Most of our childhood is stored not in photos, but in certain smells and places … Nasi Lemak is one of Singaporeans’ favourite dishes, and we grew up having this, hence our particular fondness for this indulgent plate of rice. There are two types of nasi lemak commonly found today – the Malay version with ikan billis, nuts, ikan kuning (fried fish), fried egg and cucumber slices, as well as, the Chinese version which offers a lot more variety in side dishes ranging from fried chicken drumsticks to luncheon meat to an assortment of vegetables.

It’s not just the ingredients that makes a good nasi lemak. Pandan leaves and coconut milk play a huge role in enhancing the fragrance and richness of the rice, complemented by the spicy sambal chilli sauce that you can’t miss out on. We hunted down 15 fantastic places for you to try!

The Coconut Club

The Coconut Club at Ann Siang Hill brought the standard of nasi lemak back with the use of quality ingredients. Little wonder why our Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hosted visiting Philippine President Rodrigo Détente here for lunch! Our plate of Nasi Lemak ($12.80) is really lemak with a rich fragrance. Using basmati rice grains, the rice we had that day was dense and a little chewy.

The Coconut Club’s standard nasi lemak includes coconut rice, ikan bilis, sambal chilli, cucumber, fried egg and fried chicken leg. Optional add-ons include beef rendang, otak and fried fish. We really like the chicken leg marinated with galangal, lemongrass and ginger. The chicken leg is first coated with tapioca flour before it is deep fried, resulting in a crispy skin with very moist and juicy meat. However, the sambal chilli needs a little more punch.

Quan Jia Fu (全佳福) Nasi Lemak

Set up by popular ge tai singer Cheng Ze (承泽) and two other partners, Quan Jia Fu Nasi Lemak in Army Market is gaining quite a crowd. One of the partners used to be a cook in a nasi lemak stall in Boon Lay so she takes care of all the cooking while the two handsome young man do most of the serving. Its rice is milder in coconut milk flavour, but is light and fluffy.

What really stands out is the sambal, which has a strong taste of dried shrimp in the blend. It’s really robust in flavours, spicy with a strong presence of shallots. The fried chicken is crispy and goes well with the sambal dip which we paired with curry vegetables and an egg omelette too. We love the old school vibes which exude from the rustic-looking metal plates which we used to use in the past. Old vintage milo tins are also hung on the ceiling and used as their cash box.

Revolution Cafe

Celebrity Mod Sin Chef Shen Tan is famous for her nasi lemak, which is steamed with fresh coconut every day  instead of being thrown into a rice cooker with coconut milk. Only the best Fragrant Jasmine rice is used and each grain of rice is distinct and fluffy but richly lemak and deserves to be called Nasi Lemak! It is so well flavoured that you will want to eat the rice on its own! The 5 Nasi Lemak rice sets feature dishes such as crispy pork, crispy fried chicken, 5 spice pork confit, beef rendang and chicken rendang. Instead of going for the usual beef rendang, we opted for the crispy pork instead. It’s so crispy on the outside yet juicy on the inside.

Each set comes complete with the Nasi Lemak rice, omelette, ikan bills, homemade sambal belachan and coffee sambal on cucumber slices. Coffee and chilli gives a unique earthy flavour. You have to sample Shen’s extra spicy Sambal Belachan with its nuclear explosive kick. Shiok! The price of nasi lemak ranges from $4.90 to $9.90.

Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak

With a snaking long queue of customers eagerly waiting to place their order, it is hard to miss this stall. This stall still maintains the freshness of their nasi lemak ingredients and makes sure that their food is kept sizzling hot. The well-marinated chicken is deep-fried to a nice crispiness but maintains its tenderness on the inside. Fried ikan bilis and roasted peanuts are nicely done too. The otah paste is splendid with add-on coconut milk. It wasn’t too spicy but enough to give a kick. We could feel the enticing coconut aroma rising up from the fragrant rice and the sambal chilli – ooh, it was sensational. Despite the crowd, their standard seemed to have dipped over the years.

Mizzy Corner

Everyone who frequents Changi Village would know about the nasi lemak served at Mizzy’s Corner. Although it is said that anyone would invariably leave with very satisfied tummies, we didn’t think this was the best nasi lemak in Singapore. The standard chicken nasi lemak set costs $3.50 and comes with a fried chicken wing, a fried egg and ikan bilis, sambal and a slice of cucumber. Unfortunately, the rice is not fragrant enough and it is too soggy. A piece of mackerel otak otak can be added for an additional $1. Such a very value for money meal!

Tan Beng Otah Delights

Otah here is prepared on the spot and freshly wrapped. The otah has a good balance of chilli and fish and exudes ethereal fragrance when served hot. The filling within contains chunks of mackerel meat and the spices pack quite a punch. What we enjoyed most was the packet of traditional nasi lemak wrapped in banana leaves that this hawker still prepares. Consisting of fried fish, an egg, ikan bilis and peanuts, it made me reminisce the days when my late grandmother would tabao this back for me on weekends for breakfast when I was much younger.

