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| Nasi Bryani comes with an option of meat: chicken, mutton or fish. |
Growing up in 60s and 70s Singapore, the Islamic Restaurant was,
to me, an Aladdin’s Cave redolent with the mystery and exoticism of Old Arabia;
filled not with loot and precious gems, but with a sumptuous treasure no less…of
the culinary kind!
Not many restaurants in Singapore (I reckon a dozen or so?) can
lay claim to being a culinary institution. In my book, Islamic Restaurant is in
this elite.
“The Islamic ” -- as it’s more usually referred to – was founded
in 1914, making it nearly 100 years old. The man who founded it was M. Abdul
Rahman, an Indian masterchef who cut his teeth working for a wealthy Arab
family, the Alsagoffs. The Alsagoffs were early owners of the Raffles Hotel and
famous in Singapore history for their philanthropy.
According to the story, the masterchef’s deft fusions of the
Indian and Arab cuisines so tantalized his employers that he decided to strike
out on his own. Thus was born the Islamic. Although it has relocated a couple
of times over its history, the restaurant has always been famously housed in
one of the 2-storey prewar shophouses that line North Bridge Road, across from
the Sultan Mosque.
In its heyday in the 50s to 70s, the Islamic was a place to be
seen. British colonials and wealthy locals dined there, and its guest list was
graced with Presidents of Singapore, top judges and government officials, and
regional royal families. I remember attending the lavish wedding dinners of
some friends at the restaurant in the 1960s. To me, its décor and ambience
counted almost as much as the food.
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| Tomato in Sweet Syrup |
But let’s talk about the food. Of this, Nasi Beryani remains the Islamic’s most famed. From the Persian word for “roasted/fried before cooking”, Beryani is a rice-based dish made with spices, rice, and meat and vegetables. And of the many types of Beryani in existence, the Islamic’s is unique, combining both Indian and Arab methods of cooking in a well-guarded secret recipe, created by the founder, M. Abdul Rahman, himself.
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| Mutton Samma |
My personal favorites, however, include the hard-to-find Tomato in
Sweet Syrup, a wonderful starter as well as a great dip for the Roti Mariam.
Another must for me, since the 1960s, has been the Mutton Samma, mutton
slow-cooked in thick gravy and spicy-peppery in flavor. Also superb are the
Chicken Mysore (a favorite with the Sultan of Brunei, I’m told) and the Mutton
Mysore. In fact, the best way to sample the Islamic’s 200-item menu is to have
plain rice with two or three accompanying dishes of meat, fish or vegetables –
as I often do.
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| Roti Mariam |
Now to the Roti Mariam. A woman at Kampong Glam created this
unique ‘roti’ (bread) and sold it on a pushcart. The Islamic later employed
her, and included her roti on the menu. Roti Mariam is named after her, and is
available at the Islamic and nowhere else. It tastes like a cross between naan
and prata, and is eaten with plain sugar, milk, or curry.
Today the Islamic is into its third-generation of owners, and no
longer the habitué of just the mighty and well heeled, but everybody. And, may
I add, long may it live and prosper!
Islamic Restaurant
745 North Bridge Road
Singapore 198713
Tel: 65-6298 7563
