Masak

Masak is a cute little restaurant that serves Singaporean fusion cuisine. it’s got a great casual vibe to it and upon entering, it felt like i had walked into my local neighborhood restaurant, even though i don’t live remotely close to it.
it’s a small restaurant, so be ready to be within eavesdropping and voyeuristic distance of your neighbor, which isn’t a bad thing because they have some very unique dish presentations which makes it fun to see what others ordered.
we started with the Chili Crab Dip and Mantou and the Black Pepper Manila Clams. i wasn’t a big fan of the dip, it was a little too sweet and the sweetness didn’t really mix well with the strong seafood flavor. however, the fried mantou that accompanies the dish are perfect. freshly fried and scalding hot when served to you, the outside is crisp and crunchy while the inside stay soft and fluffy with just a hint of sweetness-​the kind that comes from frying bread. the amount of mantous they give you will not even make a dent in the dip, so make sure to get another order for an additional $ 2. the clams were essentially clams with black bean sauce and a better version can be found in Chinatown.
i opted for the Rendang Burger w/​fried egg, bacon, and fries. this is a monster behemoth of a burger. the brioche bun provides a subtle sweetness to the burger which is juicy and full of south asian flavor. i couldn’t tell you what spices are in it, but it has a cumin, turmeric kind of flavor that isn’t overpowering but is definitely original. if you order this, keep in mind that your hands and mouth will be a sloppy mess. but in a good way. we also ordered the Babi Assam. the pork belly was tender and i liked the tamarind flavor which packed a nice punch. the black rice was less a fried texture and more of a risotto consistency, but it was a good counterbalance to the strong flavor of the pork.
overall, it was a good meal, although not sure i would come back if it weren’t for the Groupon.

Yummy, bar tender was a Scrooge and no idea how to make a drink.

we had the fried rock shrimp, the crab dip with mantao, and grilled octopus. for entrée, i had the pork belly with black rice. dessert, we had the fried banana with ice cream, tang yuen dumplings, and something with a butter cake?
overall, i think the appetizers and dessert was great. my pork belly was delicious but the bed of rice was extremely salty while the noodle dish my friend had needed more salt. would come back for the apps ^-^

Maaaassssaaaak. I just had to say it.
Location: Any resto next to Keybar has to be rad.
Motif: Small-​ish, rustic, has a tiny bar, maybe fits 30 fat southerners or 40 dirty east village hipsters/​asians.
Drinks: Strong original cocktails that have west village prices $ 11 – 12. Slooow bar service.
Eats: Hot dayummmmm… the grilled octopus and the spicy crab dip were superstars. The beet salad and spicy rock shrimp were also deelish. The pork belly was waaay too fatty for me.
Service: Slow but friendly.
** Where are the Singaporean workers? I don’t want yuppie JCrew chicks from the midwest serving me in a southeast asian resto! The east village = UES now? **

My friend gave me a Groupon to Masak and I came to use it a few days before it expired. Funny that the 2 tables next to us came with a Groupon too and we ordered similar dishes.
For starters we were recommended to try their chili crab dip and black pepper clams, we also paid extra to try their quih pie tee. Crab dip was good, black pepper clams tasted like the ones at a Chinese restaurant and quih pie tee — we only liked the mushroom one. For entrees, we had oxtail noodles, pork belly and coconut laksa. There’s not a lot special to say about them, it tasted decent but also very ordinary — I can probably eat the same in Chinatown for half the cost and they would’ve taste the same. Their décor is very cute though, with a semi open kitchen concept. If you sit at the bar you can see the chef in action. The staff were also super nice and friendly, even after you show them a Groupon.
I think I’ll pass on this one in the future.

