Garuda Padang Cuisine @ ViVo City

There are not that many good nasi padangs around here. Nasi Padang, as locals know, are just Malay rice with condiments, something like the Chinese zi char mixed rice. However, this is where the misconception starts. Nasi Padang actually originates from Indonesia, hence it is not Malay, but Indonesian. Just like white sparkling wine can only be called Champagne when it originates from that region of France, similarly, nasi padang is so called only when it originates from Padang in Indonesia.

Last night, I met a friend and we went to Garuda Padang Cuisine at the basement of ViVo City for dinner. I have long wanted to try this rather famous Indonesian restaurant. When we went there, we realise that it is kind of a buffet style where we go to the counter with a variety of dishes, and pick and choose which ones we like.

In the end, we ended up with four dishes - Rendang Sapi (beef rendang), Ikan Asin Pakang (my favourite crispy thin-sliced lightly salted fish), Gulai Singkong (Tapioca leaves), Ikan Ghembong Belado (Khembong fish with belado sauce), with rice and free-flow of lime juice.

After all the hype about the restaurant, I must say I am a tad disappointed. It is not that the food is not delicious, the food is good, but I kind of expected more, perhaps the food could taste better, be more extraordinary? Somehow it tastes about the same as any other Indonesian restaurants around.

But then again, I was having a sore throat so maybe my taste buds were a tad off. In any case, the beef rendang is of the right colour, but not of the right taste. Somehow I expected the beef rendang to be sweeter, but the one we ate seemed a bit bland.

The gulai singkong is good - tapioca leaves steeped in creamy juice, and just the right texture. The ikan ghembong is spicy (I kind of thought it would be sour) and the best is the ikan asin pakang - crispy, just the right amount of saltiness, and chewy in the mouth. That was the best dish by far!

The service is a bit slow though. It was supposed to be free-flow of lime juice but no one served us even after calling the waiter twice. Finally he came and refilled our juice. I asked for another glass of warm water but it never came, until we had to go to the counter and asked it ourselves.

Still, besides all these, it was a fun night! This will be in my re-visit list for sure!

Food : 3.5 out of 5
Service : 2 out of 5
Price : Not sure as I did not pay for it

The Rice Table @ International Plaza

I have long heard of the Rice Table at International Building and finally have the chance to try it out today. It is an Indonesian restaurant with strong Balinese themes. The furniture is dark wood, the walls are plastered white and there are Balinese paintings hung around the walls. The cuisine itself originates from the Dutch in Indonesia.

We ordered the All You Can Eat set dinner. The meal itself consists of twenty small dishes. There is Soto Ayam, Sate Ayam, Ikan Goreng, Ayam Panggang, Tahu Telor, Rudjak Manis, Sambal Udang, Sayur Lodeh, Achar Ketimun, Otak, Ayam Goreng, Ayam Kalio, Daging Rendang, Kangkong Belachan, Perkedel Jagung, Ikan Bilis, Terong Kecap, Gado Gado, Tahu Kuning, Sotong Asam, and rice of course!

The dishes come in one after another on a long stretch of wood. Rice was served first, then the small dishes come in one by one. Even though the meal looks more suitable for four judging from the number of dishes served, the servings are not that big. In fact, the dishes come in small round bowls, just enough for each person to nibble, not swallow the whole thing.

The food is great! Well-cooked, authentic, just the right about of spice and sauce, and filling! Most importantly, it is value for money! One can never eat so much and so filling for just less than thirty dollars per person! I will highly recommend this place for those who have never been there!

Cuisine : Indonesian
Food : 4.5 out of 5
Ambience : 4 out of 5
Price : 4.5 out of 5

Ayam Penyet @ Joo Chiat

Because today was Mother's Day, we brought mum out for lunch at the Ayam Penyet Indonesian Restaurant near Joo Chiat for lunch. I ordered the Ayam Penyet, Gado-Gado and Kerupok Udang and Emping for them.

The first time I heard of this chain of eatery was when an Indonesian friend brought me to the main eatery in Lucky Plaza. That time, we ordered Ayam Penyet (aka Smashed Chicken aka Squashed Chicken aka Depressed Chicken), Milo Dinosaur and Gado Gado. I remember falling in love with that place because the food is really good!

The Joo Chiat branch is infinitely inferior to the main one at Lucky Plaza. It is a smaller eatery with simple decorations, not as authentically Indonesian as the Lucky Plaza branch. The food is not as good too.

In any case it was a very filling lunch. One pull factor is the price. Despite everything I ordered, it cost just S$20.00 for all three of us! My mum said it is really worth it because the food is nice, inexpensive and filling at the same time. I am just glad that she enjoyed the meal!

Cuisine : Indonesian
Food : 3 out of 5
Ambience : 3 out of 5
Price : 4 out of 5