Blog Nasi Padang - Hajjah Mona <b>Nasi Padang</b>: Sedap lah Mak Chik! | ieatishootipost |
- Hajjah Mona <b>Nasi Padang</b>: Sedap lah Mak Chik! | ieatishootipost
- Istimewa <b>Nasi Padang</b>: Curry is Nice but it's a Fried Chicken <b>...</b>
- <b>Nasi Padang</b> River Valley: Less spicy, more sweet, Yummy all round <b>...</b>
- No Name <b>Nasi Padang</b>: Cheap and Good! | ieatishootipost
- Rumah Makan Minang: Of Padang and Minangkabau Cuisine <b>...</b>
| Hajjah Mona <b>Nasi Padang</b>: Sedap lah Mak Chik! | ieatishootipost Posted: 14 Dec 2009 08:01 AM PST Hajjah Mona Nasi Padang: Sedap lah Mak Chik! Posted on: December 14, 2009
Nothing hits the spot quite like a good plate of rice drenched in a coconut laden gravy. And it doesn't get better than Nasi Padang except, maybe, very good Nasi Padang. Finding Hajjah Mona was qutie easy. Our kakis were just sitting at the newly refurbished Geylang Serai Food Centre and for the good hour that we were there, we noticed a perpetual queue outside of this stall. Then I understood. The first mouthful of the Ayam Opor was like a "Boomz" moment. Yeah, there's no better word to describe it. The gravy was so full of lemon grass that the fragrance wafts out of your nostrils like the flames of a fire breathing dragon. But seriously, from the Ayam Opor to the Beef Rendang to the Sayur Lodeh, you can taste the passion and quality in each mouthful. 4.5/5
When I went back to the stall to tell them just how much I enjoyed the Nasi Padang, I realized that they also sell something that I have been wanting to try for a very long time. I have heard about the Nasi Rawon before but never had the chance to try it. If you like the Peranakan Dish Ayam Buah Keluak, then you might also like Nasi Rawon because it is a soup made from Fatty Beef and Buah Keluak. Sounds like a killer dish right? Nasi Rawon is typically served with Tempeh and a fried coconut garnish. I think the dish would have tasted better if I had not eaten the very savoury Nasi Padang first. Compared to Nasi Padang, the flavours in Nasi Rawon is not as floral and sweet. The Rawon has a more earthy, woody flavour which you expect from Buah Keluak. This is the first time I am tasting Rawon so I can't really tell you how it is compared to others. But in terms of shiok factor, I would give it only a 4/5. I feel that something which has beef fat and buah keluak in it should be able to taste much better.
Conclusion There are two Nasi Padang stalls within Geylang Serai Food Centre which attracts long queues during lunch. Sinar Pagi which I blogged before is one of them and the other one is Haji Mona. That really says a lot about both stalls since they are situated in the only food centre in the heart of the Malay community in Singapore.
