One man's meat

Ponggol Nasi Lemak Centre
238 Tanjong Katong Rd
+65 6348 3303

“Tous les goûts sont dans la nature.” – French proverb

Food is a sensitive subject, and one about which there is often a distinct opinion for each person at the table. In a nation where degustation is second nature, standards are high and patience for the mediocre wears thin easily. Singaporeans are the harshest critics when it comes to food, and word of mouth travels swiftly and unforgivingly in this tiny, highly-interconnected town. As a discerning eater, one must select one’s sources carefully, and take each recommendation with a pinch of salt.

I have found that taxi drivers are the best sources for where to get the truly great hawker food. They traverse the tiny island many times over in a single day, and the nature of their profession demands that they eat out often, and at a variety of locales. They exchange tips and recommendations easily amongst their kind, and that communal, ground-up approach to building a knowledge base means that any taxi driver worth his salt can tell you where to go if you want a particular dish.

Recommendations from friends, though, are more difficult to assess. One has to bear in mind how much of a foodie the friend offering the recommendation truly is, and whether he or she is operating with lesser standards than you are. I have learnt to distrust enthusiasm: true knowledge begets a considered approach. There are some among my group of friends who I have cast aside as veritable sources for food recommendations. Maybe our palates are different, maybe we care about food to different degrees.

In any case the voice of the people usually speaks the loudest – if the lines for a certain dish at a certain location are out the door, then it is probably worth a shot. Karen and I decided to follow this logic following the recommendation from one of our mutual friends, of a certain nasi lemak stall right by his house – at the corner of Tanjong Katong Rd and Parkstone Rd. Passing by the place on previous occasions, I had always seen an orderly throng of people braving the elements and waiting patiently outside to be served, and had made a mental note to try it at some point.

(If there is one thing that Singaporeans are born with an innate knowledge of and propensity for, it is waiting in line. Nobody ever complains about having to wait in line, and the line etiquette of Singaporeans is exemplary for the most part.)

Nasi lemak is a traditional Malay dish, translated literally as “rice in cream”. This refers to its cooking process – where rice is soaked in coconut cream and the mixture then steamed. Sometimes lemongrass is added, and sometimes this mixture is steamed wrapped in pandan leaves. The result is aromatic rice with a heady fragrance and comforting sweetness. This rice is usually then served with Malay staple side dishes – otak, ikan bilis, roasted peanuts, sambal belachan, fish cake, deep-fried chicken wings and others.

My go-to location for nasi lemak has historically been Changi Village, which has been around for ages but has never dipped in quality. The lines for that one are out of sight, and really pretty ridiculous considering that there are other stalls around it and in the vicinity serving other foods, yet none of them have so much as two people at any time lining up for their food. The only downsides about the Changi Village nasi lemak are that it is expensive (for a dish that is supposed to be affordable labourers’ fare) and also that it is fucking far away and a pain in the ass to get to.

So when Kevin recommended the Ponggol nasi lemak place right outside his house it only strengthened a groundswell of opinion that had included the hearty recommendations of the massage therapist I had gone to see the other day. Karen and I decided to come here after our plans to eat pepper crab were thwarted, and I really did want to like this place. It would have been a more accessible alternative to Changi Village if I had a nasi lemak fix. All said, there were some highlights, but overall this place was not extraordinary, and nowhere near worth all the hype and the long lines.

Ponggol Nasi Lemak is located along a row of small businesses on Tanjong Katong Rd, and for a roadside eatery has a remarkable level of cleanliness. It is well ventilated and brightly lit, which are qualities that are often taken for granted especially at roadside eateries. The staff move about with wordless efficiency, and the operation is – pardon the pun – very well-oiled. It brings to mind the Soup Nazi place near Columbus Circle in New York – one person scoops the rice for you at the counter, another takes your order for side dishes, and the third collects payment. The entire transaction can be completed in a matter of seconds.

There is an impressive array of side dishes to choose from, and in addition to the staples mentioned earlier there was fried okra, eggplant, French beans, luncheon meat, fish fingers, deep-fried prawn rolls, and many others I cannot remember. The selection is certainly a huge plus, but it made for much indecision on our parts as we waited in line.


It is not often that rice is the main attraction, but in this dish I suppose it is. The rice was cooked well, and had a sweet creamy taste that I thought could have been more prominent, but was delightful in and of itself. The deep-fried chicken wings and otak were also excellent, but other side dishes were less than inspiring. The French beans were underseasoned and a tad too crunchy, the sotong ball and fish cake devoid of flavour.


What truly makes or breaks any good nasi lemak is the accompanying sambal belachan. In making great sambal, there is a fine line between too sweet and too sour, between too grainy and too creamy. This version was definitely very good and hit all the right notes. I like my sambal a little smokier than the one we got here, but it was delicious nonetheless, and I lapped up almost every bit of the healthy dollop that Karen had slapped on my plate.


Perhaps it was the disappointment of not getting our first option, but we walked away from Ponggol Nasi Lemak with a slight tinge of regret. It had been good, no doubt, but not life-changing, and had perhaps been a little too hyped for us. We joked about never listening to another of Kevin’s recommendations, but I think we eventually decided to give him one more chance. If the next place he recommends is terrible, then I am afraid we shall have to strike him off the list permanently.