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Ever since childhood, nasi lemak has been a defining dish for me — whether eagerly bought at the school canteen or enjoyed at home, courtesy of my late ah ma. She would occasionally dabao it for my after-school lunch from the hawker centre across our flat.
We often say, “support local brands,” but it’s young hawkers like Shanice who will define the future of Singapore’s hawker culture. I chanced upon a few posts online about So Lemak, and netizens on Google Reviews were raving that her nasi lemak is one of the best they had.
On the other hand, choosing Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak to be the veteran in this showdown was hardly a difficult call — this stalwart never fails to draw a long queue whenever it opens. The brand even collaborated with Kiosks Collective in 2015 to launch Crave nasi lemak, which now has 43 outlets islandwide. Not to be a wet blanket, but I still honestly feel the OG stall at Adam Road is still better and much cheaper.
So Lemak
Located in Food Loft coffee shop at 217 Bedok North Street 1, So Lemak offers har cheong gai chicken wings instead of the usual standard variety.
Shanice shot to fame when one of her videos on TikTok became viral, but she isn’t just all show and no grit. She graduated from The Culinary Institute Of America and had worked in the kitchen of 3-Michelin-starred restaurant Zen (don’t play play).
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, she started a home-based food business and one of her dishes was har cheong gai, which she now introduces as one of her nasi lemak ingredients.
The menu features 5 varieties, including the Ayam Berampah Set (S$8.50). After some thought, I went for the So Lemak Set (S$7.50) to best mirror what Selera Rasa offers. The loaded plate came with a sunny-side-up egg, ikan kuning, a prawn paste chicken wing, the usual ikan bilis and peanuts, otah, sliced cucumber, and of course, coconut rice.
So Lemak uses jasmine rice, and what stood out immediately was how distinct each grain was — a good indication of properly cooked, non-soggy rice. Perhaps it was the ginger and pandan leaves used, but my dining partner and I agreed that the first spoonful of rice tasted like a hybrid of chicken rice and coconut rice. While the rice, to me, was aromatic and well-cooked, I would have preferred a more pronounced coconut flavour.
The sambal was right up my street — savoury, just a tiny hint of sweetness, and unapologetically spicy. Shanice shared that although she received feedback from customers asking for a sweeter sambal, she ultimately stuck to her own preferred recipe (yas girl, follow your heart!).
I loved how flavourful, soft, and perfectly spiced the otah was. It was also slightly larger in size, allowing me to savour it a little longer.
I’ll skip the fried egg, ikan bilis and peanuts, and focus directly on the proteins. The chicken wing was beautifully golden-brown, with no batter in sight — I love them au naturel. I sank my teeth in for the first bite and had a brief 3-second moment of pure satisfaction — it was juicy, well-marinated, and bursting with umami from the prawn paste.
The ikan kuning, which we initially thought was ikan selar because of its size, was fried just right. The flesh was tender and seasoned well. “Mine are probably the bigger ikan kuning, haha,” Shanice added.
Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak
I arrived at Adam Road Food Centre around 9.35am and was surprised to find just 2 people ahead of me. But by the time I got to my table, a queue had already begun to form.
Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak has 7 options for you to take your pick from. I chose the priciest item — Set G Royal Rumble (S$7) which comes with the full spread — chicken wing, ikan kuning, begedil, fried egg, otah, ikan bilis, peanuts and sliced cucumber.
The basmati grains were fluffy and cooked to perfection with each grain separate. Though the coconut flavour was a little stronger than the version at So Lemak, I would’ve liked just a teeny-weeny bit more punch. The sambal was predominantly sweet, with a mildly savoury and spicy kick. It’s a me-problem, but I would’ve preferred it to be less saccharine.
Relishing the otah, I found it to be quite similar to its competitor’s version, so I have no complaints.
It was time to try the chicken wing and fish, and that was when things started to go downhill. Using my hands, I broke the chicken wing in half and noticed that the batter was a little too thick — which I’m actually okay with. What didn’t sit well with me, however, was the flavour of the meat, which was bland and lacked seasoning. Even my dining partners, who usually complain that food is too savoury, found it tasteless.
Though the fish looked a little over-fried, the flesh was decent and tasty enough — phew, a saving grace.
Verdict
| Category | So Lemak | Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak |
|---|---|---|
| Variety | 5 set options | 7 set options |
| Rice | Jasmine rice; fluffy, distinct grains; subtle coconut with ginger & pandan notes | Basmati rice; more pronounced coconut flavour; fragrant, light, and grain-separated |
| Sambal | Savoury and punchy with a noticeable spicy kick | Sweeter-leaning sambal; gentler heat |
| Chicken wing | No batter; juicy, well-marinated; prawn paste umami notes | Thick batter; lacking in seasoning |
| Fish | Larger ikan kuning; tender and not overly fried | Smaller but tasted decent |
| Otah | Soft, flavourful, slightly larger portion | Comparable rendition; familiar profile |
| Price | S$4.80–S$8.50 | S$4–S$7 |
| Overall impression | Strong execution across most components, though the rice could use improvement | Could be improved |
Honestly, I was initially confident that Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak will win. However, based on overall experience, the nasi lemak at So Lemak takes the trophy. Like I said, I lean towards savoury sambal, which made me favour So Lemak a little more.
I’d love to hear whether you agree or disagree with my verdict. If you’ve tried both stalls before, share your preference in the comments.
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