Fill a Pita (Shenton House)

Official Website: Facebook
Address: 01-02 Shenton House,  3 Shenton Way, Singapore, Singapore 068805 (Map) [Opposite SGX Building]
Opening Hours:  Mon – Fri: 08:00 – 15:00; Sat: 12:00 – 14:00
Tel: 9835 1446 (deliveries available)
Budget: $4-$8 (cash only)
Recommendations: Falafel Sandwich (Menu)

If there is one word to describe Fill a Pita, it would be ‘sincerity’.

I first read about Fill a Pita on StretchCity, a yoga lifestyle website related to wellness and eco-living in Singapore. However, when I did a further search for more reviews on Fill a Pita, there seems to be sparse commentary on the eatery. As I had been craving for falafels (made of chickpea patties) the whole week, I decided to make a trip down after my weekly yoga retreat.

The Ordering Area

Launched in April this year, Fill a Pita operates within a coffee-shop located at the ground floor of Shenton House (i.e. opposite SGX Building). At first glance, one might be surprised to find the Middle Eastern eatery along-side traditional caifan (mixed vegetable rice) and tze-char (Chinese stir-fried) stalls in the vicinity; but if you look closer, the reason is simple. Catering to the business lunch crowd, its humble location is ideal to keep its prices affordable and competitive. In fact, if you compare the prices with The Soup Spoon, Pita Pan or other restaurants in Arab Street, Fill a Pita remain very affordable for its quality offered. As I was waiting for my freshly-made falafels, the kopi (coffee) auntie at the neighbouring stall casually asked for my order, and I called for a milo-bing (iced milo). And when my falafel sandwich arrived, a curious auntie at an adjacent table walked over and asked me if that was ‘fish or chicken’. Talk about the perks of situated in a coffeeshop.

Stretch City Promo: Complimentary Hummus Dip 

The employees at Fill a Pita have been extremely helpful and warm. When I ordered my Falafel sandwich, the server offered to add extra lettuce and tomatoes, and apologised for the wait since the falafels would be freshly baked. In addition, when I asked if the StretchCity promo was still on (i.e. Like their Facebook page to enjoy a free hummus), the server said he didn’t need to check if I’ve liked their page (although I did in advance), and he would just give me the complimentary hummus dip. Wow. It’s a pity that I didn’t get the opportunity to speak to the owner, Hassan, as StretchCity reports that he remembers your orders once you’ve visited his eatery for twice or more!

Falafel Sandwich with Complimentary hummus Dip , extra falafel and Freshly toasted pita bread: all for the affordable price of $8

Close up at the Falafel Sandwich

Now to the food. The Falafel Sandwich ($8/whole pita; $4.50/half pita) in whole meal pita bread was served with generous amount of fresh lettuce and tomatoes, 3 falafels and copious amounts of tahini sauce. The overwhelming tahini sauce was so much that they leaked out of the wrapper, though I am not complaining at all. An extra falafel and a few slices of freshly toasted pita bread were also served on the house. For the price of $8, I felt that I got a pretty decent meal for my Saturday post-yoga lunch. The whole-meal pita pocket was also freshly toasted, and they tasted impeccable even when I brought them home because I couldn’t finish the complimentary treats.

The extra Falafel that still tastes so good at home

Having had a whole pita bread with 3 falafels, I decided to pack the remaining falafel, hummus dip and one slice of bite-sized pita bread home. The pack-away containers were free-of-charge and to my pleasant surprise, the server even added an extra serving of tahini sauce! The last time I was overwhelmed by such hospitable service was in Taiwan or in Michelin-starred restaurants. And therefore, I think Fill a Pita is worthy of the compliment ‘sincerity’. (And while I wax lyrical about the five-starred service I enjoyed, I hope Hassan isn’t bothered by the fact that his employee gave away so many complimentary items!)

Verdict

Middle Eastern food is hard to come by in Singapore, and decent ones even harder. While I would say that the falafel wrap at London Borough Market remains my top favourite, I think the falafels at Fill a Pita stands as a strong contender. My next stop for falafels would be Pita and Olives, which was recommended by Hungry Ang Mo’s reader as the best Israeli restaurant in Singapore. Hope to keep you updated of my food adventures.

Rating: 4.29/5 falafels

Tip for Vegans: they offer their falafels with no garlic upon request.