Eduardo’s: Spanish chicken paella, potato omelette, cheesecake & churros by native Spanish couple at food court
Spanish paella is commonly found in restaurants, but if you were to ask me if I’ve ever eaten Spanish food at a food court, I’d shake my head. Over the past couple of months, I had chanced upon a few posts about Eduardo’s, but had yet to check them out. Finally, I made time to visit the stall at Tampines Mall.
Upon reaching Kawan Kawan food court at the basement, I was greeted by Eduardo’s which was located right at the entrance. The 5-month old stall is managed by 40-year-old Eduard and his 29-year-old wife, Anna. Both of them come from the north of Catalonia.
While waiting for my food to be served, I caught sight of 2 huge paella pans displayed prominently behind the glass counter. Eduardo was whipping up the Spanish Seafood Paella (S$16.80 for à la carte) , which is only available from 12.30pm.
What I tried at Eduardo’s
I kicked off my lunch with the Spanish Chicken Paella (S$11.80 for à la carte, S$13.80 for a set meal). The set meal includes 3 churros or water. Doing the math, it’s a steal; the Churros (3 pieces) alone cost S$4, saving you a solid S$2! That being said, I found the paella pricing a tad steep, given that we’re talking about a food court here.
The chicken leg was hefty and the skin had a light brown hue. With little effort, I pried the meat apart with my fork and spoon. The flesh was incredibly moist, like it just came out of a 30-minute spa session that I had rudely interrupted. The seasoning was also spot-on, akin to a confit— nothing too overpowering, just perfectly preserving the natural taste.
Having previously cooked paella for a Spanish promotion event at a buffet restaurant, my initial impression after my first bite was that it was missing those delicious burnt, smoky rice bits (similar to those found in claypot rice). However, the Arborio rice grains were cooked perfectly, maintaining a satisfying al dente texture.
The consistency of the paella resembled risotto; moist and slightly mushy. The addition of shiitake and shimeiji mushrooms provided a delightful bite and earthy flavour, while the snow peas added a nice crunch. I particularly enjoyed the flavour from the bits of smoked capsicum.
I’ll let you in on a confession— I was utterly mortified when I spotted Spanish Omelette (S$5 per slice) on the menu. Why? Because back in my chef days, I churned out pan after pan of these bad boys!
Let me tell you, these thick omelettes were an absolute pain to make. It required endless patience and tender loving care (hope you’re not reading this, Chef Darren).
As I cut into the Spanish Omelette with my fork, it felt like slicing through a fluffy cloud, revealing glistening layers of potatoes and a deliciously runny egg centre.
The potato chunks were soft and fluffy, beautifully complementing the creamy texture of the omelette. If I had to nitpick, I’d say a touch more salt would have taken it to a perfect 10/10 for me.
The piece of baguette by the side was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I tore it into small pieces and sandwiched chunks of the omelette between them. Voila! I had just whipped up a mini tapas platter.
And finally for dessert, I tried the Churros, which were part of the paella set. The 3 pieces of ‘ang moh you tiao’ (my nickname for it) were fried to a perfect golden-brown and lightly dusted with sugar.
I picked up the Churros with my hands and was pleasantly surprised— they weren’t saturated with oil. Just a quick dust-off of sugar from my fingers, no need for a tissue to wipe away any greasiness.
They were addictively crispy on the outside and wonderfully chewy and fluffy on the inside— yummy!
To me, the chocolate sauce was a nostalgic trip back to my childhood. It tasted just like those mini cups of chocolate ice cream with a wooden spoon attached, the ones I savoured growing up.
The Cheese Cake, baked by Emily, had a special promotional price of S$6 (U.P S$8). Given that my editor, Pavin, my parents, and I personally consider Coffee Bean’s Chicago cheesecake to be one of the best in Singapore, I wasn’t setting my hopes too high… that was until I sunk my teeth into this Cheese Cake.
The sides of the cake were still a little runny with a moist centre, reminiscent of the texture of a Basque burnt cheesecake. The cheese flavour was also robust and delicious— how I wished this special promotional price would last forever!
Final thoughts
While Eduardo’s prices may appear slightly higher than those of other stalls, I believe the quality justifies the price point to some extent. With a few small tweaks here and there, they might just surpass my expectations.
Expected damage: S$12 – S$21 per pax
The post Eduardo’s: Spanish chicken paella, potato omelette, cheesecake & churros by native Spanish couple at food court appeared first on SETHLUI.com.