Armin L. and I came here with a pretty great groupon deal. Two appetizers and two entrees at a deal that was worth the price. We went on a Saturday evening (6PM) which is when they open on a Saturday. The place is relatively small so the ability for it to fill up quickly is quite feasible and I suggest if you plan on going that you will save yourself some time/​headache by making a reservation first.
The concept is Singapore fusion but the vibe and décor swayed on the American side. The music was bringing me back (to a time when I wasn’t born but I love music from the 60s). If the music that rotated tonight was any indication here are a few tunes that came through the speakers:
Turn! Turn! Turn! by The Byrds
The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel
Eleanor Rigby/​Julia by The Beatles
definitely a change from the music I’ve heard elsewhere.
We ordered three appetizers:
Rock shrimp — this was a nice serving in a more savory sauces which leaned on the saltier side. I just recently had rock shrimp at another restaurant so this wasn’t my favorite
Tree trio (pulled pork, mushroom and shrimp) the pulled pork was my favorite and I could have had all three with pulled pork. It had a crispy outside and the size is small so it’s definitely not easy to share them individually unless you love the person your dining with enough to bite it and pass it.
Crab dip and the mantu — this caused me inner turmoil
The crab dip = amazeballs
The mantu = amazeballs
How are my tastebuds supposed to experience both of these bad ass menu items together?! They need to be savored individually. The mantu has a really sweet aftertaste that you might miss when you link it with the savory saucy crab dip. I would rather eat that dip off of a ritz cracker and stuff the mantu in my purse and share them with NOONE!
For entrees Armin L. had the pork belly that came with fried black rice and I had the Coconut Laksa. The broth that came with my dish was soooo delish. It was sweet/​savory and actually had a kick to it. The fish balls were really good and not too fishy is that makes sense and it came with enough shrimp that I actually shared (well.I shared one). I was satisfied.
Armin L. really enjoyed his cocktails which were — Doktor Doktor and a Red Ninja. The Doktor Doktor was really strong I could smell the drink from my side of the table! But he liked the Red Ninja which had a spicy kick to it.
What helped make this was Sally our waitress/​host. She was super nice and super attentive. I draw distinction to this because it is SO rare these days (sadly) to have staff that really does their job and it was refreshing.
Ultimately if I redid this meal again I would have ordered a side of mantu
crab dip that I would have shamelessly eaten with a spoon directly out of the bowl and an order of coconut laksa without hesitation.

Even though we didn’t have a reservation for a Saturday night, the host was kind enough of find a table for us but to be shared with others. Masak has interesting interpretation of Singaporean cuisine — it made the taste to be a bit milder and less pungent. For appetizers, we had beets salad and warm pig head terrine. Then we added pork belly with black rice and oxtail noodles for our main entrees. I really liked the pork belly as it was tender but not greasy.
Masak can be a bit pricy but you will be enjoying its ambiance and its’ well presented dishes.

I finally did eat at Masak tonight. I liked the atmosphere and food description. The Manila clams with black beans was mild but a little too mild. My porgy was nice and crisp but am disappointed that the cup of rice was an extra charge. We also had the squid dish which tasted like seafood spaghetti — not really Malaysian or Singaporean. The best was the dessert. I highly recommend the dumplings stuffed with roasted almonds that tasted like prailines served with their homemade ice cream and some candied or sweetened orange rind. The dumplings reminded me of real Asian rice desserts except it was stuffed.
Someone ordered the pork belly but thought it was a bit fatty although the sauce was quite good.
We also tried the crab dip. I’m not too thrilled with it. Although I loved the mantu (spongy soft smooth little breads that came with the crab dip), but it was just too sweet to be dipped in the crab meat. I think, it would have made a good dessert with some kind of sauce — maybe a caramelized coconut dip???

A new favorite! The atmosphere was super relaxing and rustic and I really wish my apartment looked like that. The Singapore Sling drink is probably the tastiest thing I’ve had all year… until the fried pork belly with black rice I ate after. Yummy!

I came here last year with a big group for a birthday. It’s pricey, but very solid! We order a bunch of appetizers. The Chili Crab Dip was particularly memorable! Singaporean food is known for the sauces, and the crab dip sauce did not disappoint.
Ox tail and pork belly entrees were also very good.

