D’life Bistro and Cafe – Beauty World
There is a consistent eatery boom in Singapore. With addition of new stations and MRT lines, this trend is bound to continue. ‘Beauty World’ is one such MRT station on the Downtown Line which has a flock of eateries outside every exit. The hawker centers and the food stalls are brimming with hungry foodies. Having said that, it’s not everyday that you get to see a fully vegetarian restaurant at a stone’s throw from the MRT! I am glad that the new outlet of D’Life Bistro and Cafe has opened in this area. D’life serves lacto-ovo vegetarian food without onion, garlic, leek, chives and shallots. It is nice to see a spacious restaurant neatly done in an old school neighborhood and striving to achieve the balance by serving good food at decent prices.
The Orders
They have a comprehensive menu with a lot of variety in dishes using Chinese vegetables – a lot of greens, yam, bitter gourd, broccoli, mushrooms, okra, eggplant, etc. They also have decent options for vegans. Overall, please note that the portion sizes are extremely generous at this restaurant.
For starters, we decided to try the ‘Vegetarian Satay’ thinking that it could be paired with the rice. From the taste, I think they had made firm tofu into thin, workable strips which were skewered and cooked to a gentle brown colour. The peanut satay sauce served alongside was good but the quantity was too much for the thin satay sticks. Overall, this was a decent offering.
Soups provide comfort in rainy weather and also if you are nursing the early stages of sore throat. So I ordered the ‘Tom Yam Soup’ and I must say I was not at all disappointed. The important part of a soup is the liquid base and this was a thin watery version filled with loads of veggies and had a sightly herbal flavour. All the veggies (including the okra) were fully cooked and well-seasoned and it pairs well with rice. For those who are familiar with South Indian cuisine, this broth reminded me of Rasam with a lot of veggies. The quantity can easily serve 3-4 pax.
I also tried the ‘Assam Laksa’. This version lacks coconut milk, and instead uses clear vegetable stock as the base. It comes with noodles, tofu, vegetables and pieces of pineapple. It’s quite different from the laksa I usually order, but no less tasty for that. If you are in the mood for a normal version, they have that on the menu as well.
‘Veg Fried Rice’ is the most simple dish to cook but it is important not to make it mushy. The rice grains were separate and had appropriate amount of veggies making it a good dish. If you do not eat eggs, please ensure to tell that while ordering the dish (which I did). The rice tasted nice when paired with the Tom Yam broth along with the satay to munch.
Chun Tin Road has turned out to be a dining enclave with affordable eats and it is heartening to see that it hosts a vegetarian restaurant. Overall, the food is good – cooked in Chinese wok-style flavours. The restaurant is spacious and can accommodate large groups of people. But it would be great if the service staff understand dietary requirements and are aware of explaining the dish in case queries are asked.
| In a Nutshell | Deelightful Rating |
| Cuisine Type: Chinese | ★★★ |
| Nearest MRT: Beauty World (Exit B) | |
| Address: 6 Chun Tin Road, Singapore 599593 | |
| Timings: Mon-Sun: 10am – 10pm |
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