When the announcement of Badoque was closing was out on Instagram, I had to book it with my friends to eat there one last time.
It had been there for 18 years at Simpang Bedok and on 15 September 2024, it is set to close.
Yes, this post is not really a review post unless you’re from the future, you read this and had a time machine to go back to taste all the good restaurants in Singapore before it closed.
Being one of the first famous Halal western/fusion restaurants in Singapore, Badoque had been so iconic in the East side.
This is their mojito and their cups were really jug sized and value for money.
You need to understand, this wasn’t a thing amongst restaurants back then when it started. Having a huge cup that was more like a jug for a whole drink and at such affordable prices? Mixing sodas were also not a thing when it was first released.
You either get a drink that’s just a soda not a mocktail and definitely not at these sizes in regular restaurants.
Kepak bing bing. It’s a pun on the sound you get when you play the kompang. And kepak is ‘wing’ in Malay. It’s a spicy chicken wings appetizer that goes really well with that squeeze of lime on it.
Breaded oysters. Can you guys tell me where else can I get breaded oysters at a reasonable price now? And done well with their chilli sauce and just a bit of a salad and lemon squeeze for bit of acidity.
There was once we thought “Huh, breaded oysters, maybe it won’t be that much, let’s get two” and it was too much because we ordered other appetizers too for the group. We didn’t think it was going to be a lot but as most of the Badoque’s menu.
The portions are always just so generous.
I ordered a lamb shank because their beef ribs were already sold out by the time we were there. According to the server, everyone had heard of the announcement and had booked it to Badoque.
We were going on a weekday evening so I would imagine the last few days and even last day to be the busiest for goodbyes.
Maybe we can’t order again, but I’ll always remember this lamb shank to have the most delightful sauce with the lamb shank itself being so soft and tender. You didn’t need a knife, you can even use a spoon with it.
Lamb Bukhari is another lamb shank but with rice and the sauce. Can you see how portions are big and the TASTE was always flavourful with spices and the chef knows how to have it all balanced with just a bit of acidity too with the fattiness of the meats.
Other stuff we ordered was Lamb Bamia (comes with a lot of bread for their sauces), breaded chicken steak and fish and chips. Mind you, even their fish and chips weren’t the regular ones but 4 individually breaded fried fish. None of that tasteless sutchi fish either.
So howlah.
They have such high quality food and drinks.
All I can say is thank you for the memories.
Food places in Singapore, when they’re good, they’re good but they always seem to have an end either due to rental prices or life or anything.
But it just means we should always appreciate it when they are there.
If you do actually have a time travel machine, I think it’s your mission to try out all the hawker shops and restaurants that have closed in Singapore. Badoque should be in one of the lists.
After all, I don’t think visiting food places would make too much of a difference in the time continuum, would it…?