Mediterranean

I came here with a friend on a whim, and realised how underdressed I was in my shorts and slippers when I opened the door… It wasn’t like any of the casual Middle Eastern eateries in Arab Street area, but many times more chi-chi and sophisticated. Majority of the patrons were in smart casual attire at the very least, until I showed up oops. Nevertheless, the staff were still welcoming, especially the charming bartender who was very conversational.
:
It was recommended that we order two mezzes, a salad, and four kebabs to share between the two of us, but we cut back on one mezze as we were afraid of overeating, plus we wanted space for cocktails >D
:
You can’t go wrong starting a meal with hummus and crispy thin crackers, especially with a hummus so smooth. Don’t be alarmed by the use of duck fat - not only is it tasty, but it’s also a healthy alternative to butter. The quinoa tabbouleh, a seemingly simple salad mix of red quinoa, pomegranate, tomatoes, mint, parsley, was a refreshing palate cleanser. Go back to it every time before you start biting on the next kebab!
:
The kebabs are not the ones on sticks, but wrapped in pita bread like tacos. I like the Sweet Chili and & Oregano Lamb Kofte and Spicy Adalar Prawn for their aggressively-seasoned meats and fiery spices, while my friend preferred the Halloumi Cheese. These were served with three accompanying condiments, a spicy tangy sauce similar to tabasco, a yogurt that I think is tzatziki, and a small jar of tiny chopped-up jalapeños, which was fantastic to eat with the salad! We emptied that jar =D
:
Most awesome part about this place? They donate part of their earnings to Action Against Hunger, a global charity that tries to help malnourished children. And they charge only $1 for unlimited still or sparkling water as they use a sustainable water filtration system - I definitely do not mind paying a wee bit more for environmental causes! All hail the jolly Fat Prince!

The last time I had Mediterranean food was 2 years ago in France (pretty darn good!!). Anyhoooooo, was at pasarbella and decided to try this $16 chicken shawarma set. This chicken was smokey and flavourful with spices. Pita on the side was such a delight - warm and soft, tasted really good with the hummus!

The mashed chickpeas paste is smooth and creamy, with rich flavour, and goes well with their home baked pita bread!

As a result, the food scene in Israel is extremely diverse & also of a very high standard. There is actually so much more to this cuisine than their well-known Falafel – a common street food in Israel & the ones they serve here are baked instead of deep-fried (which makes it healthier). One can also expect unique range of flavours from every dish; good on their own yet goes so well when combined – I personally love the pita sandwich method above (basically add a little from every dish & you can say you’ve made your own). 😂
Other dishes we've tried are: Hummus (of course), Labane Cheese, Stuffed Vine Leaves, Chicken Shawarma, Pita Bread, Eggplants, Green Tahini, Mini Schnitzel & more.
Overall, their food is a genuinely a great reflection of the long history of recipes stitched together to form the great flavours we’ve tried last night.
Do you know that this is actually a final year project headed by a group of 4 NTU WKW students? Their aim is to expose Singaporean youths to lesser-known food cultures of migrant populations. The session held by them aka #ComeLetsEat last night at Pita & Olives (PasarBella Suntec City) was fantastic as it gave us local foodies a chance to mingle with Israeli expats & embassy members to understand more about their cultures & of course, their way to eat.

And like I always believe (it's even in my cover letter hahaha) - no matter who you are, where you come from, food will always enable us to come together as a global community to speak a common language. Can’t wait to attend the upcoming sessions at Milagro & Nara Thai! 😊
📷 Cr. @ComeLetsEat
P.S. Promise I'm going to get a camera very soon 🙌🏻