It’s not usual you get to enjoy Malay-inspired cuisine in a fine dining setting so when I came across Seroja, I thought it would be nice to check it out. The team was attentive enough to let diners know of its exact location so we don’t have to search the whole compound for the restaurant and better still the building is directly linked to the mrt so you don’t have to worry about wet weather plans!

I was surprised they knew who I am the moment I stepped into the restaurant and I was thinking to myself – am I the only one today? Lol

I love the brightly lit interior and the big space it brings. And the friend and I had full attention for 30 minutes, which was abit stressful. Lol

Open kitchen concept to watch the team at work which the friend commented they must have used a very strong exhaust system since she couldn’t smell anything. ha

Kickstarting with Toddy which is traditionally made with coconut flower sap

Seroja’s version uses coconut water. It’s refreshing, like a sweet coconut drink to kickstart the meal. So if you are very thirsty, probably a good drink to start

TIRAM l Beef Tartare, Gingertorch

KING SALMON l Caviar, Jamu

OBSIBLUE PRAWN l Sambal Hitam, Leek Floss

The first bite got the appetite started. We love the surprise in the oyster cream that went well with the sweet beef tartare. It was a good yet balanced combination
The salmon with turmeric was decent. Was expecting a strong taste in the turmeric but it ended off sweetly which left a pleasing aftertaste

The prawn with sambal hitam totally reminded us of hae bee hiam like those prawn crackers you eat during CNY. If you are a fan of prawn crackers, you would definitely find some similarities in them

KERABU l Amberjack, Bluefin Tuna

Moving on to our cold dishes, the negitoro was served with preserved citrus and ginger so you get to enjoy the sweetness in the fish with a citrusy flavour

I find the presentation a little strange. Wasn’t sure if the amberjack was to compliment the tuna or they are 2 separate dishes (then wouldn’t it be better to serve one after another?) I actually enjoyed the amberjack in coconut with calamansi sauce. You get to taste the sweetness of the coconut and enjoy the fish itself. The charred garlic shoots and sunflower seeds also created texture to the dish

Roti Paung 

Am always excited when there is bread to be served. And I was glad this Hokkaido milk bread lived up to expectations. The bread was steamed then fried and it tasted so good on its own. It was meant to go with various sauces that came with the dishes thereafter but I felt it was good without as well

HOKKAIDO SCALLOP l Kesum, Podi

The scallop with tamarind glaze was well cooked but not impressionable. Though the sauce did go well with the bread

FLOUNDER l Laksam Sauce, Watercress

Hokkaido flounder with pumpkin purée and fish bone sauce. I love a good piece of fish. However the execution on this piece was somewhat a little not quite there. You know it’s like barely hitting the mark. And I felt the fish bone sauce was a little too heavy on flavour

Cabbage & Snow Crab Steamed Egg

NOODLES l Shrimp Roe, Roasted Hen Sauce

Noodles with egg, just that it wasn’t fried but steamed. The combination again was a little strange. That aside, the Alkaline noodles were delicious. I love that slightly springy texture that were infused with a rich hearty prawn flavour. The steamed egg felt like a side dish to the noodles, just a little strange. Lol

So the noodles deserved another photo

Jasmine Tea Duck Broth

A cup of Jasmine tea duck broth as we prepared for our last mains for tonight. Love the aroma of the Jasmine tea that filled the air but yet you could taste the duck flavour when you drink it. It was an interesting cup of tea/broth

TRADERS RICE l Beef Rib Percik, Sia Rice

Our last mains was rice cooked with scallion & ginger served with pickled gourd, a side of salad and barbecued percik-marinated short ribs

The meat was actually pretty decent

Using red rice harvested from Borneo, the rice was a little on the harder side but it’s actually pretty delicious when you eat it together with the ribs and sauce. I thought the pickled gourd was a good accompaniment to the rice dish with the slight citrusy flavour

We were so full at this point and when we looked at the amount of desserts yet to come, we wanted to faint. Lol. I told the friend maybe this is their version of petite 4, just that not so petite. Ha

KUMQUAT l Oolong Tea, Jackfruit

I actually enjoyed this first dessert. You first taste the oolong foam then enjoy the sweet kumquat and jackfruits at the bottom of the cup. It was good

JOHOREAN GOAT MILK ICE l Vanilla, Grape Vinegar

Not a fan of goat milk but thankfully the taste wasn’t strong. So it tasted just like normal milk icecream

Borneo Raw Sugar Bahulu

When the bahulu came, our eyes widened at the 6 pieces that appeared infront of us. We took a bite and finished the entire thing. Lol. If there’s anything you should try, is the bahulu

70% Single Origin Single Sabahan Dark Chocolate

Thankfully the chocolate could be brought home. It was too much to handle

We actually went for the wine pairing but personally I felt you could do without. lol #personalpreference

The concept of serving dishes inspired by the Malay Archipelago is unique and not one you come across often. It also opened the eyes and flavours to the cuisine and flavours inspired by the region. I felt that if you would like to try something different in Singapore, you could give this a try. Food is generally decent and we did enjoyed our evening

Seroja

7 Fraser St, #01-30/31/32/33

Duo Galleria

Singapore 189356