Rob n’ Fi:d presents itself as a humble stall in the middle of a bold and busy JSEC. Unassuming and homey, with the smell of spices wafting about the air around it, the stall serves home-cooked Indian dishes like curry and biryani.

Taste

The Chicken Curry is a muted, brown color with onions and bay leaves floating around the sauce that exhibit an honest quality of the food. Given a closer look, the aromatics spread throughout the sauce seem to promise a deep flavor profile. However, they get in the way of your eating experience, adding little flavor and an awkward texture to the dish. When you taste the chicken curry, it feels a bit watered down and dull, only with a hint of sweetness and a sharp bite of spice as its base flavor. The chicken is overcooked and a bit dry, making it hard to taste the flavor that is supposed to permeate the meat. The omelet side is fresh and studded with fresh vegetables, but bland and its soft texture may not please every palate.

Concept

Reviving the original taste of Indian food, a flavor they say is hard to find even in India itself, is an ambitious task on a student’s budget. It’s definitely a new concept in JSEC, one they succeed in presenting in an approachable manner.

Value for Money

With the taste not being strong, the food may seem lacking, even if the amount itself is appropriate for what you paid for.

Final Verdict

The food isn’t exactly what you expect, but despite this, the homemade feel is charming. The clunkiness of the meal doesn’t overshadow the real meaning behind the dish. It is “real” food: Uncomplicated and heartfelt. The warm feeling of a home-cooked plate of food is hard to replicate, and in this case, there is real care put into preparing it. It’s nothing special or new, especially for those used to Indian cuisine, but the familiar homeyness of the food speaks volumes about what it wants to bring into JSEC.

Rating: 3/5

Photo by Mico Ongkeko.