THREE. by Garamika Review: Traditional Indonesian Oxtail Soup, Ayam Bakar And More In TPY

THREE. by Garamika has legit Indonesian food in Toa Payoh

Even though my last trip to Indonesia was only a few months ago, I recently found myself craving dishes such as ayam bakar and gado gado. So I was happy to learn that I was tasked to review THREE. by Garamika, a cafe in Toa Payoh that specialises in those very dishes.

THREE. by Garamika is run by three Indonesian-born, Gen Z sisters, the youngest of which is merely 19 years old. And yet, the cafe has been receiving rave reviews, with many praising the authenticity of the traditional Indonesian dishes that they serve up.

Food at THREE. by Garamika

We started with the Chix Grill ($12.50++), which is the cafe’s rendition of ayam bakar. The grilled chicken arrived with a pile of rice, tempeh, keropok, half an egg, some sliced cucumbers, green sambal, and a bowl of soup.

If you like your chicken juicy and well-grilled, then this ayam bakar is going to hit the spot. The light crispiness of the smoky skin went hand in hand with the succulent meat, and the sweet aromatic spices used in the chicken gave it plenty of flavour. Dip this in the tangy sambal for an extra kick.

Having the chicken with the large portion of rice and other ingredients makes this quite the hearty set to have. I thought the nutty, earthy tempeh and crispy keropok added good textural variety to the whole as well.

The Traditional Oxtail Set ($18++) came next, and right off the bat, it looked even heartier than the previous set.

The oxtail soup was a real treat. Prepared with a blend of spices including cinnamon and nutmeg, the broth was wonderfully fragrant and brimming with savoury and citrusy goodness.

The oxtail meat itself was soft, tender, and meaty. Some may find the natural fattiness of oxtail to be a turnoff, but for those who can enjoy its texture, this is a melt-in-the-mouth treat.

We concluded our meal with the Gado-Gado ($10.50++), the classic Indonesian salad. Our plate arrived with a mass of vegetables smothered in a thick peanut sauce, once again joined by keropok, tempeh, egg, and green sambal.

While the gado-gado wasn’t as delicious as the previous two dishes—perhaps an unfair comparison, as I am comparing a salad dish with meat ones—it was still pretty solid. The fresh, crunchy vegetables were elevated by the nutty and savoury peanut sauce, and should you want even more flavour, there’s the green sambal to spice things up. If you’re looking for some greens at this cafe, this is definitely the dish to get, but you may want to order it to share as you get quite a generous serving per order.

Ambience at THREE. by Garamika

Image credit: Cheong Yew Ng

While the fare at THREE. by Garamika is delightfully traditional, the interiors take a different approach, adopting a modern cafe aesthetic. And while that means white walls with sleek contemporary furnishing, I wouldn’t call it the most comfortable or the most spacious cafe to be in, as seats are limited. Still, if you’re just here for the good Indonesian eats, this will suffice.

THREE. by Garamika is a 10-minute walk from Braddell MRT Station.

The verdict

I don’t have many complaints about what we tried at THREE. by Garamika. The dishes were delicious in that uniquely Indonesian way, and they came in hearty portions that filled us up in no time. Do give this cafe a shot the next time you’re in the area.

For famous nasi padang with award-winning beef rendang, read our Chopstix & Rice review. For cafes in Bali to check out, read our 25 best Bali cafes listicle.

Address: 94 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh, #01-22, Singapore 310094
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9pm
Tel: 8027 1333
Website
THREE. by Garamika is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork or lard.

Photos taken by Raelynn Ng.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg.