3D Harmony: Nigerian Food Tucked Out of Sight

Ever since I read Things Fall Apart, (a literature novel about a fictional tribe in Nigeria, where the author wrote about the food and culture with such detail) I was tempted to try Nigerian food. It was more of a coincidence that I found 3D Harmony because I was just typing in “African food in Singapore” with 3D Harmony being first in the search. My insatiable curiosity got the better of me and I dragged my friends to have dinner there.

Word of warning though! The first time I dropped in unannounced, I was told that it was by reservations only and was asked to come in another day. So please remember to make your reservations first.Processed with VSCOcam with a5 preset Left to Right: Yong Jian, Me, Henry, Elenna, Shameera

The owner of the restaurant, Henry, was both the waiter and cook extraordinaire. After seating us in a cosy corner, he trooped off to the kitchen to cook.

The girls and I were curious so we started talking to Henry as he prepared our dinner. He is originally from Eastern Nigeria but has stayed in Singapore for close to 30 years. I liked how he was so open and chatted with us as though we were friends.

We made a reservation a few days in advance (minimum a day in advance) and ordered the Egusi with Fish, Pounded Yam and Jallof Rice with Chicken. The prices stated in this review are for the larger portions which we ordered to share, so it would be cheaper if you ordered the smaller portions.

Processed with VSCOcam with se3 presetThe first item that arrived was the Egusi with Fish ($23.50), which came with the Pounded Yam ($15). This dish is commonly eaten in Nigeria and West Africa with their hands. We wanted to try it out so Henry brought a bowl of water for us to clean our hands in before tucking in.

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Egusi is actually a seed. The seeds are grounded and used to thicken the soup. The Egusi over the fish was fantastically spicy. For the anti-spicy me, I had to constantly reach out for a glass of water but that didn’t stop me from taking more of the Egusi soup. Don’t be shocked that the soup does not have much water in it. They call it soup because it is meant as a side to the main staple, which in this case is the pounded yam.

Although the pounded yam has a chunky consistency and you can feel the granules in the yam which it is finer than couscous. Delicious! Once you dip it with the Egusi Soup… I was at a loss for words. I didn’t expect Nigerian cuisine to be so flavorful and delicious. And this was only the first dish.

Processed with VSCOcam with a5 presetNext up was the Jallof Rice with Chicken ($22.80). I was almost full by now, but the chicken was really a treat for the stomach. It was tender and there were not one but two huge drumsticks nestled in the bed of rice. I swear there was something in the marinate as I couldn’t stop eating the tender pieces of chicken. The rice was another surprise. The tomato rice was less than ordinary as it also mixed with a special ingredient which we guessed was fish sauce. It created this mix of savoury yet slightly salted rice which could very well be eaten on it’s own. Jallof actually means “one pot” so it is like saying all the taste of Africa is in one pot.

We were craving for dessert but Henry gave a sorry smile and said that we would have to request in advance. They have plantain (banana) pudding so he told us to give him a call to order it the next time we wanted to drop by.

The Verdict:
This place is really a hidden gem. The food here is really unexpectedly good and I would definitely bring my family here to have a nice meal.

Please make a reservation before coming down! The restaurant does catering too so if they have a catering order on the day you decide to drop by, you might not even get into the restaurant. They also need to prepare the ingredients for your dish in advance so you don’t have to wait too long to enjoy your meal.

To get to 3D Harmony, alight at Little India Station and walk along Sungei Road. Turn into the small road after The Verge bus stop. After which, turn right into Mayo street and walk down. It would take around 15 minutes for someone who knows the way there to get there so please factor in extra time if it’s your first time.

Address:

23 Mayo Street
Singapore 208323

Opening Hours:

1800 to 2200 (Monday to Friday)

Tel:
62968794(DID)
91736643(HP)