Mad Jack @ Nex

Mad Jack is a value-for-money Aussie and Fusion food cafe which had first started an outlet in Singapore in Bukit Timah in 2005, with now 3 outlets in Parkway Parade (Marine Parade), Clementi and Nex (Serangoon). The outlet I visited was in Nex @ Serangoon. The decor of this cafe was rather disappointing; the kind of decor I'd be expecting in a fast food restaurant. I'd been to nex quite a few times due to its convenience and after going to the same old restaurants there, we thought we'd go for a change, and give Mad Jack a try! 

The menu posed a wide variety of both aussie and Asian fusion food, giving us plenty of options to choose from, ranging from finger food to an Asian stir-fry. 

Broccoli Strawberry Salad

Seems like an ordinary salad isn't it? Well, it was anything but ordinary! The Broccoli Strawberry Salad ($6.90) was probably the strangest sald I've ever tasted. Apart from the rather strange combination of broccoli and strawberry, this salad had a secret ingredient- yogurt! This whole combination definitely didn't tingle my taste-buds as the whole balance had gone all wrong. The overpowering yogurt gave the salad an unbearably sweet taste that didn't balance out with the strawberries and broccoli, giving the salad a strange milky, creamy texture. Overall, a bad start to the promising dinnner.

Rating- 2/5 

Grilled Barramundi with Cajun Seasoning

The Grilled Barramundi ($19.90) was a dish I picked out and was excited to try out. Presentation-wise the dish looked pretty appealing, evidently from the photograph above. The Barramundi, which is a white fish commonly known as the Asian seabass is rather quintessential in Australian cuisine. This dish combined the classic Australian flavours with the cajun seasoning giving the fish some heat. The fish was perfectly cooked as it was incredibly moist and the cajun seasoning gave the fish a non-overwhelming heat, which elevated the flavours of the fish. 

Alongside the glistening fish was a creamy sauce that put out the subtle fire in my mouth from the fish. The whole orchestra of flavours was absolutely wonderful and therefore made this dish a oen I would come running back for.

Rating- 4.5/5

Cheesy Garlic Bread

The Cheesy Garlic Bread ($6.90) was a side dish chosen by my sister (she loves her cheese!) and something I would try in probably every Western-styled restaurant I would go. This dish was rather mediocre as there was an overwhelming explosion of cheese, giving the bread a rather heavy and dense texture. Due to this, the garlic (in the garlic bread) could not really be tasted, and the cheese gave the dish an uncomfortable saltiness making you grasp the nearest glass of water. Overall, an average dish but the balance of ingredients could be worked upon. 

Rating- 3/5

   Fruit of the Forest

 The Fruit of the Forest ($7.90) is a berry smoothies incorporating strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. (My love for berries is clearly evident now!) This drink had a wonderful blend of acidity ans sourness from the berries that was incorporated beautifully. However, I felt that this drink was too dilute with milk as it tasted more on the heavier side rather than the light, refreshing side. This drink therefore didn't really live up to its potential considering that it was a recommended drink on the menu. Overall, it could be improved upon. 

Rating- 3.5/5

My overall experience at Mad Jack was rather average as the food seemed to be wonderful, but in reality didn't seem to live up to its potential (expect for one or two dishes). Considering the huge variety of restaurants at nex, I feel Mad Jack need to make a significant improvement to stay in the game. Hopefully in the future I get the chance to go back to Mad Jack to try out different dishes. Overall, it was a mediocre experience.

Overall Rating- 7/10

Mad Jack 

23 Serangoon Central

#B1-27, Nex

Opening Hours

11:30 am- 10 pm 

Daily

Tel(Nex): 6634 7551/ 6846 8231

Web: www.madjackcafe.com

Nearest MRT- Serangoon (NE12, CC13)