Places to eat in Christmas Island

Housed in a Malay style building (The Malay Association Building) in Kampong and with the beaches and waters of Flying Fish Cove just across the road, I like to sit at the only 3 tables (if I can get them) out on the veranda and hear the ocean whispered secrets to me.

With a slightly rustic feel, the building reminds me of the old kampong houses of old, which have almost disappear from Singapore's burgeoning cement jungle (except on Pulau Ubin and a little corner off Buangkok).

The food (and the only place to serve Halal food on the island) is simple typical Malay fare. All you need is to simply order at the counter, pay up and wait for the food to be served.

Favorite Dish: Ate here twice. The first time, a dinner of Nasi Ayam (Malay-style Fried Chicken Rice) and a second time of breakfast of Lontong (Pressed rice cubes served with curried vegetables). I bought a Daging Burger (Beef burger) as well as a takeaway and was surprised to find a beef steak being served instead of a beef patty!

As with the previous 2 entries, the food here was a little under-par as well. Not that it is not palatable - it just underwhelmed. Very curious. Compared to the same dishes served back home, both dishes tasted flatter.

However, the freshly-brewed strong coffee was a most lovely welcome!

Prices (circa Jan 2007):
Nasi Ayam & Lontong: A$8
Beef Burger: A$4
Coffee: A$1.50

Located up at Poon Saan where most of the Chinese are staying. From the porch, you can see the Indian Ocean shimmering slightly in the distance.

Housed in a cement & brick house, you'll find the typical Chinese restaurant layout: round tables and chairs out on the porch. There isn't much in the place of ambience. But it is quite breezy up here so it's rather cool in the shade and you get the odd few sparrows using the veranda as "shortcuts" as they zip through overhead as you are eating.

The restaurant opens at noon and close at 2pm and then opens at 5pm till 9pm almost daily. Closed every Tuesday.

The owner also runs the grocery shop in Kampong.

Favorite Dish: You can order stir-fry dishes to go with your rice or you can order individual servings of wok fried rice/fried noodles/fried beehoons (rice vermicelli)/fried kwayteows (flat rice noodles).

I had the Thai Fried Rice / Tom Yam Fried Beehoon / Singapore Fried Beehoon.
Small servings: A$6-8
Generally palatable, the wok heat was controlled nicely but I have had these typical Chinese "Tze-Char" style dishes done better elsewhere (not on Christmas Island)

I like the fresh-brewed coffee and tea though - done extra thick and strong. Love them!!

One of the more upmarket eating places on the island.

Located at the edge of Settlement, towards Rocky Point, the restaurant cum tavern is housed in a large seaside colonial style house with a veranda (and almost next to the Coconut Grove backpacker lodging). The menu looks like a typical Australian list - the standard steak+seafood as well as a few offerings of Thai-inspired dishes.

Service was warm and friendly and the staff and owners tried their most earnest to put every guest at ease.

The view from the veranda is stunning. Swaying coconut palms set among a lawn (with a beach volleyball net strewn across) with the Indian Ocean staring right back at you. (The odd insect scampering under your feet notwithstanding) The 2nd time I was here, on my last night in Christmas Island, a bright full moon was putting on its best diva-ish performance between the coconut palms curtains. The silvery ocean before me was additively sultry. Hear Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" in your heart and it's about as romantic a location as you can get!

Closed every Thursday.

(Note: The place also sells its own set of souvenir T-shirts and singlets)

Favorite Dish: I ate here twice.

Had the Surf N Turf With Wild Mushroom Combo for A$34 and the Thai Red Curry Wahoo Fish With Rice for A$27.

The former was rather nicely done though the "surf" here actually refers to 2 medium-sized prawns. I like prawns but I wish that the chef had at least marinate them with some salt and pepper first. The steak portion was done typically Australian - grilled sans marination. It was a little and marginally over-charred but juicy nonetheless. The wild mushrooms (portobellos I think) were a nice touch and everything was served on a bed of cream-gravied mashed potato and steamed vegetables.

The latter I do not adored. The wahoo fish steaks were tough and chewy (fish not being my fave in the first place) and the rice served was a tad under-done. I believed the chef was trying to replicate Thai-style glutinous rice served with fried shallots and peanuts with normal white crystal rice. It just does not work. The saving grace was that the red curry (which was not at all spicy to my Asian tongue) was nicely balanced and the steamed vegetables a welcome diversion. I do not suggest you try this.

(I will rate the place "satisfied" - points added for the location; points deducted for the regretfully under-par food)