soup.

Chicken in black-bean, fried red pork, noodles.

Braised beef, chilli chicken, rice, chicken sweet corn soup.

Whilst there is much to be admired in the logistics applied by Central Cuisine in getting everything on their menu into a warmer, this McDonald's style approach to lunchtime fast-food does not translate into a good meal.

The dishes tasted mass-produced: the difference between meat dishes of the same type being nearly impossible to distinguish. We suspect the chilli chicken and the chicken-in-blackbean may have started off in the same wok before being finished with different sauces.

The starch was a little on the cold side, and the noodles were oily and slightly singed.

The soup was enjoyable, but certainly nothing to write home about.

Now if fast service is the stick by which you measure your meals, by all means give Central Cuisine your custom.

The fact that Central Cuisine has recently expanded and taken over the operation of the busy Southern Cross cafeteria in USP and dishes out more of the same (and cheaper) to the student population, does their logistics much credit. However, it also confirms that they have become the McDonald's of Chinese in Suva: homogeneous, and predictable.

Too much has been lost in the mass-produced approach; and that earns Central Cuisine's lunch menu a thumbs down from Lunch in Suva.

Note: Central Cuisine has opened a lunch buffet. We have not had the opportunity to try it yet, so please let us know if you have.

In Summary

Central Cuisine

Suva Central

Opening Hours:

?

Spend:

$5.50 - $8.80 per person

Verdict:

Thumbs-down

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Foccacia Cafeteria Limited at Vanua Arcade

This place is operated by a bunch of Korean folk. And its in Vanua Arcade on Victoria Parade. And it makes sandwiches and stuff like all day breakfasts, pies etc. This is also one of the few places in Suva where you can land a serve of kimbab or kimchi.

The only thing I've eaten there more than once are the focaccia. These are not normal focaccia, we call them Weird Korean Fusion Focaccia. The Deluxe Foccacia has bacon, chicken, tomatoes, sprouts, carrots, cabbage, and cheese.

Unfortunately my cell phone camera is crap, which is why the above photo is also crap.

There is an intriguing tangy and spicy tone to the whole thing that is obviously of Korean origin. The Focaccia bread is appropriately crunchy. The staff seem generally confused but they are competent enough.

In Summary

Vanua Arcade Sandwich Bar

Vanua Arcade, Victoria Parade

Opening Hours:

8am - 5pm, Monday to Saturday

Spend:

$6 - $8 per person (depending on Drink)

Verdict:

Thumbs-up

Jewel of Asia

Yet another food court find: this time from 'The Boulevard'. Jewel of Asia stands out for large serves ... good food and lashings of it.

My favourite is Steak and Dalo (with an optional fried egg on top). $7.50 will buy you enough dalo to feed a small family and slabs and slabs of tender, well marinated meat (picture below). A bit of salad on the side rounds out this substantial, and very tasty meal.

A warning: it takes real effort to finish. I attempted this item several times before I figured out how to build up the appetite to get all the way through. And if you can come at a full dinner after having this for lunch, you either work in construction, or have a weight problem.

Other good value for money items are roast chicken with dalo, the chicken and cashew, and the chicken chowmein (below). All the meat dishes come with a lovely gravy that has just the right amount of chilli in it.

Eating in is recommended: you'll need the walk back to the office afterwards, but they do takeaways as well.

In Summary

Jewel of Asia

Foodcourt 2, FNPF Plaza, Ellery St

Opening Hours:

8am - 5pm, Monday to Saturday

Spend:

$4 - $8 per person

Verdict:

Thumbs-up

Hot & Spicy Kitchen

Food courts are generally depressing places to eat, but Hot & Spicy Kitchen makes the Dolphin's Food Court worth visiting. I often wonder why they are stuck in the food court: they deserve a restaurant of their own.

If you're in a rush, or the sort of person that likes--God forbid--to order pre-cooked food from the warmer, then go elsewhere. This little Chinese food outlet comes into its own when you order from the menu ... and it has a menu that rivals most of the established restaurants in town for variety.

Soups start at $3.50 a serve (a good sized serve too). Besides the usual Chicken & Sweet Corn Soup, they have several others, including my favourite flu medication: Szechuan Hot & Sour Chicken Soup. They also make a very decent Combination Short Soup (and the usual variations on the theme).

The rest of the menu is divided roughly into:

• Chicken
• Beef
• Pork
• Vegetarian/Tofu

with separate sections for the Fu-Yung (omelettes) and Fried Rice. Each section is extensive and goes well beyond the usual chowmein and chopsuey options. There is also a board with seasonal or special items.

I'm a fan of the Szechuan Chicken and Ma-po Tofu (chicken or pork). The Lemon Chicken is also worth a try. Something called "Chicken, Mushroom, Veg" on the menu (pictured above) is probably my pick for the healthiest lunch in town. If you're absolutely rolling in cash and have a yearning for seafood, the Chilli Prawn Inferno lives up to it's billing.

I've always been impressed by the size of Hot & Spicy serves. Your order gets a takeaway container to itself and the rice gets a separate little bag. This accomplishes two things: it keeps food with a good sauce/gravy from soaking into the rice and becoming a sticky mess, and, it means you get to apportion the starch as you see fit.

Hot & Spicy is the only Chinese take-away place in Suva that does not have a 'half-serve', however, they more than make up for this by honouring special cooking requests: an acquaintance who is allergic to pork regularly orders combination fried rice--without the pork (pictured below); and they will happily vary the spiciness of dishes if you ask.

Dolphin's is a crowded place at lunch time so it's worth your while to pick up a menu from them next time you swing past, and keep it on your desk. They'll accept phone orders, which means you can call your choice in ahead and avoid the lines and the wait.

Hot & Spicy stays open 'til 9pm, so it's a favourite when I'm late leaving the office and don't feel like cooking.

You can either eat in the food court, or ask for take-way.

In Summary

Hot & Spicy Kitchen

Dolphin's Foodcourt, FNPF Place, Loftus St

Opening Hours:

8am - 9pm, 7 days a week

Spend:

$3.50 - $14 per person

Verdict:

Thumbs-up