Be Shiok-ed!

According to Urban Dictionary, the word "Shiok" is commonly used in Malaysia and Singapore to convey a feeling of sheer pleasure and happiness. It's usually used in the context of food. And when you visit Shiok restaurant in The Fort, it's the exact feeling that you can expect -- to be pleasured and happy.

I've always been interested in hawker-style dining that's deeply ingrained in Singaporean culture, and Shiok had a good attempt to bring this experience to Manila and remain well within your budget.

When it comes to Singaporean cuisine, Hainanese Chicken is always top of mind. I think Shiok's Hainanese Chicken comes pretty close to being authentic. From the tender chicken strips to my favorite chili, ginger and hoisin sauces, to the soup and even the rice, this was a very satisfying meal.

The complete Hainanese Chicken meal (P 245)

A closer look at the chicken

The yummy sauces

Their Char Kway Teow likewise did not disappoint. It had firm flat rice noodles, beansprouts, chorizo, and other various ingredients that blended nicely together in the Char Kway Teow's savory sauce. The serving is good enough to be shared by two.

Char Kway Teow (P 160)

C was excited to give the Baked Luncheon Meat Curry a try. After all, you can never go wrong with luncheon meat. I'm not a big fan of curry so I just took a bite. While C was raving about it, I thought it was fairly decent. Again, I'm a bit biased, but I probably wouldn't be ordering this for myself.

Baked Luncheon Meat Curry (P 160)

And of course, what really made our meal perfect and complete was Shiok's Milo Dinosaur. I don't think this drink needs much explanation. All I can say is that whoever invented this drink deserves to be recognized. It's pure genius.

Milo Dinosaur (P 60)

So, were we filled with sheer pleasure and happiness after dining in Shiok? I believe so! For what we paid for, I think we got more than our money's worth.

THE GOURMANDE'S SCORE: 4 out of 5 - A budget friendly Singaporean dining experience

Shiok is located in The Fort, Taguig city, inside the parking lot beside the Shell Station along 32nd street.