This restaurant is truly a gem! We stopped in here for some quick apps and a Bengali before heading home and left with big happy grins.
The first app that came out was the the Chili Crab Dip. It was warm and the flavors were delicious. It also came with mantou (scrumptious puffy rolls) for dipping. Just perfect on a cold winter evening.
The second dish we ordered was the Seared Chicken Hearts with kale, radish, medjool dates, and pistachios. I was most anticipating this dish since I have recently been dabbling in my own heart recipes. Lemme tell you… these may have been the best chicken hearts I’ve ever tasted! They were cooked to perfection. The texture was just right (not too chewy). All the ingredients worked very well together and satisfied the pallet. I was very impressed with this dish and definitely recommend it.
I will be back for another round of the hearts and I am excited to try the Spicy Rock Shrimp Grits, Fish Curry, Crispy Lamb Tongue, and Cauliflower Soup.

Eh… this place was okay. I’ve been wanting to try it for a few months so when I saw a Groupon come out for it, I snatched it up. Now I’m glad I came here with a Groupon because I wasn’t that impressed overall.
For appetizers, we ordered the quih pie tee sampler — mushrooms, pulled pork, and shrimp in filled pastry cups — as well as the grilled octopus. The grilled octopus was really overcooked and chewy, but the quih pie tee was really unique and each one delicious.
For mains, we ordered the oxtail noodles and braised pork belly, which were just okay too. The oxtail noodles had very little meat and the broth and noodles were no better than what you could get at a cheap noodle house for half the price. The pork belly was a bit better but mostly because its redeeming quality was the accompanying fried black rice.
Mostly underwhelmed at this point, we decided to give dessert a fair shot and we’re glad we did because it’s the reason this review is getting a solid 3 stars. We ordered the Tang Yuen dumplings with hazelnut filling and these were amazing! They were so tiny (a bit bigger than marbles) so I wish they gave us like 20 instead of 5 but alas, all in moderation.
In short, I don’t think I’ll be back until the menu gets an update, but I hope to God they don’t take off the dessert dumplings.

I used to live in Singapore and I miss the food, a lot. Thank you Masak for bring a taste of that flavor to me.
The Chili crab dish is a MUST TRY. Otherwise, I’d say explore the menu to see what sounds good. Everything we tried including the crab, the mussels and the fish curry were all great. One tip is to order rice if you want it since the entrees dont necessarily come with it (and it ended up taking the staff a long time to get ours after we asked for it).
Seeing my Singaporean friend dining at the same place on my way out just confirmed what I already suspected: Masak is the real deal.

Came here on a Friday night with my boyfriend using a Groupon deal. 2 Apps & 2 entrees. Even though we were the only ones in the restaurant for the first 45 mins of our meal– they insisted that we sit at the bar because the the actual dining room tables were reserved… this just struck us as weird but did not deter us.
We started on with the chili crab dip and mantou, which was good although a bit too sweet for me. The mantou were delicious but it irked me that they charge for extra. in all honesty– there’s no way to eat the dip with just what they give you. Our server asked us if we wanted extra before we even finished what we had… because she knew we’d need more. Would it really kill them to just include some extra man tou?
We also got the Quih Pie Tee variety– there were four different one– the only one I really like was the pulled pork. Rest were just so so.
I orderd the oxtail noodles, which were delicious! Boyfriend had the curry fish head, which he enjoyed as well. Overall– it was good food, but the experience was so so… probably would not go back unless I was in the area and craving the food.

