Northsiders, rejoice! Papa’s Skewer Bar is a new food joint in Woodgrove that serves delicious skewered foods with unique marinades, amazing homemade green chilli sauce, and free-flow teriyaki sauce.
With skewers such as bacon-wrapped quail eggs and beef slices wrapped around wedges of brie cheese at affordable prices, you’ll be able to satisfy your meat and cheese cravings all the way till 3am every day.
Located in Woodgrove Food Place which is a short bus ride from Woodlands Interchange, Papa’s Skewer Bar is a great dinner and supper spot. Also, students and NSFs have more reasons to visit as you’ll get a 10% discount here!
When it was time to order, we got one of nearly everything. There was quite a lot to choose from, especially in the meat section. Papa’s Skewer Bar offers all sorts of meats, such as chicken, duck, pork, beef, and lamb.
The stall also serves various items wrapped in bacon — think asparagus, pineapples, mushrooms, and quail eggs. The picture above is of the very juicy and sweet-savoury Bacon Pineapple ($1.80).
Other items on the menu include vegetables, which all sell for $1.20 a stick, and seafood options such as salmon, scallop, and a whole squid.
There are so many things I loved at Papa’s Skewer Bar, but one of the things you absolutely must-order is the Sirloin Beef Wrapped Cheese ($2.70). This is the priciest meat item on the menu, and for a good reason too.
The brie was rich and creamy while the beef that encases it infuses it with its meaty flavours when grilled.
It was easy to wolf down three to four of the Sirloin Beef Wrapped Cheese without realising it. To pace yourself a little bit, get the Potato (Baby) ($1.20). These roasted potatoes are cooked beforehand, so they end up being fluffy inside, with crispy potato skins.
Each type of skewer at Papa’s Skewer Bar has its own unique and secret marinade that makes it so good. These potatoes were buttered in some sort of herb or garlic butter probably, giving it a palatable aroma while retaining the earthy taste.
If you love ham, be sure to get the Ham Wrapped Cheese ($2.70). A crowd favourite, these rolls of thick and succulent ham were pretty good.
Similar to the beef skewers, these contain wedges of brie cheese. I really liked the beef more, but it may be subjective, so be sure to try both.
For a slightly more healthy option, get the Bacon Asparagus ($1.80). These babies were the perfect combination and were just as tasty as the Bacon Enoki Mushroom ($1.80).
Papa’s Skewer Bar uses layers of streaky bacon, creating a thick and juicy meat roll that holds the asparagus together.
The Mushroom (Shiitake) ($1.20) at Papa’s Skewer Bar was really remarkable. It may have been the best shiitake mushroom I’ve had. As we cooked this after all the meat was done, the mushrooms were roasted in plenty of the fats from the meats that we had grilled.
Also, the mushrooms were incredibly tender and easy to bite through. Served piping hot and smothered in the tasty homemade green chilli sauce, I highly recommend this.
We also loved the Smoked Beef Sausage (6 Inches) ($3.80). The skin was crispy and chewy, while the inside was tender and charred as we cooked it after cutting it up.
The Smoked Duck Breast (Sliced) ($2) was another crowd favourite that we were told to try. Though it tasted good, it was a little dry. I recommend ordering the Chicken Mid Wing instead. Priced at only $1.30 and marinated with rosemary and other herbs, this juicy wing is sure to have you hooked.
We ended the meal with a large slab of squid, at $5. Though it was a little pricey, it’s worth it if you love squid.
It was very well-marinated and charred to perfection (though the latter really depends on your cooking skills). I could taste the savoury and tart flavour of the marinade that had seeped into the squid itself, instead of just coating the outside.
There were other seafood options available, such as salmon, prawns, and scallops. However, their portion sizes were notably lesser than the meats which were roughly the same price for a larger portion. It makes sense though, as seafood is generally more pricey.
For more value, get the Shishamo Fish ($1.30) that is quite literally pregnant with flavour as its small body is filled with fish roe. Otherwise, I think you would get the most value for your money by spamming the meats and bacon-wrapped items.
Papa’s Skewer Bar is worth visiting not just for the cheap prices, but also the effort that goes into making unique marinades that complement each skewer perfectly. Any food that I didn’t like as much (I have always disliked mushrooms) tasted amazing somehow, with the addition of the homemade green chilli sauce.
Though Papa’s Skewer Bar is very new to the scene, they are doing a really great job with their food. There’s plenty to try, and you won’t be disappointed with the food choice and taste. Be sure to drop by after 11pm or before 6pm to avoid the dinner crowd.
Expected damage: $1 – $2 per skewer, $15 – $20 per pax
