Thanks to Samuel’s friends’ recommendation, we got to know about this Nasi Lemak stall at Kampong Glam area. It’s not just any Nasi Lemak stall in Singapore because it is owned by an Aussie who decided to put his own spin on this traditional Malay dish.
Tucked along the rows of shophouses at Pahang Street is this Makcik-approved Aussie BBQ Nasi Lemak called SoulFood Catering. It is owned by an Australian-Malaysia couple. Brett is from Australia and his wife Yani is from Malaysia. Their first stall was located Aliwal Street but they have since shifted to Pahang Street.
Australian-inspired Nasi Lemak
I wondered why I haven’t discovered about this Nasi Lemak stall earlier. Looks like there are indeed a lot of unique eateries in Singapore which I’ve yet to check out!
You can expect to enjoy classic Nasi Lemak paired with grilled meats which are prepared in the Aussie way. Even though it is a food stall housed in a coffeeshop, the prices are definitely not cheap at all. The price of their dishes ranges from $5 to $21.90. Portion-wise, they are also pretty small. So, let’s just say that I was here solely for the novelty of the dishes. It’s all part of experiencing the hidden gems in Singapore, anyway.
SoulFood Catering Menu
We ordered the Fish Patty & Chicken Frank Nasi Lemak($5) along with the BBQ Boneless Thigh Nasi Lemak ($7). I don’t think you can get the traditional Nasi Lemak here with omelette and Ikan Kuning here. Remember, you are just here to find out how an Aussie Nasi Lemak would taste like.
The other recommended Nasi Lemak dishes include BBQ prawns and Surf&Turf. But the costs of these premium Nasi Lemak are way too steep.
Drinks to go along with Nasi Lemak
Once you place your order, they will pass you a buzzer so that when it buzzes, you have to head back to the counter to collect your food.
Meanwhile, we bought some drinks from the neighbouring drink stall. One cup of iced Milo and one cup of Masala Tea costs $4 altogether. Is it me or have the prices of food increased after circuit breaker?
Fish Patty and Chicken Frank Nasi Lemak
The owner Brett actually personally served us our Nasi Lemak. He was really a nice chap and seems rather friendly.
I was a tad bit disappointed upon seeing the small food portions. It just looked like a home-cooked dish prepared in small batches but perhaps, fresh and warm.
I guess what truly stood out for me is their sambal chilli. It is no doubt very delicious because it tastes spicy and a little sweet at the same time. For me, the sambal is a killer because a good plate of Nasi lemak needs to be paired with really good sambal to round things up.
The chicken franks tasted pretty ordinary to me since they are after all frozen food which had been deep-fried. But strangely, the fish patty tasted exceptionally good even though it’s probably just frozen food. The same goes for the ikan bilis and fried egg as well.
As for their coconut rice, I find that lacks that ‘lemak’ taste. Even though it’s soft and fluffy, it does not have that fragrant aroma of the coconut milk. Otherwise, this plate of Nasi Lemak would have been excellent.
BBQ Boneless Thigh Nasi Lemak
The same goes to this variant of their Nasi Lemak. I just wish they had been more generous with the meat as well as the sambal. However, the grilled meat is flavourful as it was well seasoned and garnished with spices.
Perhaps times are bad so I totally understood why they had to jack up the food prices and limit the portion size.
Let’s talk about the ratings
Overall, I would give their Nasi Lemak a 4 out of 5 stars. It’s above average because of their awesome well-balanced sambal and tasty grilled meat. To me, it tastes very much like homecooked food and thus is well-liked by many. I would describe their Nasi Lemak as delicious and rather healthy and clean-tasting. You won’t feel so ‘jerlat’ after eating it because the taste is not that rich.
But as a Singaporean who grew up in the 90s, I felt that their Nasi Lemak could not quite match up to our local standards of what we locals would reckon as a good plate of Nasi Lemak. It still lacked some traditional elements of a true blue Nasi Lemak. As such, it might be a hit or miss for most of us.
What do you guys think? For once, my opinions are different from positive 5-star rating reviews by Google reviewers.
Do you have a favourite Nasi Lemak stall in Singapore? Let me know in the comment box below!
SoulFood Catering
13 Pahang Street, Singapore 198614
Opening hours: 12pm to 9 pm (Tues to Thurs), 12 pm to 10 pm (Fri to Sat)
