Please don’t flambée my backside, the food’s quite good

On August 18, 2005 · 49 Comments · In Eating

I am thank­ful for a lot of things, really. Like hav­ing enough money to give myself a treat after a rea­son­ably crappy day at work. And what treat did I have enough money to give myself, you may well ask?

Well, I went and had din­ner at that ven­er­a­ble Russo-Hainanese insti­tu­tion that serves the best borsch bar none: Shashlik Restaurant. If you've been there, you'd know the food's real good, and you'd immediately forgive the late 70s lighting, the late 70s furnishing, the late 70s crockery and the late 70s waiters.

I've heard before about how rude and brusque the waiters at Shashlik were, and I'd like to clarify one thing: the waiters aren't rude, they're just Hainanese. They’ll stand around the bar and talk loudly in Russ­ian because they think they’re the best Russ­ian restau­rant in town, and they’d be right.

And one of the fab­u­lous things about the brusque borsch serv­ing wait­ers is that even when there’s a bunch of them talk­ing loudly in Russ­ian at the bar, there’s still a cou­ple of them brusquely push­ing borsch, shashlik, and all manner of flambé on squeaky trolleys around the restaurant.

If you were to go there, on the 6th floor of the Far East Shopping Centre (not Far East Plaza, which is the cool and funky place with the funky clothes and the funky people selling funky clothes to funky people), I'd recommend you have the borsch to start with, then the shashlik beef/lamb, and then the flambéed banana/cherry/alaska for dessert, topped off with the best Hainanese Russian kopi­tiam cof­fee this side of Ya Kun's.

I really think this is the best Russ­ian restau­rant in town, and I’m not say­ing this because I’m afraid the Hainanese wait­ers might flambée my back­side if I said oth­er­wise. Din­ner was good enough for me to want to dine there again soon, which is sig­nif­i­cant in itself because before tonight, the last time I dined there must’ve been twenty years ago.

Shashlik
Got dress code one leh

Shashlik
Quite dark, until the flaming trolley comes by

Shashlik Restaurant
Then they take the stuff off the flam­ing trol­ley onto your table: Banana Flambé

Shashlik Restaurant
The coffee's nosso good if you're expecting espresso

Shashlik
Must be nice to the waiters, else they flambée your backside
Surf stop: Maju­lah Singapura’s Journal

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  • Anony­mous

    I love Shash­lik and their Borsch is to die for!!! Good to see that they are still around.

    jcheng
    (sin­ga­porean quit­ter in LA)

  • Anony­mous

    I love Shash­lik and their Borsch is to die for!!! Good to see that they are still around.

    jcheng
    (sin­ga­porean quit­ter in LA)

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/2295609 Junyi

    Shashlik’s awe­some, i drool just think­ing of the steak on a skewer and the baked alaska. appa­rantly the older hainanese wait­ers and wait­er­esses there all have a stake in the restau­rant cos’ some­where in the 80s the orig­i­nal owner wanted to wind up the busi­ness and the staff just piled their sav­ings together and took over the estab­lish­ment. which is prob­a­bly why they seem to take so much pride in their ser­vice. if you’re able to speak hainanese to them, they’ll be extra friendly.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/2295609 Junyi

    Shashlik’s awe­some, i drool just think­ing of the steak on a skewer and the baked alaska. appa­rantly the older hainanese wait­ers and wait­er­esses there all have a stake in the restau­rant cos’ some­where in the 80s the orig­i­nal owner wanted to wind up the busi­ness and the staff just piled their sav­ings together and took over the estab­lish­ment. which is prob­a­bly why they seem to take so much pride in their ser­vice. if you’re able to speak hainanese to them, they’ll be extra friendly.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/1761139 Tym

    I’m glad Shashlik’s still doing well. It’s been at least five years since I ate there. I’m eter­nally pet­ri­fied that the late 70s wait­ers will one day, well, you know lah, become just late waiters/owners — and then what will become of this fine institution?

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/1761139 Tym

    I’m glad Shashlik’s still doing well. It’s been at least five years since I ate there. I’m eter­nally pet­ri­fied that the late 70s wait­ers will one day, well, you know lah, become just late waiters/owners — and then what will become of this fine institution?

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/2811774 Terz

    Which reminds me, we should go there again. Fun­nily enough, the last time I was there was 5 years ago too.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/2811774 Terz

    Which reminds me, we should go there again. Fun­nily enough, the last time I was there was 5 years ago too.

  • http://www.xanga.com/suaty_huangy geroithe

    hmmm what’s the price range?? for i’m but a poor student… =(

  • http://www.xanga.com/suaty_huangy geroithe

    hmmm what’s the price range?? for i’m but a poor student… =(

  • Anony­mous

    The food at Shash­lik has evolved over the years to suit local taste buds. There’s a lit­tle known but really authen­tic Russ­ian place along Arab Street right oppo­site Golden Land­mark Hotel run by real Rus­sians. And it’s a hel­luva lot chaper. :)

  • Anony­mous

    The food at Shash­lik has evolved over the years to suit local taste buds. There’s a lit­tle known but really authen­tic Russ­ian place along Arab Street right oppo­site Golden Land­mark Hotel run by real Rus­sians. And it’s a hel­luva lot chaper. :)

  • Anony­mous

    Damn, I mean chEaper.

  • Anony­mous

    Damn, I mean chEaper.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/126997 Jonathan

    I agree that Shash­lik is the best!

