Location: 60 Kandahar Road, 1 Baghdad Street
Food: Middle Eastern

To break it down:
Rating - ambience: 4/5
Rating - food: 2/5
Rating - service: -5/5
Rating - drinks/place for gathering: 4/5

Samar Restaurant

Sigh. It’s not too easy to get there, though the ambience and setting (especially third storey) is worth it. It’s particularly good for the wide array of drinks (though the coffee (Quahwa) is somewhat TOO strong and spicy for me). You can smoke the shisha there too! I kind of wanted to try but then a bit too tired to ask for it. Haha… I think it’s a good place for big group gatherings, and for drinks… Something with a more exotic air about it :)

Samar - third storey
Samar - cushions on the third floor!

The Food
It’s mainly middle eastern, ie. a mix of stuff of Palestinian, Morrocan, Arabian… We tried this Yemeni pastry thingy which turned out to be samosas, but it was pretty nice… Had wanted to get the auerbergines stuffed with beef but they were OUT! Tried their bread basket too, it’s just like pita bread, (a bit like the ones u can buy at NTUC). The naan at Muthu’s and the breads at Sofra are at least twice nicer!!! We also got the roasted lamb shank, it was painful waiting for it, and even more painful to tear it up and eat it. Very dry, not much seasoning. At least there’s no funny smell from it. -_- They have really gd rice there though! It’s basnati I think, but a bit softer the way they cook it. :) The other dish we tried was this Palestinian one which they serve at weddings. It came with bread, rice on top and yogurty gravy with chunks of mutton, sprinkled with pine nuts. It was not bad.
But I have to say, if you’re going there for the food, BEAT IT. Go to Sofra’s instead ok!

The Service
Waaaaa this is where I start lambasting the darned restaurant and the really nice staff. They are very nice and pleasant and someone was pretty good looking too BUT they are really very very very very SLOWWWWW and it’s kind of ODD.
First, they tell us, the food will be here in 15-20min. Half an hour later, they tell us that two of the dishes we ordered were not available. -_-
And then… We order new stuff, they say: yes, sure the food will be here very soon, everything is there already. (then y 45 min liao still no sight/smell of any food?)
We almost got up to leave and settle for the drinks when the food came. Damnit, should have just packed up and left for greener pastures earlier la!

Samar - cafe
Samar - first floor, cafe