Thasevi Food – the famous original Jalan Kayu Roti Prata

One of the best things about Singapore’s food scene is the wide range of culturally diverse options available. We can eat Mushroom velouté with crème fraiche and truffle scented oil and Foie gras ravioli in Bistro du Vin in the prime Orchard Road area one day and have Roti Prata with Teh Halia at Thasevi Food in Jalan Kayu the next day. One has dark wood panelling, marble-topped tables and bentwood chairs while the other has bare concrete walls, plastic top tables and plastic chairs – but both restaurants serve food we enjoy.

Prata Stall in Jalan Kayu

Thasevi Prata Stall in Jalan Kayu has been around for decades and almost every Singaporean has heard of it.  Thasevi’s Jalan Kayu Roti Prata have been so popular that there now are many restaurants in Jalan Kayu and in all parts of Singapore selling “Jalan Kayu Roti Prata”. Thasevi Food tries to distinguish itself from the rest of the competition by having as part of its name “Famous Jalan Kayu Prata”. The signboards in and around the shop also proclaim that it is the “Original Prata Shop” and that it is the “Roti Prata Specialist since 1960”. It also takes pain to say that it is the only Thasevi Jalan Kayu Roti Prata Stall and that it has no branches anywhere else.

Thasevi Food used to operate out of a makeshift wooden shed kind of hawker stall. It now occupies two shop houses. No effort has been made to make the eatery good looking or attractive. You get tables and chairs and if you are lucky the fans will be turned on.

Variations of prata and more

Besides a very wide range of different variations of roti prata, the restaurant also has Indian Rojak, Briyani, Mee Goreng, Mutton Soup, Roti John and other Indian Street food.

Most people go to Jalan Kayu Roti Prata Stall for the original plain prata but you can get banana prata, strawberry prata or even ice cream prata if you like.

What We Ate

We ordered the Plain Prata ($1 each), Paper Prata ($1.80 each) and  Mutton Ribs Curry ($5). A glass of Teh Halia was $1.20 and soft drink was $1.40. No GST or service charge was added to the bill. The system is that you look for a table and note the table number. You go up to the counter to place your order, tell the cashier your table number and pay. The food will be served to you.

The paper prata was excellent. It was very light and crispy. It was slightly sweet, and delicious eaten on its own or with a bit of curry.

The plain roti prata was nicely flipped to have a soft and fluffy inside with parts of the outer layer brown and crispy. It was quite nice but we remembered the old Jalan Kayu prata had outer layer that was really  crispy. It could be nostalgia but we like the old super crispy version more.

The mutton was of the expected standard and the thick curry went quite well with the roti prata. There was quite a generous amount of meat in the small plate.

Unique Old School Institution

On the whole, the simple roti prata meal at Thasevi Jalan Kayu Roti Prata Stall was fine but we would not say that it would warrant a special trip to Jalan Kayu if you were not in the vicinity. However, as this rustic old school prata shop is such a unique institution, every Singapore foodie should visit the famous original Jalan Kayu Roti Prata restaurant at least once.

Ratings:
Food: 3
Service: 2
Value: 4
Atmosphere: 1
Overall Rating: 3 TOPs   

Thasevi Food Jalan Kayu Roti Prata
237 & 239 Jalan Kayu
Singapore 799461

Tel: +65 64811537

Opening Hours: 24 hours

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The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
an independent Singapore food blog