SIN: Padi @ Bussorah

A restaurant that serves up to 600 'nasi ambeng' platters every month!

The traditional Javanese dish called nasi ambeng, a celebratory dish featuring a heap of rice with various side dishes served on a huge platter, was popular from the 1960s to the 1980s. Padi @ Bussorah is one of the restaurants around that plays its part in preserving the dish.

My hunchbacked bear was certainly overwhelmed by the food presented before his eyes. :P

Sultan Gate Wings S$12.90

Taste: 7.5/10

Such a cool name for an appetiser dish, no? The deep-fried chicken wings were decent, coated with batter that had been mixed with quite a significant amount of crushed black pepper. I believe the homemade dipping sauce was primarily composed of BBQ sauce.

Nasi Ambeng Platter (2 pax) S$28.00

Taste: 8.5/10

There were altogether nine side dishes accompanying the steam rice and the delectably hot chili: chicken in coconut gravy, beef rendang (Indonesian dry curry), beef lungs, chili squid, salted fish, stir-fried long beans with beancurd and tempe (lit. fermented soya bean cake), potato cutlets, fried coconut flakes and urap (Indonesian salad with grated coconut). To me, the best item was the first one on the list as it was rich enough, but not cloying at all. I also enjoyed the crispy salted fish very much. That was my very first time trying beef lungs, which turned out to be too chewy for my liking. 

Padi Twister S$7.90

Taste: 8/10

A concoction of ginger ale, lime juice and gula melaka (Malay brown sugar), the fusion mocktail was refreshing. The lime juice certainly did wonders, balancing out the sweetness imparted by the fragrant brown sugar.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 8/10

Ambience: 6.5/10

Service: 7.5/10

Overall: 7.5/10

Now I know where to get my fix of nasi ambeng. Pika's advice: The restaurant serves Siput Sedut, a species of sea snail, every weekend. Price starts from S$6.90 for the small portion.

Padi @ Bussorah

53 Bussorah Street

Singapore

(Daily: 11.00am - 10.00pm)

*Prices quoted are subject to 10% service charge.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)