Rumah Makan Minang

Rumah Makan Minang – 18 Kandahar Street

Malay cuisine never fails to amaze me with the variety and robustness of its flavours; this presents a delightful problem when I find myself wracked by indecision pretty much every time I order Nasi Padang. This eating style could very well be the first incarnation of fast food with rice and a dazzling array of delectable dishes served warm – not hot - so it can be scarfed down quickly. Situated on Kandahar Street in the original Malay enclave; this place serves up top-notch, authentic Nasi Padang at characteristically reasonable prices: a massive feast for two amounted to a mere $22.60.

The potent-looking Sambal was intimidating but turned out to be deliciously mild as the heat had been cooked out of the chillies. All that remained was the barest hint of heat resounding off a base of sweet onions and tart tomatoes.

Tahu Telor is my dieting kryptonite for I can never turn down this beautifully golden-brown construction. It is a pretty simple concept, firm bean curd coated with egg flash fried to a delicate, puffy crust before being slathered in sweet sauce. However, excellent technique and a brutal temperature gradient results in a wonderful layer of crispness lying right against a soft, creamy interior. The mind-blowing sauce is a flavour-packed concoction of peanuts, tamarind, kicap manis and chillies which soaks into the fluffy, porous egg layer as well as the julienned vegetable garnish. One must eat it quickly while it’s piping hot for the splendour fades once sogginess sets in!

The lynchpin of any rendang is the rempah or spice paste and this Beef Rendang has it down perfectly; fragrant notes of lemongrass and blue ginger mingle with candlenut richness and the tang of tamarind. Rendang usually tastes better after a day as the flavours assimilate into the meat but the generous chunks of beef were already bursting with it.

The Chicken Rendang was lacklustre next to the beef as chicken was not robust enough to take on the punchy spices so its own flavours were eclipsed rather than enhanced. It also came across as a little too oily.

Sayur Lodeh is another Malay staple that did not disappoint. The coconut gravy was satisfyingly rich and spicy, soaking deliciously into thick bean curd chunks and tender vegetables.

While I am hardly a fish lover, I was impressed by the Gulai Fish which was wonderfully creamy and spicy. The firm, meaty mackerel was an excellent choice to hold its own amidst the strong flavours and spices.

I strongly recommend washing all that down with the Lime Juice which is actually made from a concentrate of limau kasturi; a smaller, more fragrant cousin of the common lime. It is rather sweet and very refreshing with its deliciously distinctive floral note.