• Tired of the usual Chinese, Japanese or Western cuisine? Well, I was feeling that way one afternoon and decided to go for something off the beaten track – Egyptian cuisine! Is there anything more otherworldly than that? I enjoyed this unique meal at Altazzag Egyptian Restaurant, hidden in one of the tiny streets of Kampong Glam.
Photo by Icy
Altazzag is Arabic for fresh. And what a “fresh” experience this is! The restaurant occupies a little two-storey shophouse building along the very narrow street of Haji Lane. Notice the hookahs in the window? You can smoke shisha here too. This is one of those restaurants you would notice but hesitate going in for a meal due to the exotic cuisine.
In other words, it’s perfect for the days when you’re in the mood for something really different.
S$5
Rating:
Humus (chickpea dip) is an appetiser that can’t be absent from any Middle Eastern menu. The one here has a smooth texture without any lumps. I like the fact that it doesn’t taste too heavy and rich, with just a slight tinge of lemon and garlic. It makes a nice dip for the pita bread that is served alongside, although it’s a tad oily.
Altazzag Super SpecialS$22
Rating:
A range of meat dishes such as kebabs is available. We opted for the super special instead. This mixed grill of chicken, fish, lamb and beef cuts is perfect for someone that just wants to try a little of everything.
The platter is drizzled with a white cream sauce and red hot sauce. I’m not quite sure what the white sauce is, but I heard it’s a special “secret” sauce that is made fresh daily. The hot sauce is unlike any I’ve tasted in other cuisines – very flavourful with a taste that just explodes in the mouth. It’s a pity that some of the meat isn’t that tender, or else it would have made the dish more enjoyable.
We do like the potato wedges that comes along, no doubt to cater to local palates. If you’re ordering this platter, be sure to ask for more hot sauce!
S$4
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On the drinks menu, you would find your usual tea, fruit juice, and even Milo and Nescafé! But we’re not here to have the regular stuff, are we? What sounds the most intriguing are the three “Egyptian healthy drinks”. We tried the Sahleb, which is a milky coconut drink. It tastes sweet and creamy and goes down smoothly. Slurp!
S$4
Rating:
Turkish coffee is served here, which isn’t all that surprising since it is the commonest kind of coffee in the Middle East. The first thing that comes to mind is its unusual dark brown colour with the foamy layer on top. There is a strong aroma and an extremely rich flavour, even richer than the traditional coffee offered at places like Old Town. It suffices to say that I like Turkish coffee.
With something that rich, it can only mean that a lot of coffee grounds has been used. True enough, there is a slight powdery texture to the coffee. It’s a good idea to let the powder settle before drinking.
See? There’s the sludgy coffee sediment at the bottom of the cup that can be used for a kind of fortune telling called tasseography. After drinking, the cup can be covered with the saucer and turned upside-down. The patterns that form from the coffee grounds are used to tell a person’s fortune. (The other type of tasseography is tea-leaf reading.)
I really like the whole unique experience at Altazzag, although Middle Eastern cuisine isn’t something I can get used to easily. My main purpose in coming here was to experience something different, and the restaurant certainly delivered in that aspect.
We did not venture to the second level, but I heard that diners can sit on the floor and eat from low tables, similar to the concepts at Lagnaa and Essential Brew. You need to call in advance to reserve seats there though.
Personally, I would prefer sitting at the outdoor tables and chairs, just by the road. It probably feels like street-side dining in Cairo.
One more thing: the restaurant does not charge for service or GST. Yay!
24 Haji Lane
Singapore 189217
Tel: +65 6295 5024
Service:
Bus services: 7, 32, 51, 61, 63, 80, 100, 107, 145, 175, 197, 961, 980, 107x, 961C
Nearest MRT: Bugis
Opening hours: 12pm – 2am daily
Jul 14, 2008
1
That food looks good for when you’re iron deficient and in want of gobbling a cow.
May I ask…how different is Egyptian food to other Middle Eastern countries’ (e.g. Lebanon) cuisine?
Jul 14, 2008
182
Thanks for this post. I have passed by this restaurant quite a couple of times when I was at Kampong Glam but never went in. Somehow, I was put off by the music that was played at this restaurant the past few times when i was there.
Turkish coffee, I heard, is good. Rich!
Jul 15, 2008
15
hmm… i think it is a little too expensive.
The ambience doesn’t suit with the price.
$4.00 for a cup of coffee =(
Jul 15, 2008
2
nice pictures! I was recently there as well, but was at the second floor, relaxing on the carpeted floor with cushions, enjoying the kebabs and hibiscus tea. The dim tungsten lighting creates a nice cosy ambience for chilling out. Couples might choose to sink into the luxuriously comfortable couches and enjoy a liitle shisha. Apparantly, the second level is also the staff quarters after operating hours.
Jul 15, 2008
2
Yup. The foods look delicious. A cup of coffee cost $4 is a little expensive but I guess a worth to try if you have never know how Egyptian food taste like.. ;)
Jul 16, 2008
50
Hi Veron,
Places that allows you to sit and eat on “…floors”, grass or sandy beaches are nice !!!
That special feelings of sands n grass on bare foot….and cool natural breeze…..
wooooo……
But that pic of the coffee sediment is too eeeky for me….the rest of the pics are as usually nice though….
: )
Jul 17, 2008
3472
Kym: This is only my second time venturing into Middle Eastern food (the first was Turkish) so I’m certainly no expert on their various cuisines! Coincidentally I do have a Lebanese restaurant on my list of places to check out. And when I do I would let you know!
py: Strangely, I don’t recall hearing any music, maybe due to the fact that I was sitting outdoor. Was it Egyptian music?
r.p: That’s true. But I think in this case you are paying more for the “exotic-ness” :)
mybearbrick: That’s the staff quarters? That’s news to me. I heard most of the staff are Nepalese.
oOFooi: Yup, I didn’t really mind paying the 4 bucks. At most cafés, even the big chains, the price for a cup of joe tends to start from that price too.
X Wings: Haha! I had that eeky feeling when the coffee left me with a powdery aftertaste, kind of like Chinese medicine. That’s why I let it settle before drinking, and it was good after that.
Jul 17, 2008
2
I deduced that based on observations of the surrounding. There was a TV which was never turned on during operating hours, there are dishes, cups and clean liquids at the little pantry, there are shower gels and shampoo in the washroom. These are quite obvious tell-tale signs.
Jul 18, 2008
4
Hey, Tried it earlier this evening for dinner .. and it was awesome! Thanks for the tip!
Jul 18, 2008
3472
No problem! Someone adventurous like you would like it.
Feb 20, 2009
1
whooooooooooooooooo
that was an awsome adventure!!
i would like to see more of your work
Jan 21, 2010
1
hey!!! its gr8 restura….in hazilane…….n its will lok good during night…..may be aziz is not there he is a gr8 manager…i am one of the staff…before i work there…….guest are also gr888
Aug 7, 2011
1
My first visit here is such a let down during Ramadhan. After me and my wife ordered our meals and a Shisha, i requested to serve us at 7.15 pm because of breaking our fast at 7.18p. They start serving us Shisha instead at around 7.26 pm. They did’nt even served us drink first, not even dates ! And the best part is, utensils are given when we’re halfway done with or meals. Anw… They are charging us 10% SERVICE CHARGE !!!