COCONUTS HOT SPOT — Serving up food to the fickle diners of Singapore for an entire decade is no easy feat — yet Lebanese/Mediterranean restaurant Urban Bites is celebrating its 10th year of operations here. Established by chef Ghazi Khanashat, the OG who introduced Lebanese cuisine to Singapore in 2001, the eatery has undergone a revamp both in look and taste to keep up with the times (and compete with the numerous other cafes along the Telok Ayer stretch).
Gone is the white paint, replaced with a red brick feature wall and sepia photographs of places in Lebanon hung on a concrete wall. The rustic, industrial setting — complete with a stone oven and a dessert counter — makes for a cozy space for lunch gatherings or hearty dinners.
With a young Lebanese chef now helming the kitchen, the dishes are created using traditional recipes but given a modern twist, with ingredients and produce imported from Lebanon.
New items on the menu include the vibrant Burghul Salad ($12), which tosses together burghul (a type of wheat akin to quinoa), cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, pomegranate seeds, and a drizzle of lemon oil. Order this if you’re after a light lunch that doesn’t include food coma aftereffects.
Alternatively, the Samke Harra ($29) is another wholesome choice, with a baked seabass fillet seasoned in thyme, basil, and rosemary sitting on a bed of smoky baba ganoush (roasted eggplant dip) with a side of baked potato slices.
If you’d like to end the meal with a dessert that won’t cause too huge of a spike in your sugar levels, go for the Osmaliyeh ($12), the not-too-sweet pastry of crispy flash-fried filo strings sandwiching homemade clotted cream and strawberry slices.
For those who’ve been loyal diners at Urban Bites over the years, fret not, for crowd favorites are still on the menu. Think creamy hummus ($13), the sampler mezza platter ($28) that includes falafel, warak enab (stuffed vegetable rolls), and tabbouleh (vegetarian dish of tomatoes, parsley, mint), as well as the mixed grill ($33) of chicken, beef tenderloin, minced lamb and minced chicken skewers served with a side of fries.
As for brunch fiends, the restaurant is finally debuting a weekend brunch menu of ten Lebanese-inspired brekkie plates for Saturday mornings. The Cheese Manouche ($16) is a must-try, ’cause who can resist the glorious combination of carbs and cheese? This freshly baked flatbread comes stuffed with four types of cheese — jeddal, feta, mozzarella, and akkawi — and a sprinkle of onions and parsley.
To warm up your stomach for the day, order the dish of eggs with lamb shakshouka ($20), and you’ll get an aromatic bowl of slow-cooked lamb shoulder and three poached eggs swimming in tomato sauce and topped with feta cheese and crispy kale leaves. It comes with a side of bread, which you should (and will) definitely use to mop up every last remaining drop of the hearty, stew-like concoction.
Other brunch items include the veggie lover’s delight that is the Fettet Cauliflower ($15), a blend of yogurt, roasted cauliflower, toasted chickpeas, fried pita chips, and pomegranate seeds; the Lebanese Big Breakfast ($20) with labneh, hummus, a sunny side up, and fresh veggies; and the Foul Moudammas ($12), a Lebanese breakfast item made of stewed fava beans and toasted chickpeas served with pita bread.
Although all things in life should be taken in moderation, perhaps you won’t feel too guilty about indulging in a meal at Urban Bites, since Lebanese cuisine is considered to be rather healthy — thanks to standard cooking methods like grilling and roasting, as well as recipes that call for ingredients like chickpeas, lentils, nuts, vegetables, and extra virgin olive oil. Sahten!
Urban Bites is at 161 Telok Ayer St, 6327-9460. Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat 9:30am-10pm.
