• One of the places that I like to visit is IKEA. It doesn’t even matter if I’m not buying any furniture. Just walking through the showrooms and perusing the colourful furniture and furnishings can be a fun activity in itself!
A trip here always includes a meal at the in-store restaurant. The range is good and the prices are inexpensive, from the $1 coffees and teas, the $5.50 daily specials, to the $3 desserts.
Dining here is a self-service, no-frills affair, although finding a seat can be a chore when the restaurant is packed. You wait in line and get your tray, cups and cutlery, then push your tray along a metal railing to get your food. The fun part is when you get to select your food from the coolers and freezers (salmon salads, desserts, etc) and order the hot dishes like meatballs!
S$2.90 for 5 (kid’s meal), S$6.50 for 10
Rating:
Thanks to the ambassadorship of IKEA, Swedish meatballs are perhaps the most famous Swedish dish in the world today. These are made with ground beef and pork and served alongside freshly boiled potatoes, cream sauce, and lingonberry jam. The jam tastes very much like cranberry sauce. I would never imagine that jam can go well with meat, but in the case of the Swedish meatballs, it somehow works!
How many meatballs do you usually go for? A quick look around the tables show that people generally order the default 10-piece, which seems quite hefty especially with those potatoes. The kid’s meal of 5 meatballs may be just nice if you also want to have a taste of other dishes and desserts.
S$2.80 for 2; S$7.50 for 6
Rating:
My friend highly recommends the chicken wings. Man, these are finger-licking good! The seasoning is quite tasty, and the thin crispy skin is to die for. My only gripe is that there is little meat on the bones. Something fleshier would be perfect! Next time round we’re so going for that 6-piece (each)!
S$2.50
Rating:
The chocolate mousse is a favourite dessert of mine. I remember falling in love with this years ago when IKEA first came to our sunny shores. Since then, I would have it every single meal at the restaurant. The chocolate is very rich and has just the right degree of sweetness. It is even topped with a dollop of whipped cream!
S$3.20
Rating:
The Daim cake is another popular must-try dessert. It is covered in chopped Daim candy and milk chocolate. Sweet, rich and extremely satisfying!
What are your favourite dishes and desserts at IKEA? Is it the ever popular Swedish meatballs? What other dishes would you recommend? Share with us in the comments!
317 Alexandra Road Singapore 159965
Tel: +65 6786 6868
Opening hours: 10am – 10pm daily
60 Tampines North Drive 2 Singapore 528764
Tel: +65 6786 6868
Opening hours: 10am – 11pm daily
Jul 8, 2010
72
Some additional info if you become an IKEA Friends member (spend more than $300 in a single receipt).
Every new and existing friends member will automatically be entitled to redeem 10 complimentary drinks/discounted meals coupons at the coupon machine.
Each coupon entitles you to 2 free cups of coffee/tea or dispensed soft drinks and 2 discounted members’ meals.
Jul 8, 2010
3472
Thanks Edmund!
Looks like the IKEA friends VISA card offers the same perks as the regular membership card, without the need for $300 minimum spending (it seems) too.
Jul 8, 2010
22
i love swedish meatballs! it’s a must have when i head to ikea for shopping… haha…. but sometimes i go there just for the swedish meatballs :D you should try the poached salmon.. it’s not too bad… :)
fyi, you can buy the swedish meatballs from the food store opposite the check-out area home to cook. They sell the jam, the meatballs and the sauce :)
Jul 8, 2010
3472
Poached salmon sounds yummy! I wonder if the cold prawns are as good? They keep advertising that these days.
Would be great to stock some of those ingredients at home. We can have meatballs at home anytime!
Jul 9, 2010
22
Yah! They keep advertising that on their website too… never tried the cold prawns before though… not sure how they’d taste like… raw ebi maybe? haha
Jul 8, 2010
1
The swedish meatballs are made in Malaysia, not sweden. As reported in Sunday Times some years ago.
Jul 8, 2010
22
haha.. as usual.. sg imports mainly from m’sia…
Jul 8, 2010
3472
Hehe China, too!
Jul 8, 2010
1
Hi Veron! Considering those are authentic Swedish Meatballs, I can go for 10-12 pieces. The photos are superb, it really made me way too hungry. And as you said, Dining is self-service.. Well those look like gourmet delicacies, very impressive. I’ll keep this in mind. IKEA. Cheers!
Jul 8, 2010
9
For as long as I have been frequenting the place, I never knew there was Daim cake!
Jul 9, 2010
22
there’s a princess cake too… :D
Jul 10, 2010
3472
They seem to advertise the princess cake way more than the Daim cake!
Jul 11, 2010
9
What is the princess cake???!
Jul 11, 2010
3472
Here it is:
“Originally a traditional birthday cake for Swedes, made of sponge cake, raspberry jam, whipped cream and green marzipan.”
Aug 13, 2010
1
The Swedish version of a nonya kuih, perhaps? Looks simply dilish.
Aug 13, 2010
3472
Looks cute too!
Jul 12, 2010
3
I agree Ikea can be one great place for dining but minus the time wasted on waiting and finding empty seats :D
Aug 13, 2010
7
Yeah, The Swedish meatballs are made in Malaysia. Nonetheless, they’re still awesome.
Aug 22, 2010
12
I can never resist the Ikea chicken wings! And the ice-cream cone is a delight to have after walking through the place.
Aug 23, 2010
3472
Is that the $1 cone at the level one bistro?
Aug 25, 2010
12
Yes, and the hot dog / drink set too:)
Aug 23, 2010
22
and the hot dog bun too after the long shopping trip :D