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| Istimewa <b>Nasi Padang</b>: Curry is Nice but it's a Fried Chicken <b>...</b> Posted: 03 Nov 2011 04:34 AM PDT
My kakis who brought me to this Nasi Padang place couldn't stop raving about it. They told me that it is among the top three Nasi Padang in Singapore, which is their way of saying that it is really the best in their books but it would be too presumptuous to make such a claim without possessing foodie omniscience. It is so good, they tell me, that it gets sold out by 1.30pm, so they will have to make special arrangements to go early to order the food. So it is with this state of heightened expectation that I visited Istimewa to find if they are indeed "Istimewa" (Special) Encik Zaman told me that they had started selling Nasi Lemak here in the 90′s. When I heard 90′s, my first thought was that it was still relatively new. Then I realized that the early 90′s was almost 20 years ago! So this stall has been around for 18 years already and it seems like over the last 18 years, they managed to attract quite a huge following! When I was there at 1.30pm, some of the popular items like the Sotong Hitam (squid in black ink) was already sold out! Lucky for me, the most popular item there, the Ayam Goreng (Fried Chicken) is still available to those who are willing to wait. There is a good turnover for this item and people have been known to wait in the queue for 20 mins in order to get it piping hot. Encik Zaman tells me that aside from using fresh chicken here, he can't really explain why his Ayam Goreng is so popular! Actually, I was wondering the same thing myself when I first tried the fried chicken. But that was because my kakis had come to the stall earlier to order the food before it ran out, so it was cold by the time I tried it. It wasn't until later that I had the opportunity to buy some freshly fried chicken that I understood what the fuss was about. The chicken is lightly spiced, tender and juicy on the inside while the skin was crisp and thin like those Nori sheets(toasted seaweed). Guess, it was worth the 10 min wait! 4.25/5
The curries are all very competent here in general, although to be honest, I was expecting much more since my kakis, who are regulars there all seem to swear by it. Don't get me wrong, it was a good meal, but it stopped short of being a DARN GOOD meal which I feel compelled to return to the next day. The Ayam Padi Lemak and Sayur Lodeh were very good, but as I said, they lack a certain addictive quality which I am looking for whenever I eat Nasi Padang. 4/5
Similarly, the beef rendang was also very good but not so darn good that it kept me thinking about it for days. It is more on the sweet side and very fragrant although the beef was a tad tough. Again, my kakis had to apologize on the stalls behalf and they swore that it is usually nice and tender. 4/5
It is too bad I can't give you the lowdown on the signature Sotong Hitam (Black Ink Sotong) as we had to settle for the Sambal Sotong instead. The quality of the Sotong is excellent. Each one is tender and full of roe, but again the sambal failed to elicit the "Wow" in me. 4/5 My experience was less than stella but that should not prevent you from giving this stall a try since they undoubtedly have many die hard fans. Do go at around 11.45am so that everything is still fresh and hot. I think you should have a great Nasi Padang experience then!  Istimewa Nasi Padang |
| <b>Nasi Padang</b> River Valley: Less spicy, more sweet, Yummy all round <b>...</b> Posted: 19 Jan 2012 05:35 PM PST
If you love Nasi Padang, I am sure you would have at least heard of Nasi Padang River Valley. This place is probably one of the most well known places for Nasi Padang in Singapore and it is quite a known fact that one of their regular customers is the Sultan of Brunei who would tarpau food from there whenever he is in Singapore. The restaurant started off as a little stall in River Valley at the corner of Mohd Sultan Road in 1957 and were infamous for its snaking long queues. That was one of the reasons they moved to their present location in 1998. The 2nd generation owner, Zul, tells me that he still pretty much does most of the cooking which is based on his mother's recipes from the Bukit Tinggi region of West Sumatra. But do they serve authentic Nasi Padang? By his own admission, no! Zul tells me that although most of the recipes have their roots in Bukit Tinggi, they have all been modified to suit the local tastebuds and in particular, the local Chinese palate. So that means the food is generally milder and sweeter instead of salty and spicy as it is back home. Bukit Tinggi is one of the cities within the province of West Sumatra which is situated in the highland region. As such, seafood is difficult to obtain, unlike Pariaman which is a coastal city. So although they have a few fish dishes, don't expect to find fantastic Ikan bakar here!
