Pondok Daun Upeh – Challenge Yourself with a XL Cheese Roti John

A video publicizing the arrival of  a very special Roti John XL Cheese Tarik ($7.50) grabbed our attention, and we knew we had to try it!

Pondok Daun Upeh Restaurant is the proud creator of this dish. The Muslim-owned eatery puts their own cheesy spin on the classic roti john, transforming it into an Instagram-worthy delight.

Now, it’s time to take a bite, and judge beyond its cheesy facade. Sandwiched between the soft bread is a medley of minced chicken, omelette, mushroom bits, chopped onions and, of course, cheese. Sadly, the supposed XL size of their roti john resembles more like an M. Get ready and say cheese as you pull apart the bread to reveal melty and stringy cheese!

Each bite is a tasty mix that is enhanced by the generous addition of chilli sauce and mayonnaise. The gooey cheese also lends a punch of saltiness. However, the taste of the cheese becomes easily forgettable after you’ve eaten it for long enough. The food might not have lived up to the hype, but it’s still worth a try. Share it with a friend or two for supper.

Now that we have your attention, we’ll feature the true star of Pondok Daun Upeh – the Mee Racun ($7)! Available only after 3 pm, the mee racun is essentially maggi noodles cooked in a sweet and spicy red sauce. You can find a bone steak, some beef slices, as well as a slice of an egg. What’s unique is that the whole dish is served in a fibrous leaf bowl made from opeh (betel nut).

I love everything bright red because that means it’s going to be spicy! True enough, the sauce leaves your tongue tingling. Each strand of noodle is well coated with the thick sauce and it did look really promising. Unfortuately, the sauce was pretty bland. The bone steak also barely had any meat, so it rendered the dish less than satisfying. The only saving grace is the tender beef slices.

Call me slow, but it only hit me later that the the shop is named after their unique plating style (Daun Upeh means opeh leaf). In conclusion, I feel that their mee racun could use a little work. Once again, note that the mee racun is available only after 3 pm. If you come before that, there are breakfast items and nasi padang available. 

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Pondok Daun Upeh. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!