Delibowl (Marina Bay Link Mall)

It has definitely been a while since Delibowl has established their presence in the local F&B scene — one shouldn’t be too unfamiliar with the brand if they do frequent places such as Funan and Paya Lebar Square, where Delibowl do operate outlets at. A brand by the Delibowl Group, the group actually does run other F&B establishments such as the likes of Nuodle, The Xiang Pavilion, Hunan Bowl and Shiok Burger as well, with Nuodle being the concept that is probably the most prominent of the lot. We had been wanting to give Delibowl a go for quite a while, which is why we were pleasantly surprised by how there is suddenly a Delibowl outlet located within Marina Bay Link Mall. Turns out, the Delibowl outlet takes over the operations of Nuodle’s former location within Marina Bay Link Mall. Considering so, most of the changes within the space are pretty much cosmetic, with updates being done to the interior for the change of concept; the space can otherwise be described as a little tight and claustrophobic, with rather small tables cramps up in the small space it occupies. Being a halal-certified casual diner serving up Sichuan delicacies, the menu of Delibowl is split across categories such as Stir-fried Delights, Claypot Stewed and Specialty, and Vegetables. Drinks available at Delibowl would include a variety of homemade teas.

One thing that we had been wanting to try for quite a while at Delibowl would be their Butter Chicken. Patrons at Delibowl do get a choice to choose between ordering dishes as part of a set, or if they would like to do so ala-carte; they also do offer sets in several different tiers that would suit different groups of patrons depending on their eating habits. We went for the Value Combo Set Meal, which sees patrons being able to opt for their choice of dishes from either the “Stir-Fried Delights” and “Claypot Stewed and Specialty” sections of the menu, as well as a single item from the “Vegetables” section of the menu — all that coming with a bowl of rice on the side to pair. Whilst Delibowl is a establishment that seemingly champions itself for being a concept that serves up hearty Sichuan cuisine, the Butter Chicken is quite a stand out considering this does feel like an item that is introduced to provide some sort of familiarity to the diners. Being an item that is being listed under the “Claypot Stewed and Specialty” section of the menu, this is almost the same as the usual buttermilk chicken that one would find at zichar establishments in coffeeshops / food courts / hawker centres all around. Those whom are into creamy renditions of buttermilk chicken / salted egg chicken would be in for a treat with this one; the buttermilk sauce is definitely rich, buttery and creamy — a hit with our tastebuds and would work well for those who love heavier flavours especially. That being said, one thing that quite bothered us with the rendition of the Butter Chicken here is the consistency of the fried chicken that is being stir-fried into the buttermilk sauce — it does seem that the item had been prepared for quite a while, with the cubes of fried chicken coming with quite a soggy batter; just felt rather mushy.

There is the inclusion of onions that provided an element of crunch, while it also interestingly comes with stir-fried curry leaves that provided a bit of a contrast of flavours for the dish as well. That being said, we did feel like the dish was missing of some chili padi that can provide a bit of a kick of spiciness to somewhat cut through the heaviness of the buttermilk sauce. The Tofu Salad that we had opted as our “Vegetables” dish to go for our order of the Value Combo Set Meal is pretty much the same as the Tofu Skin Salad that one can find at most other Chinese dining establishments serving up mainland Chinese cuisine; the version here being rather basic featuring tofu skin and chili oil. We liked how it wasn’t too greasy while the tofu skin does provide a bit of bite; all that while the chili oil also comes with a fragrance of sesame oil that gives the dish much of the flavour — works particularly well when paired with the bowl of rice on the side. Overall, Delibowl does serve up pretty decent Chinese fare — one thing worth noting is how the portion of meat that came along with the Value Combo Set Meal can be considered as rather generous; despite the slightly high price point it commands, one is certainly getting their fill here while at it. No doubt their Butter Chicken isn’t the best that we had tried, but this is one that we would gladly go to when craving for the typical Buttermilk / Salted Egg dishes from zi-char / mini wok establishments just to get that craving resolved.