The one thing dish that is common amongst the Minangkabau people (inhabitants of West Sumatra) is Beef Rendang. Even then, it is said that with 2000 provinces in Indonesia, there is probably 2000 different recipes for Beef Rendang. The Beef Rendang here would probably be version 2001. As I said earlier, the taste has been tweaked to suit the local Chinese palate, which explains why I like it so much. The meat is tender and the aroma of the spices are distinct without too much heat to induce sweat! 4.5/5
Opor Ayam When I assess Nasi Padang, I usually ask the following questions: 1. Do you grind your own curry powder? Most of the good places say yes to No. 1 and I have never come across anyone who are still using mortar and pestle to pound their rempah. So question No. 2 is a very important in separating the good from the great. In the case of Nasi Padang River Valley, I am glad to report that Zul still squeezes coconut milk by hand daily! He proudly walked me into his kitchen to show me the tubs of coconut milk in the fridge which he squeezed in the morning. On top of that, Zul tells me that they only use fresh meats, never frozen which is why he is not apologetic about his prices being a little on the higher side. Opor Ayam is one of those special dishes which I can distinctly remember my first time eating it. I was pretty young then and didn't eat spicy food. So whenever curries were served at home, mom used to have to wash the curry chicken wing with water before I would eat it. So when Mom brought me to Rendesvous Nasi Padang one day, she ordered Opor Ayam for me and assured me that it wasn't spicy. I tell you, I still remember that taste up till today and so far, I haven't found any place that sells Opor Ayam with that exact same taste! In case you were expecting me to tell you that I found that taste here, I am afraid you are in for an anticlimax. The gravy is very good here, but still lacked that special something which I remembered from a long time ago! 4.25/5
The Egg Omelette is not a Padang dish. It was something Zul's father had come up with a long time ago. Essentially it is a frittata or a thick omelet with onion and parsley. But unlike omelets in the west where they take pains to ensure the omelette doesn't turn brown on the surface, the omelet here is cooked quickly over a hot fire so that the egg turns into that familiar chewy stringy brown texture. If you showed it to a French Chef, he might just go "pppffff!", but hey, I actually enjoy it this way as I do the deep fried egg coating on a bergedil! 4.5/5
I like the Sambal Sotong here as it is more sweet than fiery and the sotong is cooked to perfection with a nice tender bite. Just a little dissappointed that it didn't have that creamy roe inside but otherwise the sambal is sweet complement to the other more savoury curries. 4.25/5
Conclusion I guess Nasi Padang purists might complain that the food is too sweet and not spicy enough, but I am always very happy whenever I eat there. The quality of the food is very good and the family still prepares so meticulously that they still squeeze their coconut milk! The main complaint I always hear is about the prices being on the high side, but judging from the crowds, I don't think that stopped them from coming back again and again! Note:  Nasi Padang River Valley |
| No Name <b>Nasi Padang</b>: Cheap and Good! | ieatishootipost Posted: 11 Nov 2010 07:48 AM PST
For those who would like to debate as to whether Hong Kong or Singapore is the real food paradise, I have only two words to say: Nasi Padang. Ok, so you might argue that Nasi Padang is really Indonesian cuisine, but here in Singapore, Nasi Padang just means Malay/Indonesian style dishes that is eaten with rice. When you eat Nasi Padang in Indonesia, what they do is to flood your table with all the different dishes and you just pick which one you like to eat. If you don't touch it, they don't make you pay for it. It's like how we used to sell satay in the past where they just gave you a whole lot of satay and you pay for whatever you consume. I guess the rest of the uneaten satay ends up on the next party's table.
Of course, we don't have this practice any more in Singapore. But when you eat Nasi Padang, it is always great to go with some kakis so that you can flood the whole table with dishes made with creatures from the land, sea and air. This particular Nasi Padang stall is located in an old coffeeshop in an old HDB estate. The Coffeeshop is called Khong Guan which immediately reminds you of the biscuit brand. I was told that this is no coincidence as they are actually the same owners. There is always a certain level of excitement when I visit such old coffeeshops where the stall doesn't even have a name and the whole coffeeshop is full of people eating the same thing. We went crazy and ordered whatever dishes there were.
