Nasi Lemak, Singapore Food Republic

If you have been reading my blog for quite a while now, you would know that I am not a big fan of spicy food. It has always been me and my sweet tooth until Manila Boy himself, Spanky and the owner of Nasi Lemak, Mr. HK Tan, a true blooded Singaporean who fell in love with our country invited us, food bloggers to an afternoon of unforgettable foodie feast.

Not being able to find even a single decent Singaporean Restaurant here in the Philippines is one reason why Mr. HK Tan decided to put up one instead, and so the birth of Nasi Lemak, Singaporean Food Republic. His goal of having Filipinos experience an authentic Singaporean cuisine is one good reason to take a step further after stopping by your usual Krispy Kreme fix, since Nasi Lemak is just right beside it, every time you’re in Galleria.

That afternoon, before feasting on scrumptious meals and after having our Malaysian Coffee , Mr. HK had a brief demonstration on how to prepare a Sambal Blachan, a salty paste which resembles to our very own Bagoong, and is used in most of Singaporean, Indonesian, and Malaysian dishes. After trying out the Sambal Blachan accompanied by the equally tasty Papadum, the feast began.

These are some of Nasi Lemak’s specialties that we had.

Singapore Laksa 200php
It was my first time to taste the most famous noodle dish in Singapore and I fell in love with it. The spicy thickness of the broth, the flavorful chicken and the rice noodles are perfect combination. Days after the food feast, I find myself still craving for Laksa.

Kueh Pai Ti (3pcs) 120php, (5pcs) 180php
Noted as the most ordered appetizer in their menu, this fried rolled veggies fried and wrapped in wanton wrapper topped with fresh shrimp is served with sweet chili sauce that further magnify the freshness of the dish.

Malaysian Sambal Fish 160php
Do not be deceived by this ordinary-looking fried fish because aside from its tasty meat, it is stuffed with flavorful Sambal Blachan on the inside, giving it a distinct taste one would surely remember.

Malaysian Chicken Curry 300php
Chicken curry has always been on the top of my favorite viand, and Nasi Lemak’s has take it a notch further. By far the best Chicken Curry I have tasted.

Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet 245php
The classic Sweet and Sour that everybody loves.

Beef Rendang 360php
This is my favorite of all the dishes we were served. Everyone was already feasting on the other dish while I was still savoring on the goodness of Beef Rendang. Tender Chunky Beef with thick spicy sauce is best paired with steamed rice in my opinion.

Fried Salted Squid 200php
Tender Squid in flavorful and crunchy batter. I would love to have this with a mug of beer.

Fish Head Curry 390php
One of the stellar among the dishes. The Maya-Maya fish is flavorful in itself, so what can we expect if it was cooked in equally delectable curry sauce?

Penang Char Kway Teow 200php
Nasi Lemak’s best selling noodle dish, packed with flavorful veggies, sliced beef, and shrimp.

Stir-Fried Kangkong with Sambal Blachan 158php
Exotic dish of Chinese Kang-Kong stir-fried in Sambal Blachan.

Ayam Panggang Javanese BBQ Chicken
Mouth watering Chicken BBQ, its meat is very tasty and tender, you would instantly distinguishe its difference from your normal Chicken BBQ. This is one of the two new additions to the menu.

Singapore BBQ Stingray
Barbecued Stingray flap made tastier with chili sambal. Another new exotic addition to Nasi Lemak’s menu.

Crispy Baby Squid
Sweet and spicy, crispy squid, another one which made me craves for an ice cold beer.

Sambal Fried Rice 200php
Just like the usual Nasi Goreng, only it has a mix of Sambal Blachan for added spiciness and flavor.

After this afternoon of spicy food feast, I could say that I am suddenly a convert. Nasi Lemak can adjust the spiciness of their food to their customer’s preference and I think that is ne good thing about it. Also, their belief in serving food without Monosodium glutamate is another thing. So if you are in search of an authentic Singaporean/Malaysian/Indonesian Restaurant, you couldn’t go wrong with Nasi Lemak.

Thanks to Mr. HK Tan and Spanky for the invite!

Photo credit to Glenn Dalisay and some revisions to Ern Raymundo