Gajah Makan: Cavana in Singapore

There has been comments that the places I go to do my Makan entry are abit too close to fine dining. So, I have found a place that is slightly more family friendly. Many, may have heard about this place, but never really got in, others who have gone in may not really like it but this is my view so I don't care what others think.

So, I have been to Cavana for quite a few times. Before and after they have gone through various changes. Now, depending on which branch you go the service varies. My personal favourite spots are at Marina Square(mostly because it's usually empty) and Sun Plaza @ Sembawang. These two places have not fail me yet and after the changes they went through they have brought smiles to my face. Firstly, they have added a western menu to their vast array of rice and noodles which I find very interesting. So here some of the food that I have tried so far:

Teriyaki Spaghetti Hotplate (Beef)
Red Roast Chicken Rice
Drumlets and Fries
Fish 'N' Chips
Chickbits
Sambal Tofu

Tastes:
Well, starting with the Teriyaki Spaghetti Hotplate, the spaghetti was ok, but I think it was too el dante for my liking. The spaghetti was also slightly undersalted especially if they are planing to put so little sauce which I find a bit stingy. The hotplate is also served with steamed vegetables and a sunny-side-up egg which i find a bit too plain because the sauce was only ample for the spaghetti. Sounds bad right, well it was mediocre for me but the beef really saved the dish. The beef was well-seasoned, and cooked to slightly medium well which was too my liking. So it was not that bad. Anyway, next, the Red Roast Chicken Rice. Red roast is also known as Char Siew, so it is actually my favorite flavour of chicken, but with chicken aside, I find that the rice is quite fragrant and it is actually quite good on its own. However, the chicken rice is never complete without the chilli. The chilli is what that makes me come back for more. To be honest, I eat the chilli with everything they have, even the fish and chips. The chilli have the balanced flavour of ginger and garlic so it is not so overpowering. In addition, the chilli is only spicy if taken in big quantity so if you have a high tolerance like me you would probably need a bowl. Moving on to the drumlet and fries. This is one of the new addition to the menu, and what a good addition it is. This meal is good for those moments when you feel like just snacking. The meal comes with four pieces drumlets and a handful of fries, but what really makes the dish is the drumlets. They are fried to perfection and I really mean perfection. The drumlet is not heavily floured so you don't get all that flour in your mouth and the exterior of the chicken is not oily at all. It is acutally amazing on how they do it but I'm there to just enjoy the food. However, the same cannot be said for the chickbits because it is the exact opposite. It is quite oily and to be honest, too salty for my taste but if you like a salty snack then be my guest. :) Last, would be the fish and chips and the sambal tofu. The fish and chips is actually a surprise. I was expecting the fish to taste frozen, but it didn't, I expected the coleslaw to be soggy and tasteless, but it wasn't. So interestingly enough for a place that have never really done fish, it was quite pleasant. The sambal tofu is an old favourite that has never really fail anyone yet so I encourage everybody to try.

The verdict:
From far, the Cavana just looks like another fast food place, but what I like about the place is that the food is only cooked when it is ordered, so even though you have to wait, you know that the food will reach you nice and hot for you to indulge. Although the price is much more than that of a MacDonald meal, it is actually quite equivalent to a Burger King Meal, unless you order the hotplate. All in all, it is just a decent place to go once in a while.