Indonesia
There are few meals as satisfying as Nasi Padang, a colourful feast where you choose from a variety of dishes to create your perfect plate. Over the years, I’ve explored Singapore’s Nasi Padang scene, especially in Kampong Glam, sampling everything from humble hawker stalls to renowned spots. This list highlights the best halal Nasi Padang…
There’s a dish I order when I want to know a kitchen quickly. Not the specialty. Not the thing the menu is proud of. I order the fried rice. Because nasi goreng has nowhere to hide. It’s rice, chilli, chicken, egg, a few crackers, some cucumber. Everyone thinks they can make it. Most people can.…
The duck arrived and made a sound before I’d even touched it. Not the plate, the skin. When my fork pressed against it, there was a small, dry crackle, the kind you feel in your fingers before you hear it. That’s when I understood I wasn’t eating a soft meal. This was something with edges.…
There’s a container of rice at the back of my fridge most weeks. Cold, a little hard, forgotten from a dinner two nights ago. Some people see that and think of waste. I see the start of something better. Because leftover rice doesn’t want to be reheated. It wants to be fried. And when it…
I ordered from Tambuah Mas on a rainy Sunday at around 6:15pm, mostly because I wasn’t in the mood to dress up and head into town, but I still wanted a proper meal. Not a sad one-bowl lunch. A real spread. That’s the thing about Tambuah Mas. It’s been around since 1981, serving Indonesian home-style…
It’s always a little heartbreaking when a true culinary landmark decides to close its doors. Warong Nasi Pariaman, the iconic nasi padang spot at 738 North Bridge Road, served its final plates in January 2026. For decades, it stood as a testament to heritage, feeding generations of Singaporeans and becoming an essential part of the…
There are evenings when only a very specific type of comfort food will do. I wasn’t craving a standard bowl of noodles or a generic curry. I wanted that unmistakable, deeply fragrant balance of charcoal smoke and sticky sweet soy sauce that defines authentic Indonesian cooking. Finding that perfect harmony in Singapore without sitting outside…
When I first tried to cook authentic Indonesian nasi goreng at home, I was incredibly confident. I had my wok smoking hot, my garlic and shallots perfectly fragrant, and a generous splash of regular soy sauce ready to go. But when I took that first bite, my heart sank. It tasted flat, salty, and entirely…
I still remember my first “real” bowl of Indonesian soto. Sitting on a low plastic stool in a cramped warung, I ordered Soto Betawi, expecting it to be like the clear Soto Ayam from Singaporean weddings. I was wrong. The rich, milky broth was intense, creamy, and boldly spiced. That first spoonful rewired my idea…
This post may contain affiliate links. For full transparency, this article may contain affiliate links. To call Padang beef rendang simply a dish is to miss the soul of Indonesian cuisine. This legendary slow-cooked dry curry, a centerpiece of both festive tables and humble meals, has earned its fame as one of the world’s most…