THE STAR
The event was held on 5th Nov 2016 at TM Convention Centre, Bangsar.
The 40 Nasi Lemaks That Were Showacased
Lesung Batu Cafe
Putra Heights
Do not miss the lidah goreng kunyit here. It’s boiled lovingly, then sliced thinly before being fried crisp with vegetables. Crispy, chewy and delightfully salty. Rice here has an added aroma of fenugreek and lemongrass alongside pandan and ginger. Their sambal is cooked for a long time until it caramelises and they use gula Melaka for added depth.
D'Cengkih
TTDI
Have nasi lemak at our event the way Johoreans eat it, with a side of sambal goreng Jawa (a medley of tempe, green beans, sohun, tofu fried with green chillies) or a crispy fried ikan selar- good to crunch down to the bones. This is one of our favourite joints for a lavish Malay breakfast. We love the Johor-style nasi lemak with their sour-spicy sambal.
Nasi Lemak Pendekar Mustar
Penang
3 words for you. Asam pedas salmon. They came up with this special dish to be different. This 'utara' nasi lemak is pretty darn good and they come with a vibrant sambal and a good portion of fried ikan bilis. Fans of Bujang Lapok will recognise the name. He's the pendekar who trained the 3 stale bachelors in Pendekar Bujang Lapuk. Who would have thought he also sells nasi lemak (or more like his very enterprising great-grandson).
Returning Heroes Nasi Lemak Lengeng Joyz is back with her mouth-watering masak lemak telur itik that goes a treat with their rice and sambal.
While Nasi Lemak Nayan still makes their rich, maroon sambal with ikan keli(catfish) instead of ikan bilis.
NASI LEMAK - LAIN DARI YANG LAIN CATEGORY
Nasi Lemak Habib
Batu Pahat
One of the most interesting nasi lemak in the line up this year is this Batu Pahat gem that serves sup tauhu with each nasi lemak plate. Tofu here is quiveringly soft, fried lightly first and then simmered in a very light lodeh soup. It might be strange bedfellows but paired with the nasi lemak, and smoky sambal this is nasi lemak with a difference that is akin to comfort food in the morning.
Nasi Lemak Cik Chom
Batu Pahat
This unique nasi lemak restaurant has two types of rice, a subtle one using beras Siam and a bright green pandan infused one using beras wangi. Their killer lauk here is a crispy fried sotong King and siakap goreng. Both are ridiculously good. There are no cucumbers at this eatery but a refreshing slice of green apple. If you come here too there’s free-flow gulai on offer that strangely goes with the nasi lemak.
Returning Hero Nasi Lemak Kukus Goreng Fauzey is still frying up his sinful plates of fried nasi lemak with tantalising 'wok hei'. His ayam goreng berempah is still pretty darn delicious too.
FOOD TRUCK CATEGORY
Barba Bros
Barba Bros has quite possibly the fieriest sambal in our festival. Problem is that it’s also really delicious so you’ll keep on eating even as you take off your shirt, breathe through your mouth and sit panting from the after-sting. Rice has a good balance and we highly recommend the sambal kerang and sambal sotong. Rumour has it that they are also experimenting on a nasi lemak burrito.
NASI LEMAK INSTITUTIONS CATEGORY
Nasi Lemak Wanjor
Kg Baru
Sometimes called Mak Wanjor for the matriarch of the family, this is a good, solid nasi lemak with a sultry-sweet and smoky sambal. They've been around for over 40 years serving up steamed ‘ceroi’ rice with a whole boiled egg for each plate. The paru here is soft, springy and highly recommended. We also like the sambal sotong, a little bouncy and cooked in a dry sambal.
Nasi Lemak Sinarnor
Chan Sow Lin
Three generations of cool women have been cooking nasi lemak over a wood fire for the past 47 years, the rice is slightly smoky with hints of pandan and santan. Sambal is naturally sweet with a mild heat. All lauks here are delish especially the rendang which is reminiscent of rendang minang and the sambal sotong, dried cuttlefish cooked for hours in a thick chunky sambal.
Nasi Lemak Ujong Pasir
Melaka
This nasi lemak at Ming Huat restaurant serves up a sambal that’s rich with geragau. It has a mellow, slightly briny taste that's brilliant when paired up with expertly cooked rice. Being a Melaka nasi lemak, it’s always served with a side of kangkung. Rendang here is lovely with kaffir lime leaves and they also do a good sambal sotong and sambal petai.
Returning Heroes Nasi Lemak Tanglin has been around since before Merdeka and still going strong and is back with their crowd-pleasing sambal sotong.
Paru experts R.A. Nasi Lemak brings one of the best lungs in town and their rice steamed in traditional wooden barrels.
NASI LEMAK BUNGKUS CATEGORY
Nasi Lemak Angah
Bandar Baru Sentul
One of our favourite discoveries this year, they put a little bit of pandan juice to the rice so it's always tinged a little green with aromatic fragrance. Sambal here is balanced with tamarind and tons of onions. Their specialty is Ayam Masak Merah Berempah where the old favourite gets a hit of turmeric and a stunning sambal kerang all lovely and citrusy from kaffir lime leaves.
Nasi Lemak EK
Wangsa Maju
Nasi Lemak EK (Etta’s Kitchen) is a sweet little nasi lemak bungkus. Each pack contains perfectly cooked coconut rice with a sweet-spicy sambal that harkens nostalgia of your school canteen days. It took Etta years to perfect her recipe, taught by an old lady from Grik in Perak. They cater out and if you are lucky you can pick up a packet in the early morning at their stall.
