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Singapore Management University (SMU) is no strange place to Singaporeans, as it’s one of the country’s best-known universities. But have you ever heard of going there just to eat? Kunyah Cafe in SMU made me want to do just that!
Kunyah Cafe is a food kiosk run by Fortitude Culina, a social enterprise whose mission is to provide opportunities for visually impaired chefs in Singapore and the ASEAN region. A moving ideology, in my opinion. To show my support for this compelling movement, I went to Kunyah Cafe to try out what they had to offer.
The location took me round in circles for quite a good while, so let me save you the trouble! Kunyah Cafe is tucked away in SMU’s School of Computing and Information Systems 2. Looking at the menu, I was rather intrigued by the local Singaporean flavours in some of the dishes. Of course, I ordered with some help.
With enthusiasm, the cashier helped me finalise my choice of the Crispy Chicken Rendang Sando (S$6.90) and the Grilled Chicken Rendang Rice (S$7.20). Each main course came with a free packet drink, isn’t that neat?
In the sando was a huge chicken cutlet with a layer of lettuce and omelette. The signage on the menu signage was not kidding when it said their sandos would satisfy hunger with ease.
The bread was fluffy from the first bite, as a sando should be. With an audible crunch, the inside revealed a chicken that had absorbed all the flavour of the marinade. If the chicken cutlet was ever sold as an individual item, I would be thrilled!
You are guaranteed to fall in love with Kunyah Cafe’s rendang spread if you like spicy food. The finely chopped ginger and a touch of heat came with every bite. As someone who cannot tolerate a lot of spiciness, I was able to tolerate this sandwich just fine, so no worries for spice intolerant people.
As for the Grilled Chicken Rendang Rice, I loved that there were different components like vegetables and an omelette along with the protein. There are few places where you can get cai peng portions at such a price.
The S$7.20 price tag didn’t detract from the quality either, as the cabbage and omelette were well seasoned. I appreciated the vegetables’ crunchiness and they weren’t too soft for my taste.
Both main dishes were incredibly filling for me. And it seems like the team behind Kunyah Cafe anticipated that some would have a hard time eating it all, because they packed the dishes in takeaway packaging. Props to the team for quickly adapting to their market!
It is no small feat to cook while having visual difficulties, and even more so as an occupation. Thus, coming here is now an experience I will never forget, as they have proven to have the full capability to cook food for many to enjoy. If you are hanging around SMU, Kunyah Cafe would be a great place to grab some affordable grub!
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