When it comes to Malaysia’s staple dish (nasi lemak, of course), everyone has their favourite spot. But there’s one nasi lemak in Damansara Utama that many locals will unanimously agree is their go-to spot, and it’s none-other than Village Park Restaurant.
It is so loved that I have a friend from Singapore who hails Village Park Restaurant as his nasi lemak holy grail— having it up to 3 days a week whenever he travels down to Malaysia. Some even takeaway the nasi lemak back to Singapore!
Village Park Restaurant is not just popular with tourists and locals. In fact, a line of famous Malaysian personalities frequent this place, including Malaysian badminton star Lee Chong Wei, squash queen Nicol David, and past Malaysian Prime Ministers from Dr Mahathir, to Abdullah Badawi and Najib Tun Razak.
It’s very easy to spot this restaurant— there’s a constant stream of GRAB drivers waiting to collect the orders and there’s always a queue. In fact most of the time, I would opt for a takeaway because getting a table here takes quite an effort.
What I tried at Village Park Restaurant
The most famous dish to have here is the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng (RM12.30).
I remember when I was first introduced to Village Park Restaurant’s nasi lemak. The server brought out the plate of Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng to the table and holy moly… it was the largest piece of ayam goreng berempah I had ever laid eyes on.
Fast forward 5 years later, the whopper of a chicken still takes my breath away, especially with the sight of the extra bits of crunchy spice scattered on top of the chicken.
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What makes the ayam goreng berempah so special? Every customer gets a whole chicken leg marinated and deep fried in spices such as lemongrass, turmeric and ginger. It’s crunchy, juicy, has a light crispy crust and bursts with the aromatic flavours of fresh herbs and spices the moment you bite into it.
A standard order of nasi lemak with fried spice-marinated chicken will also include groundnuts, ikan bilis (crisp-fried anchovies), slivers of fresh cucumbers, half a hard-boiled egg and a generous portion of their signature sambal.
This sambal is freshly prepared everyday and leans towards the sweeter profile rather than spicy. This is where my disappointment kicks in— coming from Penang, I enjoy the kick of a spicy sambal with crispy fried anchovies.
However this sweet tasting sambal tends to be a common occurrence in restaurants in Klang Valley. This is something I still have not gotten used to. However, if you prefer your sambal to be less spicy, then you’ll be pleased with the one at Village Park Restaurant.
Anyone would tell you that one plate of Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng is more than enough to tide you till dinner but my insatiable appetite had a death wish: why not try the Ayam Rendang (RM6.90)?
Thankfully I was given a chicken thigh because another whole chicken leg would have undoubtedly taken me out. Just the heavenly scent of the chicken blanketed in the luscious fatty rendang gravy assured that I had made the right decision.
The taste of the piping hot chicken rendang mixed with the gravy and rice cooked in coconut milk was simply a wholesome combination.
Upon comparing the 2 types of chicken, my highly controversial opinion would be that the Ayam Rendang was the tastier of the two. But then again, perhaps this is because I’m very familiar with the taste of their ayam goreng berempah or that I felt the Ayam Rendang was so flavourful and tender. I leave it to you, dear readers, to decide.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, would I crown Village Park Restaurant as having the best nasi lemak in Malaysia? Maybe if the sambal was a bit spicier, yes. But you will really get your money’s worth for the portion that’s served.
Oh and a little heads up… if you’re planning on tucking into the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng for lunch, trust me you’ll be in for a little siesta right after.
Expected damage: RM8 – RM15 per pax
Price: $
Our Rating: 4.5 / 5
Village Park Restaurant
5, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia 47400
Village Park Restaurant
5, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia 47400
