The husband and I visit the IKEA store at least once a month since we got our new house last year as it seems like there is always something for us to buy there. Either it’s kitchen equipment/gadget for me or some DIY stuff for him. And each time we are there, we’d sure dine at the IKEA restaurant too.
“Do you think IKEA’s food is good?” the husband asked when we left the house.
“Not really.” I replied without hesitating.
So what draws us there every time? The low prices? The convenience? Actually I’m not sure myself.
Probably it’s the familiarity of the environment as IKEA is a brand I grew up with. I remembered the days when my aunt would bring me and my granny to IKEA Alexandra and I’d be happily ‘trying out’ all the sofas in the showroom while enjoying the lovely air-conditioning. There was just so much to see, so much space to run around and so many new stuffs to discover. IKEA is a place with happy memories for me.
For September/October, IKEA had introduced some new dishes to the menu and here’s a glimpse of what we had for dinner…
Spicy Salmon Plate $4.00 (promo price)
I’m an all-time big fan of smoked salmon and the special sweet spicy chilli sauce that comes with this is just to die for! I’ve always eaten smoked salmon plain but this is even better. Sweet, spicy, sour, tangy. All flavours blended together, tingling the different taste buds on your tongue and making you crave for more. Definitely a huge surprise that IKEA could whip up something as delectable as this. Please have this in the regular menu, IKEA!
Roasted Pork Ribs with Fries $9.90
First time I see roasted pork ribs being served here. Since so many people have ordered this and also eating with their hands, I am convinced it should be finger-licking good. And to our delight, it is really quite tasty. The meat is tender and falls off the bone easily. The BBQ sauce used is flavoursome. It’s really a good slab of ribs indeed.
Fish & Chips $5.50
Nothing much to rave about. The fish simply tastes like frozen processed food, deep-fried to crisp. The flavour is quite alright but the batter is just too thick. I actually like the chips better, lol.
Fried Chicken Wings $7.50 for 6 pieces
The reason why I say these wings are as good as Grandma’s is because they are fried the same way as how my Granny used to do. Sometimes I get a little emotional when eating these wings because they remind me of Granny. The images of her being busy in the kitchen and frying big, juicy chicken wings in her large wok just keeps coming back. She went through all that trouble just to give me a treat. That was one of the few moments of love and warmth I felt when growing up in that house. I haven’t had her chicken wings for like 20 years and I really really miss them. And these IKEA wings are just the closest I can get.
Hot and crispy on the outside. Fried to perfection to a lovely dark brown (close to almost charred). The inside is juicy and moist. Dip them in chilli sauce, it’s just heavenly.
I will be back even if the restaurant only sells fried chicken. For as long as I remember my story of Granny’s chicken wings.
IKEA Alexandra
317 Alexandra Road
Website
Open: 8.00am to 10.00pm daily (last order at 9.30pm)