SOME food is more than the sum of its parts. Modest ingredients can be combined to create dazzling sensations. Such a dish is the carrot cake served as a starter at this small Oriental restaurant tucked away in a side street.

First cast aside any thoughts of the orange-hued, spongy confection that is served at art house cinemas and community centres the length and breadth of middle class Britain.

This is Singaporean street food - sticky, slightly spicy, absolutely irresistible.

Grated carrots, spices and mooli - a type of Far Eastern radish - are combined with rice flour and the mixture is steamed.

Then, cooled, it is cut into chunks and fried with an egg and sweet soy sauce to create a gooeye dish that was revelatory.

My high opinion of this creation was shared by my wife and son who had ordered different starters.

Lynn's Lucky Prawns - sizeable beasts served in a suitably light tempura batter with a sweet and spicy dip - were good. Likewise Murray's chicken satay, served with a spiced peanut sauce.

But the carrot cake was the star of the show.

I think it also eclipsed my main course, good as that was.

Beef lok lah is a Cambodian dish of stir-fried meat marinated in oyster sauce and garlic and served with a black pepper and zingy dip.

The meat was tender and tasty. An accompanying salad was fresh and crisp.

A side order of coconut rice provided starch and sweet flavour.

Lynn's slow cooked pork, cooked with galangal and a sweet soy sauce, was well received as was Murray's lamb rendang.

A portion of vegetables, cooked with shrimp paste, probably wasn't needed, but was nevertheless enjoyed.

Neither Lynn nor I had room for dessert while Murray progressed manfully on to chocolate brownies with ice cream and a raspberry coulis, a dish whose Oriental origins were not obvious but one of which he spoke highly.

Our bill also included drinks, including a bottle of very pleasant South African pinotage.

But I'm embarrassed to say I can't accurately tell you how much this meal cost because despite my vehement protests to the co-owner Pete - husband of the chef Siew Kuan - he under-charged me as a way of saying thank you for an article I'd previously written about the restaurant.

Believe me when I say that I'd already decided to award this likeable, unfussy place four stars.

My hurried sums, by the way, lead me to think the meal would have cost just over £60.

* Verdict

How much?... Around £60 for three

Vegetarians?................ Choices

Child friendly?.....................Yes

Disabled access............... Quite cramped

Parking?....................On-street

Go back?....................Certainly