[SG] Rokeby | chill out spot along Jalan Riang

Saturday, January 18, 2014


Hidden in the ulu corner of Serangoon area, I was pretty shocked to see the stretch of Jalan Riang packed on a rainy weekday night, and scarce on parking lots. Possibly more known with Wimbly Lu and The Cajun Kings, Rokeby is hidden right at the end of the stretch.


With a pretty appetising menu and an absolutely famished company, we made our orders chop-chop and they all came pretty fast, much to our delight!

Vegemite Glazed Chicken S$11.90/-

The smell of this was irresistible with a savory touch and fresh crisp chicken drizzled with thick vegemite. Only upon my first mouthful did I realise that vegemite is the same as marmite, just that this was more on the savory side while marmite has a tinge of sweetness and is slightly stickier. It was a decent one though not the best for sure. I would have preferred my chicken drumlets on the crispy harder side, while this was more of the crispy crumbly type. It also got a bit soggy too fast, probably with the vegemite drizzled on top for too long. The closest I can think of that does chicken with sauces well is probably Four Fingers, with the crispy layer intact!

Verdict: 7.0/10

Truffle Shoestring Fries S$8.90/-

This was just an average one with too little truffle oil in my opinion, though my friend who said truffle tastes like petroleum found this to her liking.

My friends who’ve been eating with me have complained that I keep ordering this everywhere I go! :P I’m still on the lookout for good truffle fries that can hit my top 3 list, so let me know your personal favourite!

Verdict: 6.5/10

Rokeby Chilli Mussels S$19.90/-

Served in a pot of spiciness, it comes with sliced bread to complete your meal, just in case the portion might sound too little. Just as its name suggests, it was indeed quite a fiery one and quite numbing that it almost masked the taste of the mussels if you’d dipped in any more of the sauce. I thought it could be a bit fresher for the mussels itself, though it’s still a decent one given how strong the sauce was. Good for the spicy lovers, though we find it just a tad too watery as a dip for the accompanying bread.

Verdict: 7.0/10

Mushroom Aglio Olio S$14.90/-

Cooked al dente and thankfully not oil laden like most aglio olios, the pasta was done pretty well. If you’re looking for some shiok spicy-satisfaction, this would be the one for you. Though for us, this was just too spicy that we can’t even taste the mushroom or any others in fact. Our friend enjoyed this though, with the subtle spiciness slowly growing to a shiok one for her!

Verdict: 7.0/10

Prawn Risotto S$18.90/-

While the previous two were too spicy, this was just lacking in flavours. Bland even though we’d tried this first, it lacked any resemblance of seafood, until you’ve had a bite of the prawns itself to taste it. Plus, this was overcooked that it tasted more like ‘Mui Fan’ than risotto. Quite a disappointing one for us!

Verdict: 6.0/10

Spaghetti Carbonara S$15.90/-

A friendly tip when it was served, you can actually add tabasco if it’s too creamy! I loved the strong bacon taste in it, just that it really was too creamy for our palates. Rich and flavourful, it’s probably a hit if you like strong flavoured dishes. It got a bit jelat for us and adjusting the creaminess certainly wasn’t easy!

Verdict: 6.5/10

The Kangasaurus S$22.90/-

This seemed the most exciting from its menu, with Kangaroo meat and cranberry sauce. Sounds pretty much like a Christmas-y dish! Recommended to be done medium rare, it was quite a dish that I was anticipating. Surprised that the kangaroo meat came in slices rather than a patty, it seemed like a pretty small portion initially, only to realise that it’s super filling with the bun and fries!

Well, there was honestly nothing worth raving about kangaroo meat, as it just tasted like your usual beef, just a tad leaner. Cooked to medium rare, it was nicely done, though we found it served too cold that it didn’t seem like it came straight from the grill. The cranberry sauce was a nice complement, with just a tinge of sweetness. I loved the buns though, that were nicely toasted to a crisp outside while the insides remained warm, delish! Though the main highlight was nothing fanciful, the combination was still a decent one.

Verdict: 7.0/10

Flat White S$5/-

A pretty coffee art is half the battle won, at least to me. An elaborate one on a flat white, that’s caught my attention! I loved how the flavour was a robust one coming through, and lingered for quite a while. Good enough to feel the kick coming in, though I find it too sour for my liking. While the first few sips were great, the acidity came through a little too strong as it settled. Not the best cup for me, though my friend thought it was a good one for her as she tends to like her coffee with that slight acidity to it.

Verdict: 7.0/10


It's probably a nice spot to hang out after work or over the weekend for some brunch, though I felt that the food was just pedestrian to speak of. I loved the ambience and how it wasn't crowded like most cafes are (or at least when I went on a weekday night), though the location and how hard it is to find parking there might turn some people off. 

Rokeby
15-9 Jalan Riang, Serangoon
Tel: 9106 0437

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