Temasek - Parramatta

I think of all the recent trips I've taken overseas, Singapore left he most lasting impact on me. The cleanliness, convenience and modern feel of the city thoroughly impressed me. But what impressed me more was the food which was so mesmerisingly tasty. The family and I gorged on kaya toast, laksa, fish ball noodles and hainanese chicken rice the whole time we were there. Post-Singapore depression really hit me hard....but luckily, I had Temasek to sate my immense hunger for chicken rice.

That's why I was so ecstatic when the Mrs and I (accompanied by the in-laws) went to dinner there after church. Having worked in hospitality for a long time, I normally really don't like waltzing in close to closing time but in the case of Temasek, I can always make an exception because Temasek is normally really busy. All good though, because it meant we ordered and got our food really quickly.

First to arrive was our roti and to be honest, we really weren't expecting much for Temasek. After All, they are more well known for their Hainanese chicken rice. However, we were really surprised by how flakey and buttery the roti was. Crisp, perfectly smoky and charred on the outside...it made for a perfect entree when paired with the immensely flavoursome curry. I (regrettably) demolished my portion almost immediately.

Roti: $2.50 a piece and $3.00 for curry on the side. Well worth it.

The in-law's dishes came next: Nasi Goreng and Fried Chicken rice. According to the father-in-law, it was the BEST Nasi Goreng he's had and I have to admit, it was pretty damn good. My experience with Nasi Goreng is that it's normally rather dry and lacking in flavour but they really pack in the kecap manis here which means the rice grains were nice and saucy and packed with umami. The fried chicken rice was good too though the chicken wasn't nearly as moist and I didn't enjoy the five spice flavour as much.

The highlight of the night had to be the Hainanese chicken rice though, I mean it's what they're known for right? The Mrs and I shared half a chicken and a pot of chicken rice (I wanted to go for two pots...lucky I didn't). The most tender, succulent pieces of boneless Hainanese style chicken paired with the fragrant rice made for an unbeatable meal. I won't deny it, I was mainly there for the rice. The Mrs likes chicken more and isn't nearly as picky as me when it comes to the choice pieces so she ate most of the chicken but I managed to polish off most of that bucket of chicken rice. I wasn't entirely too comfortable afterwards but I can't say I wasn't super satisfied.

After this meal, I can definitely say that my PSD (Post-Singapore Depression) has been staved off...for now. I still miss the delectable foodie treats that country has to offer and I'm most definitely hankering for a nice and affordable Singaporean chilli crab but it's places like Temasek that make it so wonderful to live in Sydney and it definitely makes the Mrs and I anticipate our eventual move to the west.