Tulang, the cholesterol-laden bone marrow dish commonly associated with 24-hour Indian Muslim joints, goes upscale at Tash Tish Tosh.
The halal diner, which serves American food with an Asian twist, opened in the Bugis neighbourhood in December last year, after moving there from Simpang Bedok. When it opened in 2013, it was located in Onan Road.
The Tash Toolang ($14.90) arrives in an unassuming, heavy brown pot. But removing the cover reveals three pieces of mutton bone neatly stacked on top of one another.
Besides the price and the air-conditioned comfort in which you are dining, the difference from the coffee-shop variety of tulang is immediately apparent. Instead of being a radioactive orange, the tulang is a luscious brown, like a stewed lamb shank.
Again, unlike the intimidatingly large bone shaft of the coffee-shop version, the bone here is cut shorter, but the meat is generous and fall-off-the-bone tender.
If you prefer the gelatinous marrow, you will be disappointed. Since the bone shaft is shorter, there is little to glean from it. That said, the gravy is the highlight of the dish. It has a mild spice kick and is both sweet and savoury, wonderful with the four pieces of parmesan bread served alongside it.
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TASH TISH TOSH
50 Kandahar Street, tel: 8714-86 77;
open: 11.30am to 11pm (Sundays to Thursdays), 11.30am to midnight (Fridays and Saturdays)
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
The regular white bread served with sup tulang in coffee shops would have done the job just as well.
The gravy is so good that it is served with other dishes on the menu, namely the sirloin ($19.90), ribeye ($27.90) and Tashooka ($10.90), a version of a shakshouka (eggs poached in tomato sauce).
While it is impossible to eat the dish in a graceful way, a small but significant plus is the fact that your fingers do not end up stained orange by the end of the meal.
Before washing your hands, order another, equally hands-on dish - the Bomb Buffalo Wings ($9.90).
The variation on the American classic has juicy meat and a battered, deep-fried outer layer that remains crispy even though it is smothered with a flavourful, sambal-like sauce.
The restaurant also offers sandwiches ($8.90), pasta (from $10.90) and meat dishes (from $14.90).