The dishes were in general very good. The best dish of the day was the mutton rendang. The spices were just right and the mutton was stewed till tender. However, being such a cheap eatery, they don't serve nice large pieces of mutton, so the quality wasn't really there. But it was very affordable. 4.25. The Ayam Merah is also another dish which I would recommend. I always like the combination of sweet and sour with a tinge of heat, so this dish suits me very well. 4.25/5
I usually gauge the Nasi Padang stall on the quality of the Ayam Korma. Sad to say that the Ayam Korma at this place is really not up to par. The gravy was watered down and it lacked flavour. 3.5/5 The sambal Sotong at this place was also very exciting to look at but turned out to be a little overcooked and rubbery. 3.5/5. Conclusion Ok so it wasn't a "blow your mind" kind of experience but for a whole table of food, we all ended up paying $4.50 per person. It is the kind of place where you and your colleagues can go for lunch,end up trying lots of different dishes, soak in the excitement of the mad rush of people lining up for their food and end up with quite a happy belly and some nice food pix to put up on your facebook page. All for less than five bucks.  No Name Nasi Padang |
| Rumah Makan Minang: Of Padang and Minangkabau Cuisine <b>...</b> Posted: 12 Jan 2012 06:16 PM PST
We all enjoy Nasi Padang, but how much do we actually know about it? I would be the first to admit that I am guilty of calling any stall that sells rice with Malay style curry dishes Nasi Padang without much thought. But that is not entirely inaccurate as many of the dishes that are characteristic of Padang cuisine has become very much a part of Singapore food culture. The other problem I have with Nasi Padang is that out of the 50 or so dishes that are served, I always end up trying the same handful of dishes. I guess I am the type that prefers to play safe and order something I know I like rather than taking the risk with something new. That's exactly what I did on my first visit to Rumah Makan Minang.
The most famous dish that originated from Padang is probably the Beef Rendang. However, this dish has become so popular locally that it has become become integrated into our culture. So much so that most people probably just assume that it is local Malay cuisine. But if you ask the Minangkabau people, they would tell you that the Beef Redang was invented by the Minangkabau. The Minangkabau are the inhabitants of the region of West Sumatra whose capital is Padang. Legend has it that the Minangkabau (lit Victory over the Buffalo) are so named because of a famous battle between their tribe and the forces of the Majapahit empire. Instead of an all out war, both sides decided to send a water buffalo to settle their dispute. The prince of the Majapahit empire sent a huge beast while the Minangkabau sent a hungry buffalo calf with knives strapped to its horns. During the ensuing battle, the baby buffalo went straight for the udders of the big buffalo and pierced its belly while looking for milk! So the buffalo is a very significant animal for the Minangkabau and it is reflected in the architecture of their houses as well as in their food. Beef rendang is traditionally made with buffalo meat and its a dish that is often cooked during festive occasions. Traditionally, Beef Rendang is cooked for a long time until it is all dried up and can be kept for a whole month without refrigeration. I was told by Hazmi that there are many styles of Rendang served in Singapore, but their version is close to the authentic Minangkabau version.. The recipe belonged to his grandmother, Hajjah Rosemah, who migrated from Minangkabau to Singapore in the 1940′s and started a Nasi Padang stall along Kandahar St. They then shifted to a rental coffeeshop in the 70′s where it was known as Nasi Padang Batu Nisan (lit Nasi Padang tombstone) because of its proximity to a tombstone maker. It was this stall that gave birth to Rumah Makan Minang, Sebar Menanti and Sabar Menanti II, all of which are located within walking distance from each other in Kampung Glam. Even Warung Nasi Pariaman, which is a stone's throw away belongs to Hazmi's Uncle! I have always enjoyed Beef Rendang with nice, tender, melt in your mouth beef from Peramakan. However, I was told that authentic Beef Rendang is supposed to have a bit of a chew so that the flavour develops in your mouth. It is also supposed to be spicy as it is characteristic of Minangkabau food. So the Beef Rendang here tends to be more dry and chewy and the spices do pack a punch. Good for those whose palates are used to really spicy food. 4/5
Ayam Belado Hijau
