Which way do you swing – Sub or Salad?
By Aisha Bhattacharya
How do you say something new about a place that has been around for 4 years? Simple,” Mamabuns”.
To bring in their 4th Birthday, the latest offering from Mamagoto has everything you could want and more. The menu is peppered with heaps of options for their new Asian sandwiches. This includes subs, burgers and for the health conscious an option to turn your sub into a salad. Just look for the asterisk next to the name of your desired sub and it can be made the salad way. It’s a veritable playground for non-vegetarians with various combinations of meats and dressings. There are prawn, chicken, lamb, pork and fish options. And yes a substantial vegetarian selection with Tofu and Mushrooms among other things. We were lucky enough to be invited to the outlet in Khan Market to sample this menu and I have to admit that I’m now an even bigger fan than I already was!
We started with the ‘Cheeky Seoul Pork’ which I chose to have as a salad instead of a sandwich because, like every other girl my only aim in life is to eat what I want without getting fat. Unfortunately, my body doesn’t grant such wishes so salad it was. The pork is marinated in a Korean style chilli marinade and is cooked to melt-in-the-mouth perfection. The salad is a combination of fresh lettuce, caramelised onions and succulent pork bits. In a city where I have never found really well cooked pork in a restaurant, this Korean style pork was a revelation. It is a generous portion of salad that would make for a perfect guilt-free lunch.
The next dish to arrive was the ‘Singapore University Canteen Chicken Burger’. A burger is not a burger till there is a bun and I succumbed to the idea of a juicy chicken patty sandwiched in a bun. The patty is juicy and lightly spiced. The buns and patties are made at Mamagoto and taste absolutely fresh. It is such a relief to get a burger bun that is made in-house. The taste and texture are definitely well worth the extra effort.
‘The Asian Prawn Cocktail’ came highly recommended and did not disappoint. This was another sub turned salad that we ordered because it just sounds better as a salad. The prawns are steamed and tossed in a chilli mayo dressing. It was mildly flavoured and very light on the stomach. The salad leaves were a mix of Rocket leaves, Iceberg lettuce and Green leaf. The rocket leaves were a tad bitter but the salad was pretty good overall.
One of us was vegetarian so we ordered the ‘Sentosa Island Sub’ for her. I had a piece and it was delicious. Filled with sautéed mushrooms – shitake and button mushrooms mainly. Beautiful flavours that brought out the goodness of the mushrooms and the Asian inspiration behind the dish. The mushrooms are chopped so it is a little messy to eat. But, that shouldn’t deter you because it is definitely worth a try.
All Mamabuns come with Chilli Mayo, Potato Wedges, Mango Salsa and an Asian pickle.
Mamagoto has also introduced some new flavoured iced teas and we tried a few – the Blood orange was not available so I opted for the Easy Peezy Strawberry. A strawberry and kiwi infused tea that is refreshing on the palate. The only curious thing about it is the mango yellow colour. The restaurant uses Basilur tea leaves for the decoction, a premium tea from Sri Lanka which lifts the flavour of the entire drink.
I ended up ordering dessert as well because it was offered to me. I know, I shouldn’t have but, this is the only life I get and I don’t want to live regretting that missed opportunity. The ‘Crunchy Nutella Mousse’ is oh, so good! It hits all the right spots and makes you discover new ones. Not overly sweet and a portion just right that leaves you feeling satisfied.
A lot of thought and experimentation has gone into creating this new menu. The team travelled to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam for inspiration that is displayed clearly on the plate. If you love Asian food, this is a must-try menu for you!
P.S: Mamagoto has a competition on Instagram: Take a photo of your Mamabun before you start eating. Use the hashtag #Mamabuns and tag @mamagotofunasian. The best photos will get 50% off on their next bill. Hurry up!
