Santap — an undiscovered Halal Cafe hidden in Singapore

Halal cafes are hard to find, and a good one, even harder. There was once when I asked a few Malay friends to recommend Halal eateries that sold memorable food. Sad to say, the number of options could barely make up the number of fingers in one hand. From the brains and brawn behind (working title), Afterwit and The Mad Sailors, Santap [Pronounce: sahn-tap] is The Black Hole Group's inaugural foray into the Little India enclave. With indoor and al fresco spaces which are perfect for lounging or dining, Santap's offerings are also good for those on-the-go.

Summary of Santap Review

Ambience: 8/10
Hygiene: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Food: 7/10
Value for money: 8/10
Payment methods: Cash, Credit Card & NETS

The cafe is literally located by the roadside and is part of a hotel. We were there in the evening to experience dining in light and in darkness. Surprisingly, there were not a lot of people for a Friday evening. Decorations in the cafe were garden-themed minimalist, with pot plants hanging over white-washed doors. The chairs were made up of symmetrical wires and the tables are of a strong, sturdy wood.

Cafe signage

Cafe menu

Cafe window

Cafe al fresco dining

SHRIMP RICE BOWL — S$15

Made with cauliflower florets and wholegrain brown rice, the shrimp rice bowl features four large prawns topped with alfalfa, red daikon, spinach, Avocado, butter beans, pineapple, white radish and garlic butter. It was a generous portion, enough to be shared between two people. The dish was naturally flavoured from the multitude of ingredients, hence it did not taste as rich or as salty as other cafes would have done it. This is what makes the dish so remarkable, truly a 'healthier choice'.

CHUCK MEATBALLS — S$15

Mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, tomato ragu, ciabatta

It's a pretty simple dish — and I thought that it was quite overpriced for the item above. I could get 3 sandwiches from Starbucks for that! Visually, it didn't look very astounding and the taste did not seem to come together nicely. However, the meatballs were really juicy and flavourful. Hopefully, they will be more generous with the cheese so that it can cover every inch of the ciabatta.

Santap Address: 16 Madras Street, Singapore 208413, Rochor MRT (Exit B)

Santa Opening Hours

Monday to Friday: 12pm to 10pm

Saturday to Sunday: 11am to 10pm

Email: ask@santap.sg
Contact: +65 8245 6284