Sri Sujana Muslim Food

The standard chicken nasi lemak set which costs $3.50, comes with a fried chicken wing, a fried egg, ikan bilis, sambal and a slice of cucumber. Unfortunately, the rice is not fragrant enough and it is too soggy. However, we quite enjoyed the sambal here. While some sambal tends to be sweeter, Sri Sujana’s version is spicy enough and is fragrant enough. Their ikan bilis was also super crispy and still hot. The chicken wings have a nice crispy skin. A piece of mackerel otak otak can be added for an additional $1. We queued for 20 mins or longer for just two plates of nasi lemak. Actually, the diners mostly only buy 1 to 2 plates of nasi lemak. Service is really slow.

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak at Adam Food Centre has been labelled as one of the best Nasi Lemak in Singapore. Food comes in sets, with prices ranging from $2.50 to $5.50, depending on the ingredients you order. We ordered their “Royal Rumble” ($5.50) which consisted of Potato Croquette, Fried Egg, Deep-fried fish, Ikan Bilis, Otah and Deep-fried chicken wing. Our verdict? We have to agree that the rice was fragrant and well-enriched by the coconut milk. They use Basmati Rice which has a lighter texture and better flavour, and the grains are wonderfully separated. Expect a queue at this stall, but it’s worth the wait!

No. 1 Adam’s Nasi Lemak

Located just beside Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak, we have to say that each stall has their own specialty. No. 1 Adam’s Nasi Lemak’s specialty lies in the mutton rendang, which possesses a thick, yet sweet gravy. The meat is tender and juicy. The fish cake had a bouncy texture while the otah was soft and tasty. We like the flavourful potato too. The highlight though, has to be the sambal chilli. It’s a tad sweet, not too spicy and very appetizing. Do note that the waiting time during lunch hours can take up to 60 minutes as many people would takeaway about 10 to 15 packets each.

Fong Seng Fast Food Nasi Lemak

Fong Seng specialises in selling nasi lemak with the usual sides such as chicken wing, ikan bilis, peanuts, otah and egg etc. The chicken wing is fried to a perfect crisp golden brown while still retaining its tender, succulent meat within. The otah was fiery hot, with a hint of coconut milk to neutralise its spiciness. However, the rice served was normal steamed rice which Fong Seng makes up for by serving a plethora of other sides, which gives you a plate of hearty “cai fan”. There are a variety of vegetables, curry and various meats to choose from.

Hon Ni Kitchen

Hon Ni has two stalls in the hawker centre, one to prepare the ingredients while the other to serve from. It sells nasi lemak at a very cheap price. While the must-order is chicken wing, they also have other dishes such as luncheon meat, fried kuning fish, fishcakes, stir fry long beans, ikan bilis, otah, fried eggs etc. The nasi is very light and fluffy because they use coconut milk sparingly. The rice is best eaten with their homemade sambal chilli sauce, which is made of fresh chilli, onions and ikan bilis. Very shiok! And many have raved about their delicious otah which is silky smooth and without a fishy smell. Be sure to try it out!

Chong Pang Nasi Lemak

This famed establishment had its humble beginnings in the former Chong Pang Village Hawker Centre in 1973 before moving to the current coffee shop situated along the busy Sembawang Road. Serving Chinese-style Nasi Lemak with an array of dishes to choose from, the rice is light and not heavy on coconut milk. Of all the sides, the best-selling item is the chicken wings. Lightly battered and well marinated, each bite had a good crunch, with juicy, tender meat. The chilli packs a good punch and finishes on a tangy note.

Punggol Nasi Lemak

Run by family members, Punggol Nasi Lemak is a favourite supper spot for many. I’ve been frequenting the outlet near Kovan for many years and there’s always a long queue during dinner hours. The aroma of their good quality rice is accentuated by coconut and pandan. Each grain is consistent, neither too mushy nor too hard. The eggs here are prepared just right, with a runny yolk in the middle surrounded by crispy, browned edges. The chicken wings are worth your calories too! They are crispy and succulent, even with such a high turnover. The sambal chilli is not too spicy and has a hint of sweetness. There are sides like otah, sambal belachan long beans, fish cakes and many more, which could be packed away for dinner.

Market Street Nasi Lemak

Located at the hawker centre in the CBD, it’s hard to miss this stall when the queue is always snaking during lunch time. Run by two brothers, they are very efficient and offer a wide selection of items to choose from at very reasonable prices. At $2.50, our plate consisted of fragrant rice, fried chicken drumstick, fish fillet, otah, egg and ikan billis. What a steal! The chicken wings and chicken drumsticks were not too greasy and were fried to a crisp golden brown, while retaining its tender meat within. The rice was palatable, with a strong coconut aroma. If you work in the CBD and don’t mind queuing, this is definitely a wallet-friendly stall you can frequent.

Bali Nasi Lemak

Aunty Susan came from a family selling nasi lemak. Her eldest sister is the owner of the famous Punggol Nasi Lemak while her second sister is the owner of Mt Faber Nasi Lemak. Even so, each stall has their own specialty. Here, the Kicap Manis Fried Chicken is their specialty. They deep fried the chicken wings with rice and wheat flour to hold that crispiness. You can have it in original or the kecap manis version which is tossed with sweet black sauce. They also serve unique dishes like sambal petai, otah, brinjal etc. Obviously no complaints about her rice, the Thai basmati rice is fluffy and lemak just like her sisters’.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stalls featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post 15 Nasi Lemak in Singapore for The Ultimate Indulgence appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.