The spicy, tangy condiment goes really well with fried foods and they usually use Belado Merah (red chilli) for fish and Belado Hijau (green chilli) for chicken. One tip I would like to share with you is that the best time to eat Nasi Padang here is around 10am when the food has just come out of the kitchen. By the time I ate the Ayam Belado Hijau, it was already around 2pm, so the chicken was not freshly fried. Even then, it was very enjoyable. The marinade for the fried chicken is very good and the sweet and piquant Belado hijau complements it perfectly. 4/5
Paru Belado (Beef Lung) The other Belado dish that is famous is the Beef Dendeng Belado which is essentially Beef Jerky topped with Belado Merah. But if you are a little adventurous, I would highly recommend the Paru Belado (Beef Lung). Now, I know some of you might cringe at eating offal and believe me, I am not a big fan as well, but the Paru Belado here is fantastic once you get over the mental block. It's crispy and has a nice savory beefiness without that awfully offaly stench. Actually it's much like a beefy keropok! (fish crackers). Hazmi explained that they have a special method of preparing the Paru. It is first sliced thin and then marinated and sun dried before deep frying! The marinade was superb at masking the otherwise strong smell of the beef lung, leaving only a nice savory, spicy, crunchy morsel which was nicely contrasted by the sweet and tangy Belado. 4.5/5
I asked Hazmi if he had a particular favourite amongst the kaleidoscope of dishes he makes everyday and without a moment's hesitation, he said it was the Ikan Bakar. Although, Ikan Bakar is also a very popular Padang dish, the Ikan Bakar here has been modified such that it is unique to Singapore, or indeed to Rumah Makan Minang. The traditional Padang recipe is to grill the fish and serve it with kichup manis (sweet soy sauce) and chopped onions and chilli. Here the fish is first slathered with a thick and yellow spice mix before grilling and then the kichup manis and condiments are added. So you get a whole symphony of flavours from the pungency of the onions to the sweetness of the kichup manis to the brightness of the chillies balancing out the umami flesh of the Ikan Selar Panjang (Indian Mackeral). Again, something best enjoyed fresh out of the grill! 4.25/5
Botok Botok is one of those dishes that I would never have ordered by myself. This is essentially a piece of Batang (Mackeral) topped with a mix of coconut and herbs, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. It's like an otak otak but with the fish whole and separated from the rempah. The flavours are nice but I found the leaves a little grassy and difficult to chew. Still its something you might like to order just to try something new and different. 3.75/5
Tahu Telor The one dish that I will always order whenever I am back at Rumah Makan Minang has to be the Tahu Telor. Firstly because their version is very very good and secondly, the sweet sauce that it is served with brings a bit of respite in the midst of the explosion of spices from the other dishes. Theirs is smaller in comparison with the Tahu Telor served in many other places and is quartered then fried such that there is more crispy bits to savour. 4.5/5
It is good to know that we will be able to enjoy the dishes of Rumah Makan Minang for at least another generation as the baton is gradually being passed onto Hazmi who gave up his job as an IT engineer to carry on the family tradition. Aside from renovating the restaurant and giving his restaurant a strong online presence, he is also in the kitchen getting his elbows dirty and learning all the recipes from his mom! So it's great to see this restaurant bringing tradition into the 21st century while still celebrating its heritage!
Don't hesitate to order a cup of Teh Tarik to accompany your food while you are there. Hazmi's father has represented Singapore as our Teh Tarik ambassador overseas on several occasions and so the Teh Tarik here is very good. The key is a very special blend of tea they use which is specially blended just for the restaurant. It has hints of rose and vanilla flavours so its fragrant while the astringency is nicely balanced with the condensed milk so that its smooth and brisk. 4.5/5 Conclusion The legacy of Hajjah Rosemah and Minangkabau food lives on Rumah Makan Minang and it is good to know that there is a new generation that will take over the baton and bring it to the 21st century. It is no surprise that Padang food is so popular throughout Indonesia as well as Singapore and Malaysia. When you are really hungry, a plate of rice and accompanied by a few dishes will surely hit that gastronomic g-spot.
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