It's back! Deli-Vege (now known as Thousand Vegie) was probably one of the most well known vegetarian restaurants in Singapore a few years ago. Sadly it closed down, and was seemingly gone for good. Thankfully, it has now been resurrected in the form of a hawker centre stall, offering all the signature dishes that the restaurant was famed for. So lets find out how this newly reincarnated Deli-Vege is doing...
Thousand VegieLocation: 335 Smith Street, #02-122, Chinatown Complex
Contact: 82876056
Opening Hours: Daily 11.30am - 9.30pmFor those who are familiar with the old Deli-Vege/Thousand Vegie menu, then you will be able to pick out and remember all your favourite dishes. The menu is more or less the same, which is fantastic news, as I was worried they might have 'dumbed down' their menu and become a more conventional vegetarian hawker centre stall. Old favourites like DFC, Shi-Lin Fried 'Chi-ken', Claypot Rice, and Hainanese 'Chi-ken' Rice are all back. This menu is also incredibly vegan-friendly, with only two dishes on the entire menu containing dairy (French Fries with Cheese and Baked Rice with Mushroom).
Without a doubt, the dish I remember most fondly from the Deli-Vege days was the
DFC. This is a vegetarian version of a typical meal one might expect at KFC. I was pleased to find out that the dish I enjoyed so much from the past, has not changed that much. The components for the dish are all more of less the same. With the two delectable pieces of mock meat still being as crispy, light and juicy as ever. This dish used to cost $10.90 back in the restaurant days, but of course that price would not be accepted in a hawker centre environment, so it is good to see the price has been adjusted. If you're looking for an awesome vegetarian Western dish, then this may be one of the best you can find in Singapore.
Price: $6.00. 9/10The stall owner recommend that their
Original Claypot Rice is a particular favourite with regular customers, so without hesitation I order that next. My biggest gripe with claypot dishes is that many eateries
don't cook the food in the claypot. So I was delighted to find that the Thousand Vegie version has really been cooked inside. This makes such a big difference, as the entire texture and aroma of the dishes alters when it is cooked inside the claypot. The most significant advantage of cooking in the claypot is the burnt rice at the bottom of the pot. Don't eat too much of it, as it is hardly good for the health. But this burnt rice is a particular guilty pleasure of mine, which I had not indulged in for a long time. Fantastic aroma and flavour, and brilliant value for money.
Price: $4.50. 9/10The last dish that came to our table was the
Thai Style Green Curry. This dish was the most expensive one that we ordered, and unfortunately was the least impressive. Starting with the positives, the ingredients inside (eggplant, mock meat, ladyfingers) were fried separately before being added to the curry, which gave the ingredients good texture and flavour. The negative to this dish is the curry base. The curry was significantly lacking in seasoning and flavour - Especially salt. I also found that the curry was a little too diluted and thin. Thus, not having the rich texture that a good green curry typically has. A bit of a downer to end the meal, but the other two dishes were excellent.
Price: $7.00. 5/10
Conclusion - In the past, I have been somewhat critical of Deli-Vege/Thousand Vegie, but I was genuinely excited and delighted when I discovered they were back in business. I was highly impressed with the DFC and claypot, which were two of the most excellent dishes I've had in a while. I actually like this new hawker centre setting, but I just wonder if having a restaurant style menu (and pricing) may lead people to choose other more boring 'conventional' stalls in the vicinity. For myself, I'll definitely be returning here regularly for my beloved DFC.Overall RatingFood - 8/10Ambiance- 7/10 Service - 7/10 Value - 6/10
