The Canteen Review: Ikea-Inspired Cafe Serving Meatballs And Fried Chicken Wings At Orchard

And what keeps most of us returning is their signature Swedish meatballs, which are nearly impossible to find elsewhere. I was therefore surprised when I chanced upon The Canteen , which seemed to borrow a leaf out of IKEA’s book with their Swedish meatballs and minimalist interior.

Food at The Canteen Strictly speaking, their Meatballs With Housemade Sauce ($6.90) doesn’t qualify as Swedish meatballs. That being said, the myriad of flavours packed within their meatballs were reminiscent of those found in IKEA.

Interestingly, I in addition detected caramelised accents of onions, which lightened the robust taste of the meat. For a richer tang, the meatballs were prepared with a higher meat to fat ratio, which in turn contributed to a flakier consistency.

The brown gravy was another nice touch, as its savoury kick married nicely with the potatoey sweetness of the mash. These meatballs formed part of their Western-centric menu, which in addition impressed with mains such as Grilled Salmon With Dill Sauce ($7.90) and Chicken Cutlet ($6.90) . Per to The crowning glory was their dill sauce, which, depth to the salmon with its creamy tang.

The crust of the fried chicken was also peppered with black patches, suggesting a touch of black pepper. Unfortunately, I felt they could have been more liberal with the seasoning, as the bland meat was punctured by faint whiffs of spiciness. Unlike their chicken cutlet, their Fried Chicken Wings ($6/$12) were tender and succulent.

With their golden-brown and thinly coated crust, these wings reminded me of Arnold’s Fried Chicken . Arnold’s Fried Chicken Review: Still The Best Homegrown Halal Fried Chicken Chain Their fried chicken brought an inexplicable feeling of deja vu, as I was hooked by the decadent combination of salt, pepper, and luxurious chicken fats.

The relish supplied a blend of savoury and sweet flavours – hinting the addition of sweet onions – which highlighted the natural goodness of the meat. Ambience at The Canteen Just like its sleek and clutter-free interior, The Canteen encourages you to cast your worries aside once you walk through its doors.

Admittedly, there are certain elements of the cafe which seem to imitate IKEA. To dismiss The Canteen as an IKEA wannabe would be to ignore its retro charm.

The IKEA-inspired interior and menu by extension reflect the cafe’s vision of providing cheap and good food in a comfortable setting. And with its wallet-friendly rates – considering its central location – The Canteen is an ideal rest stop to recharge after a long shopping marathon at Orchard.

If you are a fan of minimalism, check out our these 10 minimalist cafes , which will pander to your inner Marie Kondo with their chic design.