I wanted to love Masak. The idea of putting Western elements into Singaporean food made me salivate at the thought. Alas, I was a little disappointed.
The restaurant is small and cute with great Asian touches. You can find the table at the bar or by the tables, along the walls. Staff is friendly and quick.
The menu is interesting. Given that we were at a Singaporean restaurant, my friend and I had to share the Chili Crab with Fried Mantou (Chinese steamed buns). For an appetizer, it was a big bowl of chili crab but to only accompany that with four pieces of mantou was a let down. I guess it’s their way of making you order more mantou from their menu. The dip had a good amount of crab meat, was a little spicy and is good enough on its own without the mantou. I happily ate the rest of it with a fork. For main course, I went with the Rendang Burger with grilled onions. I love rendang, thanks to being half Indonesian and having a mother who makes it perfectly. I was excited to have those flavors come through in a burger but it did not. Sure, it was a tasty burger, cooked medium-​rare to my liking. But I could not taste anything that resembled rendang in any form. So sad. My friend went with the Oxtail Noodle Soup, which came out in a huge bowl. He liked it, saying the broth was very meaty.
Would I come back again to give Masak a second chance? Maybe but only at the insistence of a friend. I wanted to love this place, to be wowed by the fusion of flavors, but I left full yet not completely satisfied.

We (4 of us) came here for a 9:30pm dinner on a Friday night. We ordered the chili crab dip to share (note that they charge you for extra «man tou» — bread), then each of us ordered the oxtail noodles (the place is small, and we asked the couple sitting next to us what they ordered… and the noodles looked just too good to pass up), and then we finished the meal with tang yuen and coconut sorbet (I think). Oh I forgot that we got bottles of red and white wine top it all off. That said, I was feeling pretty giddy after dinner, haha.
After all that, all I have to say is order the oxtail noodles.

Scanning the menu, I’m feeling perplexed. Uh oh have we stumbled onto one of those places without one single item that is vegetarian? Ugh…
Me: Are those real Oxtail Noodles?
Maya: Yes, absolutely Oxtail… It’s unbelievably good.
Me: Umm… I don’t think it’s clear where I’m going with this. Are there any vegetable entrees on the menu?
Maya: Oh yeah, we can make you up something special, it’ll be great, with these wonderful ingredients, yada yada.
So with a sigh I order the vegetarian «special».
I take a call just then, and step out into the warm Spring air. It’s gorgeous outside, these first few warm days really get into your blood. Upon my return my dish is sitting in front of my seat at the bar.
It looks to my delight, quite nice, with some long grain rice, heart of palm, mushrooms, and some other goodies, all with a nice green sauce. It tastes quite good too. I look down at my plate though and comment to my friend that I could eat four of these, and that I’ll have to eat dinner again after «dinner».
We end up chatting with another bar-​mate dinner Sarah, and Maya behind the bar. Sixpoint IPA is goin down smooth, and the conversation is humorous and friendly.
Ok, so let’s cut to the chase on this place, a verdict?
Service — 5 stars
Food — 4 stars
Décor — 4 stars
Confusion factor — high
What do I mean by confusion factor? Well I’ve been to Singapore, and had no food like this place. What’s more Asian Fusion normally has a plethora of veggie options to go with. Strangely my last bit of confusion surrounds searching Unilocal for Thai and this place rating high. I don’t know if that is Unilocal or what.
Long story short the place felt like sort of upscale american fare, in a stylish upstate New York sort of country décor. So it wasn’t what I was looking for. That said the service was superb, super friendly, and the chef obviously is extremely talented.
Minus the vegetable shortage, and mild identity crisis i’d have gone 4 stars.

