Casuarina Prata: Is this still the same Prata?
With iwatch_ueat, Hjuanie and Liverpool
Double Dough Prata $1.20
It was an appointment with inevitability. Sooner or later I had to blog about Casuarina Prata. No self respecting prata lover should leave this earthly realm without having tried Casuarina Prata at least once.
It had been at least 3 years since I ate this prata, so I was taken by surprise that the whole stall had been revamped. Instead of the little coffee shop, now they have taken over the corner 2 shops and upgraded it into an air-conditioned restaurant. I get very apprehensive whenever facilities are upgraded because sometimes it means that the food gets altered as well, and it is usually for the worse.
As usual, I ordered a double dough prata because I felt that by using 2 doughs, the prata is more fluffy and substantial and it actually becomes the size of pratas that used to be sold in the good old days.
We were quite excited when the prata was served because it really did look light and flaky on the outside which is what Casuarina is famous for. I think you can sense what I am about to say next. The texture was good but that was about it. It was severely lacking in taste and we all thought it was pretty bland. It did not have that nice buttery taste which I remembered from past visits. Better than most pratas but not like it was before. 4/5
Conclusion
I am not sure if this is just a one off, or if they have really changed their dough formula when they moved to their new premises. Liverpool was understandably upset, being a Casuarina virgin, his first experience was not as great as it was hyped up to be. Perhaps our Casuarina Prata Veterans can give their review of the current Casuarina Prata?
Casuarina Curry
126 Casuarina Road
off Upper Thomson
64559093
Weekdays 7am to 11.30pm
Weekends & eve of Pub Hols
7am to 12am
25 comments:
Try the one down the road at Springleaf Rd, at the XLB stretch.. their pratas are so much better.. =)
hhhmmmmm...the prata was very plain...no ghee or butter taste...curry that accompanied the prata very diluted...couldn't taste if it was mutton, chicken curry....maybe one off...will give it another try someday....
oooo...the teh tarik also too light not gao enough....
you mean 7am to 12am on weekends and eve of public holidays, didnt you? haha.
well i've been staying at the street just behind casuarina for about a decade and yeah i kinda understand what you meant when you said that it was bland. it used to be better, i'd have to admit. but i still like the taste and i'll always prefer casuarina pratas to others.
but casuarina curry always brings back good memories:)
Thanks for pointing out the correct opening times!
Tried Casuarina prata 1 month back and find it so so. Chicken curry got no kick as it was bland, prata lacks the ghee fragrance. No compulsion to go back. Tried Jalan Kayu and His brother at defu lane after Casuarina's experience, and also find them so so too, unlike the good old days where one can down 6 pratas at a go.
Ieat - Do try the char siew and sio bak at the shop next door to Casuarina. They are juicy and tender and the sio bak skin is crispy. My daughter find the roast duck tender and succulent. Go ther at about 11.00 am when the roast stuff are just out and still warm.
Casuarina no longer serve great plain prata. I refer their egg prata, crispy and spread thin.
I agree that the standard curry is too dilute. That's why I never use it as a dip, but will ask for another curry instead.
ieat: But like I told ya during lunch last Wednesday, I can't comment much about their plain prata. Me not a purist prata connoisseur, so I *always* order the egg prata. :-)
i didn't like them also. many die die must eat pratas these days are all just hype, still can't find "The Prata".
NUS cheese prata is so so. Jalan Kayu Thasevi curry TOO SALTY and so so prata.
I would like to recommend this relatively new India eatery, Wendy's Spice Hut, at Jalan Gelenggang (behind Sembawang Hill Food Centre) and across the road from Casurina Curry. The prata is ok but the accompanying curry is the chicken curry. The curries here are really thick and spicy and tasty. The other items on the menu are also good value for money. They include naan, dum briyani and the various pratas. Hope you will give it a try.
Sorry, forgot to mention, (see my above comment) Wendy's Spice Hut is also a 24-hours eatery so you can get good eats late into the night or early in the morning. :)
To Wilson >>
That's prata place. Apparently it's started by one of his casurina's youngest son :)
Yes I know about the Prata Place. Eaten there a few times. Quite good. Its on my list of places to blog
Hi there. I have been living near casuarina for the past 10 years and here are some of my comments.
Prata :
I can't say the standard has dropped since the renovation. I eat there often so I will sense the drop in quality. I see you tried the double dough prata but what really stands out is the egg prata. It is really good, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, not to mention it has a unique rectangular shape. As for the kosong, I would say it is ordinary but definitely much better and crispier than those in jln kayu or the one further down near thomson plaza.
