This Indonesian restaurant is discreetly located in the Singapore Recreation Club. When we entered the restaurant, the first thing that caught our attention was a display of traditional nasi padang dishes kept immaculately warm behind a glass window. The restaurant was comfortably empty, so we had a choice of where to sit. We plonked ourselves next to a floor-to-ceiling window, and settled into the quiet and chilled out environment, watching the hustle and bustle of cars and pedestrians outside. The friendly staff approached us, and were eager to promote their cuisine to us. We decided to go with a few of their recommendations and pick some of our own favorites. We chose perkerdel (traditional potato cutlet), tempe goreng (fried fermented soya bean), beef rendang and sayur bendeh (lady’s finger with chilli). We were recommended the house specialty of ayam menyanyat (chicken cutlet with curry wrapped in bamboo leaf) and tried that too. Each dish was cooked to perfection—the perkerdel was soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, the tempe goreng was crisp and scrumptious with a hint of sweetness and spiciness. The beef rendang was masterly prepared, with the meat so tender it melted in our mouths. When one of the waiters arrived with a hand basket full of steamy fragrant white rice, we welcomed the staple as we needed something to balance the spiciness of the dishes. For dessert, we decided to go with the classic bubur hitam (black bean porridge). Coconut milk trickled delicately on the top of the dessert formed leafy patterns, which we found eye catching. After we mixed the coconut milk into the black beans, we were pleasantly satisfied that the result was not too sweet or rich. The food is delicious here, and the only drawback to this restaurant is its inconspicuous location. If we had not been told its whereabouts, we would never have found it. Now that we have, we’ll be back.
