Ar-Rahman Cafe and Royal Prata: Crispy prata & murtabak stall selling chendol durian drinks in Tekka Centre

What makes a good prata? Is it the crispiness that comes with every bite or how profound the ghee flavour is? What about the curry? Do you judge it with the accompanying carbs or does it merit its own opinion? And are murtabak just oversized rectangular prata ‘filled’ with eggs, onions and meat? These were the questions I had when coming to Ar-Rahman Cafe and Royal Prata.

Ar-Rahman Cafe and Royal Prata is located at Tekka Centre with Little India being its nearest MRT station. Getting there is but a 5-minute walk through rows of butcher shops. It opens from 7am to 10.30pm daily. 

Ar-Rahman Cafe and Royal Prata is also unique in that it consists of drinks and food stalls, both of which are located side by side. The food stall is known for its prata, murtabak and the accompanying mutton dal, whereas lassi and chendol are favourites from the cafe and drinks portion of Ar-Rahman.

The first thing that hit me when I reached the stall was the number of pigeons flying around the tables. It was an open space but still, they were like vultures, waiting to pounce on any unattended food or leftovers. Maybe a few scarecrows might do the trick. 

What I tried at Ar-Rahman Cafe and Royal Prata

I had the Plain Prata (S$2.40, minimum two pieces), Mutton Murtabak (S$6) and the Chendol Durian (S$2.60).

There were also prata options leaning towards the sweeter side of things, such as the Chocolate Banana Prata (S$3), Honey Prata (S$2.50) and Tissue Prata (S$3) which, for the uninitiated, is an almost cone-like thin prata that is extra crispy and drizzled with condensed milk or even chocolate sauce. There’s a reason why they aren’t in most calorie counter apps!

First off, the Plain Prata. I was disappointed when I saw that my piece wasn’t made fresh, but that feeling was swept away when the owner spontaneously cut it, resulting in crispy bits flying around. I also realised that it was still warm despite the drizzling weather. 

The prata was crispy on the outside and had a satisfying chew. Had I not seen my prata being picked from the bundle of ready-to-serve pratas, I would have thought this was made fresh on the spot. Taste-wise, it was your standard salty ghee taste that we all know and love. Apart from being crispy, this prata was pretty standard so far.

Unfortunately, “standard” could also be used to describe the mutton dal. I tasted that familiar gamey flavour that often comes with anything mutton, but it was pretty normal. Maybe it’s because I prefer curry on my prata (as compared to dal) since the flavours are more profound and go well with the prata.

The mutton dal would have worked if it was paired with something more flavourful like masala dosa. To the stall’s credit, I did find some mutton bits (albeit very tiny ones) in the mutton dal.

I recommend slathering the prata with the mutton dal as it makes eating them together way more convenient. 

Next up was the Mutton Murtabak. Unlike the prata, the thicker size of the murtabak meant that the same crispiness didn’t carry over despite looking similar to one another. It was also served with the same mutton dal. You can get the medium or large size for S$8 and S$10 respectively, but I got the small size for S$6, which I reckon is enough for two people.

Honestly, it tasted just like prata, even with the eggs, onions and mutton meat. The fact that it wasn’t crispy made eating this slightly harder, and I already had my fill of prata and mutton dal. The eggs and meat weren’t seasoned— or at least they tasted like they weren’t— and blended in with the taste of the prata.

I was also disappointed with how little mutton meat was given in each piece of the murtabak. At this point, I would rather be overwhelmed by the gameyness of the mutton than sit through at least four pratas worth of dough.

To end my meal, I had the Chendol Durian, which left a sweet taste in my mouth after plates of mediocrity. Initially, I had regretted choosing durian, as I thought it would overpower everything. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how balanced the sweetness was, and it was as if someone melted durian potong ice cream in a rich milky delight.

The creaminess from the coconut milk really boosted the flavours of its homemade gula melaka, which wasn’t overshadowed by its equally sweet durian paste. The green rice flour jelly also provided a nice bite, almost like what pearls do to bubble tea. 

I wished I had this during my meal instead of after it, but the preying eyes of the pigeons stopped me from doing so. I cannot recommend this more, especially on a hot day. 

Final thoughts

I find it difficult to recommend Ar-Rahman Cafe and Royal Prata solely for its prata and murtabak, as I have had better at a more convenient location. Also, Tekka Centre has a wealth of other hawker options that I am sure will be a better representative of what excellent prata, murtabak and dal are supposed to be.

However, having said that, I highly recommend trying the Chendol Durian to accompany any dish that you may have there. You definitely won’t find a superior or even an equivalent comparison nearby.

Expected damage: S$2.40 – S$6.80 per pax

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