I really really wanted to like this place and was looking forward to it all day Friday before our 845pm reservation. But I should have seen the signs.
Warning sign #1: only one table of Asian people in a packed house
Warning sign #2: what they served as «sambal» was milder than ketchup mixed with a splash of sriracha
The curry crab dip was tasty, but that’s not really how it tastes like in Singapore. If you take it for what it is, it’s still a pretty yummy dish.
The queh pu tih with fish was pretty much sashimi in a fried cracker for $ 3. Not bad for tapas I guess? Perhaps this place would be a better off if it was positioned as watering hole with Asian inspired small plates. Then my expectations would have been more realistic.
The oxtail noodles were so bland. It was depressing. The noodle: soup ratio was dismal. Why would you stinge on the soup for a dish like this?! Its all about the broth man. Ugh. The rendang burger tasted so mildly of rendang. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me, but damn, if you’re calling this place a Singaporean restaurant… Go big or go home with the flavors. And most entrees are $ 17 – 18. Ouch.
For anyone who hasn’t been to singapore lemme tell you this. This ain’t the real deal. It’s like a glimpse into some real awesomeness, but dumbed down for the ‘ang moh’ palette.
I left full, but unsatisfied. Sorry man, this time Masak not boleh. Charming location and perfect for a date, but if you’re like me and in it to eat it, you’re better off getting a $ 13 plate of tasty char kuey teow at Laut.

Maybe brunch is a better deal or maybe my friend hyped up this place too much. If it’s Asian food, I naturally put a filter on the reviews and put more emphasis on ones written by those of Asian descent.
Perfect for a date night if you don’t mind being in close proximity with the adjacent tables. We glanced over at the tables of 2’s at some point and chuckled — the tables were in perfect formation for speed dating and it looked like a bunch of couples were lined up on dates.
Overall, I thought the food here was alright, very fusion, and overpriced (or priced appropriately for the East Village/​ambience). We tried the fried mantou and chili crab dip. Yummy… mantou is always delicious and you can’t mess up fried mantou. The scallops were also tasty. Alright portion size. We weren’t sure what the qui pie tee was and neither did my Singaporean friend. It’s fried cups with filling. I had the mushroom. It was delicious, but pricey. Two of us got the oxtail noodles. Portion size was ok. Flavor was ok. If you don’t like tendon, there is a lot of it in this dish. Another got the burger and was disappointed, but he said the fries were good.
Not itching to come back here any time.

Love it! Wonderful, attentive service, delicious food, quaint and cute atmosphere, couldn’t find anything not to love about this place!
Came here on a Gilt City brunch voucher, and tried the ox tail noodles (very, very tasty, especially the soft braised beef and tendon), shrimp and grits (tons of shrimp, very rich and tasty dish), we made our own mimosas at the table with bubbly and OJ, and the waiter was attentive and so nice to bring us an additional half caraf of OJ when we ran out. Also ordered their coconut toast (forgot the name) which was nice as well.
Can’t wait to come back, and can’t wait to try their other menu items!

Honestly I am not sure why Masak is categorized as a Malaysian establishment because I don’t really see Curry, Hainan Chicken or anything that touches the essence of Malay or Singaporean cuisine. Nonetheless, I am in love with Masak!
It is such a cute little place with a few tables. The atmosphere is intimate and the waiter is very friendly. We have 4 people so we decided to order several dishes to share. The portion is kind of small so be aware you would probably need to spend at least $ 30 a person to get satisfied.
We started off with some chili crab dip with Mantou. It is an Eastern version of Crab dip and it is slightly spicy and warm, which goes very well with the deep fried milk Mantou here. I would say this is a must try.
We also got the Quih Pie Tee, all 4 flavors. It is kind of like a mini order of pastry puff with salty ingredients. They are amazing too! I say try them all :) Each is only a mouthful bite.
The pork croquette is pretty good but it is just like a fried meatball kind of. The dipping chili sauce is not bad.
When it comes to entrée, we ordered the seared duck breast, pan seared scallops and braised pork chin. The winner for me is the duck breast. It is so tender, juicy and paired with okra, which is also tender and soft. If you like more meaty dish, the pork chin is a hot seller and it is cooked to the bone and is so juicy and melting in your mouth. The pan seared scallops are scrumptious and big but not enough for 1 person for sure.
We ended with two desserts. One has Asian sticky rice balls with sesame filling. That is definitely my favorite because it is just like mochi on fire!
Would love to return and get more food here ;)