Chicken curry -
The quality of the curry can fluctuate from day to day. In fact, it fluctuates so much such that until today I cannot tell you how the curry exactly tastes like. Me and my friends describe sort of like a football team, sometimes on-form sometimes off-form. But I find that the best chance to taste the best curry is in the afternoon around 3pm-5pm. Not sure why (conclusion based on experience) but during this time where there are not so many customers and i think the cooks are not in a hurry to replenish the pots so they are more careful with the spices.
But the curry that is the most consistent and one that you have got to try the mutton curry. It is the best. There is no smell and the taste is very fragrant.
Unlike normal prata shops, you will find that when you order chicken, the curry is different from the one you dip the prata in. Usually they will serve you these two difference plates of curry. The curry with the chicken is alot like the ones served in nasi bryani. Some people like it some don't.
Murtabak -
I am not really a fan of this but then again i don't eat alot of murtabak. I just don't dig putting dried meat together with the prata. But for $3-$4 you can get a sizeable portion enough for the equivalent of 2-3 egg pratas.
Teh -
There are so many varieties for the drinks nowadays(dinosaur, teh-cino) but the traditional teh is still the best. I often packet home for sleepless nights when i need to study or watch football.
Conclusion -
I have to admit that eating prata is like eating durians. Different people different taste. After eating alot of pratas around Singapore, I find Casuarina still one of the best. One thing that stands out as I said earlier is the egg prata. The standard of it is to me by far the best in Singapore. But then maybe I am saying this because I have been living and eating there for so long I have grown accustomed to the taste. It's like everyone saying his or her mother's cooking is the best!
Dear Anonymous, I am glad to read such a beautiful write up and hope I can address you nest time if you can use a pen name.Yes their egg prata is one of the best in Spore.
Excellent review! Perhaps you could choose a pen name to identify yourself and sign in by using the "other" option
dear les,
i think it has really come to a time where only registered people can leave down their comments!!! cos there's simply tooooo many anonymous people around n we dun even know if some anonymous writers r e same or not!
Yes I think you may be right. But that means they have to be registered with Blogger. I don't know if that will turn people off
i remember u told me tat e anonymous identity can't be de-selected, right?
i believe if people r faithfully following ur blog, most will register wif Blogger! is tat's e one i joined? (e community tat u show on e right?)
cos there's still so many anonymous identity despite ur numerous reminds.. =(
n it's also starting to annoy me too!! imagine all comments r left by anonymous, how do we address them then?? anonymous1, anonymous2, etc..??
or to e anonymous writer after ieat's comments & before smart (just an e.g.)
me really dun understand y it's so hard to select "other" instead of "anonymous" n then give urself a pen name?! is it really tat hard?? =( come on, u dun have to give ur full name, isn't it? just any pen name will do!!
There are many reasons why they use anonymous, fear factor, lazy or ??.Have to just keep urging them to use a pen name.Important is that they response to ieat's blog. Keep cool
After the battle of the Sexes maybe ieat can conduct a survey on the age group.
The experience there is good, UNTIL i come to the cheese prata! They use the salty kinda cheese (not mozze, or regular cheesdale cheese like some copy cat shops use)which really really spoilt the taste. It is just too too too salty to compliment with the prata. Kinda cover up the prata's taste even....
Jacqy, thanks for the tip with Wendy's Spice Hut. I went there and the food there is quite good. The 'Teh Halia' definitely better than at Casuarina.
I'm a regular at Casuarina and agree with the comments of some of the other posts. The quality there is very fluctuating. Sometimes the curry is really shiok and other days it's diluted like water. Overall I would say that the chances for a better quality are higher during the week than on weekends.
i live near Casaurina, and have been eating there for the past 20 years. I've actually given up hope on this stall ever since they renovated it. Your review was fair, and pretty spot on. Service too was lousy.
limiting myself to that road, i'd rather eat at the place 3 stores down. i think it's called Shilby Muslim Food or something. Pratas there are tastier, and curries thicker and more flavourful. Only problem i see is they tend to be oiler and have less variety than the Casaurina Prata.
the one at Springleaf is much better.
if i may be so bold as to suggest another place? its at a coffee shop under block 254, ang mo kio st 21.
nice fluffy and savoury pratas and thick curry. oh, and ask for their sambal to go along with it. very good stuff!
went to have prata on valentine's afternoon... food was served cold and the waiter was not bothered abt us... the owner was totally indifferent... they dont really bother abt the customers.. service was really bad. Not going there ever again...
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