SINGAPORE — Like its sister establishment Artichoke (one of Singapore’s most underrated restaurants), Overdoughs serves some pretty awesome Middle Eastern-inspired fare that’s meant for quick and satisfying eating. It’s also conveniently located within Artichoke’s charming premises at Sculpture Square.

Overdoughs is best known for its range of baklava produced by co-owner Roxanne Toh. Besides more traditional nut-filled baklava, she also turns out other fabulous variants including chocolate, cashew and fig. The fig baklava (S$5.40 for two), in particular, is surprisingly divine, shaped like a rolled tart with a filling of not-too-sweet fig paste and sprinkled with pistachios. Warning: While Toh has tried to tame their sugar levels, her baklava is still sweeter-than-usual pastries — if only because the traditional stuff is teeth-achingly sweet.

If you don’t have a sweet tooth, pick from the range of other scrumptious desserts, including the milk pudding with roselle syrup and pomegranate (S$4.80) and a sinfully good Snickers tart (S$6.40). The tart shell is encrusted with crushed cornflakes that give it a delicious crunch, and the filling of peanut marshmallow, oozy salted caramel, chocolate ganache and peanut brittle makes a it knock-out.

Sweets aside, Overdoughs recently introduced a small lunch menu that’s worth sitting out in the sun for. The restaurant only offers al fresco seating by day, and while the space is indubitably charming, the hot weather can take the joy right of out it. Luckily, as co-owner and chef Bjorn Shen puts it, this is “food truck fare” — the food is served in a cardboard box, so you can easily take it to somewhere more comfortable if you prefer.

Diners can choose from pita bread, nacho chips or basmati rice spiced with cumin, turmeric and butter, and then opt for one of three fillings: The shish taouk (Lebanese roast chicken, S$8.50), Turkish beef meatballs (S$9) or garlic mushrooms (S$8). They are drenched with hot garlic sauce, green chilli sauce, Turkish tomato salsa and roasted sesame sauce, yielding a sloppy, lubricious mess that is utterly divine.

The best combination we tried was the roast chicken — which is marinated in yoghurt and baharat (a Turkish spice mix) — set atop thick and fluffy freshly baked pita bread with a mound of sliced onions sautéed in sumac. On top of that goes a handful of crunchy fried onions.

Even if you’ve never been to the Middle East, you’ll feel like you’ve taken a whirlwind tour of it in your mouth. ANNETTE TAN

4 stars

Overdoughs

161 Middle Road, Sculpture Square

Tel: 6336 6946

www.overdoughs.com

Opening hours:

Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 6pm

Sunday 10am to 4pm

Closed on Monday