Add some spice to your life and try these offbeat and otherworldly cuisines. By Belinda Wan, photography by Richard Lee

People are really creatures of habit, so it’s easy to forget that in the wonderfully varied world of dining, there are loads more cuisines you can try besides the usual Chinese, Western and Japanese fare (insert huge yawn here). So hit these eclectic establishments that serve exotic, intriguing and considerably more exciting chow than what most run-of-the-mill restaurants offer. Best bit: Most of them have a funky interior to match, too. Bring an open mind, a sense of adventure and dig in.

Altazzag Egyptian Restaurant
Where: 24 Haji Lane, 6295-5024.
The cuisine: Egyptian.
The vibe: Haji Lane has always been a hideaway for a slew of cool, quirky shops and nestled amid this beat is Altazzag. A word of caution though: If you intend to drop by please do so in T-shirt and shorts, because this halal eatery has no air-con, only ceiling fans. Still, despite the buckets we sweated in the simmering heat, we enjoyed the random, slightly rundown feel of the place. We liked the offbeat, indie décor too—the bright blue ceiling, wooden tables, Egyptian pictures adorning the walls and small collection of shisha bottles in the corner. The whole eatery is small—and the cooking area is clearly visible from where you’re sitting indoors.
The chow: The chef whipped up the special all-in-one platter ($12) for us. It had hummus (chick pea dip), babaganoush (eggplant), Egyptian salad, tahina (pure peanut sauce) and tzatziki (yogurt) served with freshly-baked pita bread. The mix grill Altazzag Special ($18) was quite a good platter of lamb, beef, fish, prawn, kofta (minced lamb meat) and chicken shish (a way of cooking with skewers) kebabs. Drenched with tahina (peanut) and chili sauce, this platter provided variety, kick and great taste.
Plus point: After stuffing yourself, you can head upstairs to smoke shisha here if you want, and lull the evening away.
Chow score: 3 1/2 stars
Exotic factor: 4 stars

Cuba Libre Café & Bar
Where: #01-13 Blk. B Clarke Quay, River Valley Rd., 6338-8982.
The cuisine: Mainly Cuban, but also Columbian and Spanish.
The vibe: There’s a nice chill-out feel to this place, which is not surprising considering it is a bar. You won’t be able to miss a large image of Argentine Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara’s face gracing the bar area, as well as other smaller black-and-white pictures of Guevara on the orange walls. Typical bar fixtures are in place—a small stage for resident band Barrio Latino—along with a large Cuban flag (and map on the wall) and some Cuban art. The bar stools are really cool—they are conga stools and cost US$450 each. Overall, it’s a fab place where you can kick back a few drinks and relax.
The chow: The great thing about Cuba Libre is that it’s a café and bar—so check out the drinks when you are here. The Classic Mojito ($16-18) is really popular. Served quite interestingly with a small stick of sugarcane, it’s got a refreshingly clean, zingy taste. Try also the Cuba Libre ($13), a rum-and-Coke drink served with a red star (starfruit dyed in red coloring). Aside from the poison, the chow here is pretty exotic too. The langostinos al ajillo ($18), which are prawns sauteed with garlic, olive oil, rum and white wine, were scrumptious—the gravy had a wonderfully creamy fragrance and the langoustines were super fresh and juicy. The champinorus con queso de cabra ($12), which are button mushrooms and fresh spinach leaves served in a white wine sauce topped with creamy goat’s cheese, are good if you enjoy the strong taste of goat’s cheese.
Plus point: It’s a two-in-one—fab drinks and funky chow.
Chow score: 4 stars
Exotic factor: 3 1/2 stars

Inle Myanmar Restaurant
Where: #B1-07A Peninsula Plaza, 111 North Bridge Rd., 6333-5438.
The cuisine: Myanmese. Inle is a fishing village over a mountainous region in Myanmar’s Shan state.
The vibe: A distinctly different vibe greeted us at this little restaurant tucked away in Peninsula Plaza (or Little Myanmar), which was populated by whom we thought were Myanmese natives tucking into their grub with gusto. The interior is clean, bright and simple. But wander further into the restaurant and you’ll find another area that is done up more traditionally in Myanmese fashion—we’re talking mirrors, artifacts (like ships, statues, paintings), large picturesque photographs of life by the sea, wooden carvings and overhead lights that are actually fish traps. Nice.
The chow: The friendly and smiley Myanmese servers recommended a couple of staple dishes, so we tried those out of a rather extensive, affordably-priced menu that offers appetizers, noodles, set meals, rice, vegetables, soups, drinks and desserts. The pickled tea leaves salad ($4.90)—a salad of pickled tea leaves with fried peas, peanuts, toasted sesame, garlic, tomato, chili and loads more ingredients dressed in vegetable oil and lime—was salty, sour, strange but interesting, and would probably go well with rice or porridge. The same goes for the Myanmar tofu salad ($4), which comprised soft, rectangular strips of yellow tofu covered in a salty, tasty, nutty gravy. We really liked the Myanmar-style ice kachang ($4), which is much like our local version, except that there are other ingredients like sweet winter melon (we like!) and pineapple paste added. We also liked the tamarind (assam) juice ($3), a refreshing sweet-and-sour drink.
Plus point: The extremely prompt, great service and the cheap prices.
Chow score: 3 stars
Exotic factor: 3 1/2 stars

SanoBar Lebanese Cuisine
Where: #01-05 One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Rd., 6423-9182.
The cuisine: Lebanese.
The vibe: Although it’s located in the swanky One Fullerton, SanoBar does a good job of upping the exotic factor with numerous drapes, soft cushions, Lebanese furnishings, mirrors, wooden tables, photographs of Lebanon and even a sexy boudoir-like area where you can lounge around. Everything is suitably Lebanese-looking, with a bar and a nice view to boot.
The chow: The Beirut Mezza ($21), a combination of vine leaves, spinach borek (spinach pastry), kibbeh (minced meat) and sambousik (minced meat pastry with peanuts) made a good starter. The Sultan Mezza ($22), which comprised hummus (chick peas), moutabbal (mashed eggplant), babaganoush, cheese borek (cheese pastry) and falafel, was good too. The mains here are robust, and meat- and seafood-oriented—the mixed grilled platter ($30.50) had a selection of lamb chops, and lamb and chicken kebabs (the lamb chops here are award-winning and we can see why). Seafood lovers should go for the mixed seafood kebabs ($28)—it had fish, grilled tiger prawns and saffron rice with golden pine nuts and raisins. While the Lebanese mint tea ($6) was an acquired taste, the baklava ($3 per piece) here was awesome.
Plus point: The food is not bad—and there’s a super svelte belly dancer who performs at night that should be a draw if you’re into that.
Chow score: 3 1/2 stars
Exotic factor: 3 stars