    I man­aged to arrange for a dept out­ing there once… but my col­leagues were shocked by their service..

    well.. to me.. i just care about how good the food tasted!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/126997 Jonathan

    I agree that Shash­lik is the best!

    I man­aged to arrange for a dept out­ing there once… but my col­leagues were shocked by their service..

    well.. to me.. i just care about how good the food tasted!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/3852059 lit­tle­cart­noo­dles

    Good ser­vice from the Uncles and Aun­ties at Shash­lik too, if you speak Man­darin to them.

    I have also been to that Russ­ian restau­rant near Golden Land­mark Hotel — can’t recall the name. Very authen­tic — real Russ­ian waiter and boss ! But authen­tic = acquired taste.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/3852059 lit­tle­cart­noo­dles

    Good ser­vice from the Uncles and Aun­ties at Shash­lik too, if you speak Man­darin to them.

    I have also been to that Russ­ian restau­rant near Golden Land­mark Hotel — can’t recall the name. Very authen­tic — real Russ­ian waiter and boss ! But authen­tic = acquired taste.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/4214081 Ah 9

    They have been around for a while…hehe. Flam­ing alaska?

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/4214081 Ah 9

    They have been around for a while…hehe. Flam­ing alaska?

  • http://yannisms.com yAnn

    Shash­lik is good stuff!
    The steaks are yummy and the staff there are so brusque, they make me laugh. But yeah, a smile will mate­ri­alise when you respond to them in Hainanese.
    I always feel as if I am in a totally dif­fer­ent world when I go there.

  • http://yannisms.com yAnn

    Shash­lik is good stuff!
    The steaks are yummy and the staff there are so brusque, they make me laugh. But yeah, a smile will mate­ri­alise when you respond to them in Hainanese.
    I always feel as if I am in a totally dif­fer­ent world when I go there.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/2489336 San­dra Ng

    was there a cou­ple of weeks back. the gar­lic steak was good. and so was dessert :)

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/2489336 San­dra Ng

    was there a cou­ple of weeks back. the gar­lic steak was good. and so was dessert :)

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/8352033 Postmaster-General

    I used to eat there alot… Although now that I’m in DC i can com­pare with real russ­ian food. The For­mer KGB, now CSB(?), peo­ple eat at the Hawk and Dove. Which is an amer­i­can pub for all intents and purposes.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/8352033 Postmaster-General

    I used to eat there alot… Although now that I’m in DC i can com­pare with real russ­ian food. The For­mer KGB, now CSB(?), peo­ple eat at the Hawk and Dove. Which is an amer­i­can pub for all intents and purposes.

  • Kris­t­ian

    I go there on Wed arvo for their Oxtail set lunch. Shiok and only less than $15 per pax. Need to call and reserve because it’s always full.

  • Kris­t­ian

    I go there on Wed arvo for their Oxtail set lunch. Shiok and only less than $15 per pax. Need to call and reserve because it’s always full.

  • jes­lyn

    yea, their food was superb! i am going there again soon. :D

  • jes­lyn

    yea, their food was superb! i am going there again soon. :D

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/10154667 sesame seed

    Hey, my hub is a great fan of Shash­lik and have always raved about their food. I went with him once, and although I’m not a fan of west­ern food, I must say that theirs is quite yummy. Love their gar­lic escargot!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/10154667 sesame seed

    Hey, my hub is a great fan of Shash­lik and have always raved about their food. I went with him once, and although I’m not a fan of west­ern food, I must say that theirs is quite yummy. Love their gar­lic escargot!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/9396676 Lexus

    drool­ing.….

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/9396676 Lexus

    drool­ing.….

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/10777787 The Cuckoo Cake

    issn’t borsch BEETROOT SOUP!!!

    eek.

    Or am i misinformed.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/10777787 The Cuckoo Cake

    issn’t borsch BEETROOT SOUP!!!

    eek.

    Or am i misinformed.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/5661118 kachuaz

    try their baked alaska the next time round.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/5661118 kachuaz

    try their baked alaska the next time round.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/5661118 kachuaz

    borsch is sort of chunky beef with veg­gie soup..

    wat beet­root…

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/5661118 kachuaz

    borsch is sort of chunky beef with veg­gie soup..

    wat beet­root…

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/10777787 The Cuckoo Cake

    whoops. not beet­root. beet.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/10777787 The Cuckoo Cake

    whoops. not beet­root. beet.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/11908862 Chuang Shyue Chou

    When I was grow­ing up, ‘Troika’ was my favourite restau­rant, my par­ents would take me and my sis­ters there on our birth­days. That was sim­ply the best Russo-Hainanese restau­rant in town till the place closed down. Do you remem­ber the decor of ‘Troika’ in the DBS Bank build­ing? Then, the staff went and formed ‘Shash­lik’. I have fond mem­o­ries of both places though I don’t quite like it as much today.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/11908862 Chuang Shyue Chou

    When I was grow­ing up, ‘Troika’ was my favourite restau­rant, my par­ents would take me and my sis­ters there on our birth­days. That was sim­ply the best Russo-Hainanese restau­rant in town till the place closed down. Do you remem­ber the decor of ‘Troika’ in the DBS Bank build­ing? Then, the staff went and formed ‘Shash­lik’. I have fond mem­o­ries of both places though I don’t quite like it as much today.

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