Kedai Tanpa Ada Nama
SS17, PJ
The nasi lemak at this namelass shop is made by the cheerful Kak Maimun. This nasi lemak used to be known as Nasi Lemak Saga because she used to sell it in a Proton Saga opposite her now shop. One of the nasi lemak bungkus we swear by, her simple and satisfying nasi lemak boasts a generous well-rounded sambal with a light rice. The rest of the ingredients are secret…
Nasi Lemak Mesra
Port Dickson
Nasi Lemak Mesra is that perfect sidekick you get at great seafood restaurants south of KL. A simple basic nasi lemak with a crumbly, coconut infused rice is paired excellently with their thick and spicy sambal. Boiled egg and nuts complete it and it goes a treat with their seafood on offer.
Nasi Lemak Butterworth
Lestari Jaya
Fenugreek and a secret blend of spices is fried in oil and this is what they cook their rice in along with santan, pandan and huge chunks of ginger. The sambal is a thickly rich red sambal that’s a stand out because they fry ikan bilis separately until it’s really crunchy and then mix it up with the sambal.
Returning Heroes Nasi Lemak Suri still makes excellent nasi lemak bungkus with a spicy sambal and lots of side dishes pretty much 247.
Nasi Lemak BK4 is a small empire providing happy little packets of nasi lemak with a mellow geragau-infused sambal. They make more than 5,000 packs a day folks!
AYAM GORENG POWER
Nasi Lemak Wak Kentut
Kulai, Johor
This colourful named shop is a hot ticket in their hometown of Kulai. What keeps their legions of fans devoted is their superb fried chicken. Chicken pieces are marinated in a special batter and then fried until the crust turns golden. It is tender on the inside and crispy outside. And yeah they will bring sambal ikan bilis petai too. We are thrilled to have them at I Eat Nasi Lemak this year, it's the first time they have joined an event outside of Johor! Find out how they got their name here.
Nasi Lemak Ayam Crunchy
Ampang
This is a light nasi lemak with a sweet liquid-like sambal. But of course the star of the show is the fried chicken whose texture informs the shop's name. It has a good crust, fried at the right temperature without being too greasy. They always give you a generous helping of ‘kerak’ that is super crunchy with an almost shaved ice texture.
Returning Heroes Warung Rindu Pak Ya is back again with their freshly fried on the spot ayam goreng and puyuh goreng. In 2014 they sold the most portions of nasi lemak. Can they do it again this year?
Wildly popular Village Park is also back with their Nyonya-style nasi lemak and much requested ayam goreng.
HOMECOOKED HEROES CATEGORY
Cik Pah's Corner
Batang Berjuntai
This out of towner has excellent home-cooked full-flavoured nasi lemak that's made more ambrosial with the addition of coconut oil. Sambal here is balanced as with most of the lauk. Their two standout lauk would the udang kunyit, comforting and a little salty. The ayam sambal hijau is also worthy, fried first then mixed with green sambal.
Returning Heroes Nasi Lemak Kak Hani is back with her lovely ayam masak merahcooked with kaffir lime leaves. Rice specialists Nasi Lemak Ujang Corner makes the most delectable rice so don't miss out on them too!
NEW NASI LEMAK ENTRANTS
Nasi Lemak Ikan Sembilang Lenggeng
Negeri Sembilan
Catfish enthusiasts rejoice! Here is another excellent nasi lemak with an awesome sambal ikan sembilan and light and spicy sambal bilis. This is a much loved place of Broga Hill enthusiasts. A lot come here for a well deserved meal after climbing or cycling. The nasi lemak is light and goes perfect with their onion-laden sambal.
Nasi Lemak Bistari
Ukay Perdana
This roadside nasi lemak stall serves a good breakfast nasi lemak with a sambal that has a lingering spiciness. The main sambal has been tempered down for tamer tastebuds but the sambal sotong remains intense and spicy. Also look out for their ayam goreng cili api. In the mornings they also meehoon and nasi kerabu.
Asam Pedas Premiere
Damansara Uptown
Nasi Lemak at this restaurant is a combination of soft fragrant rice and thick spicy sambal loaded with onions, rendering it sweet. Sambal ayam here is nicely spicy with a well-rounded sweetness. Also look out for their ayam goreng berempah.
Nasi Lemak Pasar Kubur
Kg Tengah, Ampang Indah
This charming little bungkus comes with a bit of boiled egg and a nice dollop of sambal udang kecil. Sambal is a little briny and sweet served on warm rice with just the right amount of lemak. Reminds us a little of those nasi lemak bungkus you can buy in front of schools where you can eat it quickly before the bell rings. A delightful breakfast nasi lemak, grab a pack to start off the event with.
IN SUPPORT OF
The Nasi Lemak Project
This year part of the proceeds of I Eat Nasi Lemak will go to this plucky non-profit NGO The Nasi Lemak Project. One of their programmes is to help urban poor be enterprisingly self-sufficient. TNLP started in 2012 and they conduct proper F & B training, micro-capital and market creation which often double the income for underprivileged families. They have a stall at our event because their nasi lemak is pretty darn good! Sambal is deep with a spicy bite and their signature lauk is turmeric fried mushrooms and an old school ayam masak merah. Try them both!
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