Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
What, in your view, are the key criteria that define an exceptional plate of nasi lemak? Some will argue that it’s the rice, others will say the sambal is everything. For me, it’s the harmony of all the elements working as one that determines whether the experience soars or falls flat.
After research, I discovered that Super Shiok Nasi Lemak at Bendemeer Market & Food Centre had a stellar rating of 4.9 stars out of 5 with 435 Google reviews (at time of writing). Hooray, I was stoked that the title didn’t belong to any mainstream chain or a super attas establishment like The Coconut Club (no offence).
Frankly, I’d never heard of Super Shiok Nasi Lemak, but they’ve got 2 other branches at Bedok North and Tiong Bahru, both pretty highly rated, too.
Upon reaching, I noticed that the stall is Halal-certified and I was sure that the 3 ladies manning the stall were Indonesian, judging by their twang. After a quick chat, I learnt that they were indeed Indonesian and the stall has been around for about 4 years.
On the menu, there are a total of 5 sets, all under S$5, with the cheapest going for just S$3.30. While waiting for them to prep my order, I saw the enticing golden-brown pieces of fried chicken through the glass display. Everything looked clean and properly organised. The stall also serves a couple of dry mee siam options.
What I tried at Super Shiok Nasi Lemak
I started things off with the Set 4 (S$3.60), where the main highlight was the otah, accompanied by the coconut rice, omelette, ikan bilis, sambal and sliced cucumber.
The stall uses basmati rice for its nasi, and it was perfectly cooked — each grain distinct and fluffy. However, after 2 or 3 spoonfuls, we couldn’t help but wish that the coconut flavour had more punch. Don’t get me wrong— it was certainly cooked with coconut milk, but the rice lacked the fragrance and richness we typically crave. It was simply too mild for our preference. My dining partner commented that maybe it was on purpose, as some customers might find it too jelak after a while.
Next up was the sambal taste test. Thankfully, unlike some other establishments I’ve encountered, it wasn’t overloaded with sweetness. This one leaned towards the savoury side — it didn’t just bring heat; it brought attitude. Filled with pieces of ikan bilis, the flavour was packed with a distinctive umami-ness. It lightly tingled my tongue before swiftly turning the spice dial knob up — but not to the point where I needed to run to the drink stall for an ice-cold rescue. When paired with the rice, the duo became a force to be reckoned with.
The large piece of otah was everything it should be — soft, gently spiced, and utterly satisfying without the dry, tough corners you often get with the usual ones. The ikan bilis was shatteringly crispy and not at all oily. That said, as a peanut lover, I was a little disappointed to find only 1 solid piece in the mix.
We took a break and moved on to the most expensive Set 3 (S$4.60) consisting of 1 chicken wing, an ikan kuning, and the usual suspects that were present from the previous dish.
You know that guilty feeling when you bite into a crispy chicken wing and oil spurts out? Well, none of that here. The fried morsel was perfectly crispy on the outside and decently juicy within, with no trace of oiliness — some kind of sorcery must be at play here.
I usually avoid ikan kuning for nasi lemak, but for the purpose of this article, I decided to order a set that contains it.
Mindful of the tiny bones, I carefully tackled the delicate fish with my fork and spoon. As someone who’s so used to larger fish like seabass, this felt like a mini challenge (how spoilt and entitled I must’ve sounded — oh, the audacity). To my surprise, the flesh was tender, flavourful with light hints of turmeric, and pleasantly moist. I caught myself thinking, “I could actually see myself ordering this if every stall prepared their fish this way.”
The omelette didn’t taste like it had been sitting in the food display for hours. It was soft and had mild hints of onion, although I didn’t actually find any slivers of it in the 2 pieces we had.
Final thoughts
So what’s the verdict after trying out 2 different sets from Super Shiok Nasi Lemak at Bendemeer? Apart from the mild coconutiness of the rice and the absence of peanuts (just a me-problem), everything else was well executed. The nasi lemak here is definitely worth trying and it doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket!
I would rate it a 4.5 instead of the 4.9 Google rating, which is still considered very good in my books. Drop by for a visit whenever you’re in the area and let me know what you think.
Expected damage: S$3.30 – S$4.60 per pax
Aliff Nasi Lemak: Fluffy basmati rice with shiok ikan bilis at Serangoon Garden
