Wilder – Halal Cafe Serves Delicious Food

Mariem and I stumbled upon this tiny halal restaurant after two hours of walking around Bugis and Bendemeer area looking for J’s (closed for dinner preparation) and Le Bistro Parisien (it has closed down). 

The cafe is decked out in industrial design, giving the place a spacious yet homely feel.

Wilder has a small menu of 6 starters, 4 salads and 7 mains plus one surprise main. I would definitely have chosen the “Surprise!” item if I had seen it because I loved being surprised by something the chef creates with what he/she has on hand. I am definitely going to order the “Surprise!” the next time I am here.

Desserts include cakes and scones. Drinks include the usual coffee drinks such as cappuccino and latte, plus a few mojitos.  

I am sorry to say this but the Iced Chocolate is just about the worst drink I have ever drunk, even the iced milo served at coffee shops taste much better than this. This is a super-super-super run-down drink. It is tasteless. To say that I am disappointed is an understatement; the word I am going for would be “horrified”.

Virgin Mojito is a non-alcoholic drink that is made with ginger ale, lime juice, sugar syrup and mint leaves. Sweet and icy cold with a strong hint of minty freshness, it is the perfect drink for the humid weather of Singapore.

I have never seen Salted Egg Taters in a halal restaurant and it was surprisingly good. The fries are crispy and nicely wrapped in salted egg batter. However, if it were me, I would drop the Parmesan cheese because it masks the salted egg.

Wilder’s Beef Burger with Homemade Buns is Wilder’s version of the classic beef burger. 

Wilder’s Take on Squid Ink with Tagliatelle is Wilder’s version of the classic squid ink pasta. Tagliatelle, a traditional long and flat pasta, is used in place of the more commonly used spaghetti. There is a hint of sweetness which sets it apart. The pasta is a little over-cooked.

We are so lucky to get the last slice of Chocolate Caramel Tart. It is everything I want in a dessert – sticky, gooey, sweet, chocolate and caramel. It was served cold, I wonder how it will taste like if served warm?

Muslim friends will be happy to know that Wilder is halal-certified so you can indulge to your heart’s content without having to worry.