Tamba

It is not often that you get to savour African cuisine and as a foodie, I am always open to trying new cuisines so when my friend gathered us for dinner at Tamba, I immediately said Yes

Nestled along the shophouse at Neil Road, Tamba stands out from the rest of the cafes and restaurants with its unique and eye-catching exteriors. Covered in frayed Jute rope cords dangling from the ceiling along the entire walkway, the restaurant is shrouded by a sense of mystery

Dining here is strictly by reservation only and is split into 2 different dining times. The first-level lobby has an artsy vibe with a cave-like texture on the walls and stairs. We were asked to wait downstairs while the customers from the 1st seating exited. Once the area was cleared, we were led up the narrow textured stairway to be transported into a different world

The seating per time slot is very limited with only 20 diners, about 5 to 6 tables available. Customers can stay behind at the bar for after-dinner drinks as well if they wish to hang around after their dinner slot. The dining hall is pretty dark so there is plenty of privacy for each table and the space between each table is just right. The space is decorated in a very exotic manner with eclectic items bringing in the African influence. There are only 2 set meals for choice or you can order the a la carte menu

The difference between the 2 menus is only 1 dish, the Akara or the Pepper soup, and pricing is just SGD10 apart. You get 2 starters, 1 main, 1 carbohydrate and 1 dessert. For mains, you can choose between a grilled catch of the day or grilled meat of the day. The menus are changed regularly and they currently only have 1 menu priced at SGD 138

We ordered cocktails on the side as well which were pretty refreshing. I had the Zobo, a non-alcoholic drink mixed with passionfruit, orange, ginger and hibiscus. Priced at SGD 18, the drink is priced like the regular alcoholic drinks in bars. My friend ordered The Next Pele just for the cute design and it cost SGD 30 which is a very steep price. The Next Pele contains ingredients like Cachaca, Tamarind, Long Pepper, and Lime and is alcoholic thus the higher price point. In terms of taste, I do like my Zobo better for the refreshing flavours

The first dish served was the Tapalapa which is an African-styled baguette with house-made goat’s milk ricotta served with house-smoked bacon butter and house-smoked honey. Interestingly, the bread and butter was served on a cast iron flat pan which is a basic ware used in African cooking. The bread was crispy and warm with a slightly dry inside which was perfect with the bacon butter and honey which gave the bread moisture and depth in flavours. The goat’s milk ricotta had a strong cheese flavour which was not one of my favourite

The next 2 dishes are the Akara which is Black-eyed Pea Fritters served with Smoked Fish Chili on the SGD 118 menu and the Pepper Soup which is soup made from offals, seasonal seafood and orange habanero on the SGD 138 menu. The black-eyed pea fritters are nicely fried and crispy on the outside and grainy inside. On its own, it was pretty normal but the sauce gave it a nice kick and flavour elevation. For the soup, it was indeed peppery in flavour which reminded me of the Singapore Bak Kut Teh but with a light lobster bisque flavour. I did not dare to try the offal but no strong flavours were affecting the soup since the peppery flavours covered up most of the taste of the ingredients

For mains, as I really wanted to try both the grilled prawn and squid, the servers were very nice to help me do half of the main course for both options. Instead of 2 prawns, I was served 1 grilled prawn and a plate of grilled squid. Both prawn and squid were served with an onion sambal sauce which is quite Asian in flavour. The fleshy prawn was sweet and paired well with the sauce while the squid was tender and soft. My friends had beef which was served with a minty sauce that complemented the meats well. They were saying the beef was grilled well and perfect on the doneness

The 2nd last dish on the menu was the Sinyea Jollof Rice which is made of sofrito, sakura chicken, smoked fish and smoked pork belly bits. The flavour reminded me of Cantonese clay pot rice with a softer texture rice. The rice tasted good with bits of salty bacon which gave the dish additional umami depth

The last dish on the menu was the dessert and they were cardamom coconut yoghurt, chewy ginger, pistachio, and coconut ice cream. The coconut ice cream was nutty and creamy while the yoghurt was more earthy. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the dessert due to the mix of the flavours but fans of cardamon and ginger would find it nice

As a bonus, my friend who did not like the dishes on the fixed menu ordered a la carte grilled lobster which was priced based on seasonal market value. She had quite a medium-sized one and it was grilled with cheese and had a nice smokey flavour. The dish also came with a peanut-based sauce which she did not use with the lobster

Overall, the dishes were quite beautifully done with some of them boasting familiar local flavours and some of them with exotic African influence. The service and atmosphere were great and I do like the secrecy of the experience. The price is quite hefty and IK would probably visit when I am feeling rich and wish to try something different

Address: 101 Duxton Rd, Singapore 089964

Opening hours: 6 pm to 11.30 pm ( closed on Sunday and Monday)