Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Turkish food is quite a common sight at hawker centres these days, but Algerian cuisine? Now, that you don’t see every day. Located in Golden Mile Food Centre, 2-month-old Maremyst is operated by Algerian owner, Yaqub, and his Singaporean wife, Nora.
If you’re scratching your head at what Algerian dishes are like, here’s a little introduction: It’s situated in North Africa along the Mediterranean coast. Thus, its dishes are centred around olive oil, veggies, as well as meats that are spiced with spices like harissa, cumin, and coriander.
Yaqub is an Algerian-trained chef and pastry specialist with extensive experience in his home country’s hospitality and restaurant scene. For the last 5 years, he has called Singapore home, bringing his unique skill set to various local kitchens and immersing himself in the city’s vibrant food scene.
He prepares his food with olive oil and tries his utmost best to use good quality ingredients. The menu offers Algerian rice bowls such as Mutton Stew Rice Bowl (S$8) and Chermoula Chicken Rice Bowl (S$8). During my chef days, it was part of my job to make the chermoula (or charmoula) paste from scratch for the marination of the buffet’s kebab meats. And ladies and gentlemen, it’s NOT an easy process!
Potato lovers can also enjoy the Cheesy Chicken Mashed Potato Bowl (S$8). Those looking for lighter options can get the Chicken Quesadilla (S$8).
For those that are wondering why Yaqub is serving Italian Classic Tiramisu (S$5) at his stall, that’s because its his favourite dessert.
“Algerian dishes draw plenty of influence from Italy due to our history and geographical location,” he shares. Beyond the classics, customers can also pre-order his Flavoured Tiramisu (S$6) in flavours like Mango and Matcha by sending a WhatApp message to +65 8901 9722 a day before.
For unique hawker fare, visit Maremyst for a taste of Algerian culture.
86 Lor Mee: $4 Bowls of delicious lor mee loaded with fried chicken cutlet, ebi prawns & ngoh hiang
