Although Singapore is a food paradise, a good nasi
ambeng is difficult to find. Nasi Ambeng is said to
be originated as one popular food in Javanese
Cuisine. Often eaten in parties of 4 or more and
traditionally served in large trays. This became
sort of a feast culture (kenduri food) in our Malay
community.
I was told that it is not easy to create Nasi
Ambeng. There are many traditional steps that need
to adhere to. And the cook/chef has to have an in
depth knowledge/background of Javanese cuisines or
ancestor link to Javanese families before they can
cook them properly.Recipes are often handed down
from generations to generations.
There was one popular nasi ambeng stall in Bukit
Batok called Sri West Coast Nasi Ambeng. Although
the name of the stall is still there, the rightful
owners are not there. I was updated recently that
they are unwell thus they are not even able to sell
their much-awaited Nasi Ambeng in the Ramadan
Bazaars (Let's dua that they will recover soon and
always be in good health.amin)
Anyway, I was told by someone in facebook that
there is a Nasi Ambeng specialist in Novena area
(thks!). Did not heed that advice cos it's too big
an area to snoop around. Thus when they actually
invited me to join them for lunch, I was ecstatic!
Somehow,there seems to be a divine intervention
connection.
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Located at Goldhill Centre (next to the pinkish
circular building just beside United Square),if
unsure just head to the ex-location formerly known
Italian Restaurant: Al Forno Trattoria Restaurant
(they just took over 7 months ago).They are located
just opposite the lifts.
When I first heard of its speciality-Nasi Ambeng, I
expect it to be a small stall or food court based
stall.But when I heard the other name-Tiffin, I
imagined it's like a snack counter whereby
customers rush in and out bringing in their tiffin
carriers. Well, its nothing of that sort. Tiffin
actually meant lunch hour. So they were previously
thinking of opening only thru lunch hours but due
to brisk business, they have expanded till dinner
time.
Standing outside this little classy restaurant. I
pondered. Am I in the right place? It seems too
classy for a warung-minded image of traditional
Nasi Ambeng in my mind. I saw many excerpts of
local media applauding their nasi ambeng. Hmm,
suddenly, my tummy is playing an orchestral
outburst on its own accord.
I was seated graciously by the shy waitress.
Looking around this restaurant with wooden
furniture around kinda makes it rustic, old laid
back style. There is a certain openness vibes in
the air. Not the typical Indonesian Restaurant
whereby you can hear its gamelan tunes or costumes
as backdrop, this is more of a modern homestyle
feel.
Looking at the menu, I noticed there is a daily
lunch specials.Mmm....interesting.
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The shy waitress emerged again asking for my order.
I asked them to serve me their best food and
drinks. Soon enough, an icy glass of special
bandung and fried belinjao crackers are served. The
bandung has a slight sourish sweet mild soda
concoction. The fried belinjao is thinly crisped
and even after hours, it is still crispy. I had
them before and after the meals. Best eaten with
their inhouse sambal mangga (sambal belacan +
mango). Not as fiery as Indonesian sambal but I
love it! It is being toned down to accommodate the
customers' palate.
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After that, I was served with a huge "Nasi Ambeng
"set. It looked HUGE! And I am a lone diner. The
beautiful Roszy (the young owner) was busy
attending to the lunch crowd. And so here I am
looking at the food while it looked back at me
"challenging" me to finish it.Normal Ambeng set has
2 side dishes which the customers can choose from
Kurma Ayam, to Sayur Lodeh and Rendang, ayam
merah.....
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I believe this Ambeng set is for 3-4 persons
although it is meant only for 2 people. At Roszy's
they served the food generously. And they encourage
any wastage to be ta-pow (doggy bag/takeaway) so
that customers can resume the yummy leftovers for
their home meals. Well, with their cutesy pinkish
package wrapping, I feel like packing everything.
So cute!! (check out the packaging pic down below)
And the staff are friendly and naturally at ease.
It feels like home here. In fact, I was told that
the staff are all family related (maybe one or two
are outsiders) From the cooks , headed by Roszy's
mom (who still look astoundingly youthful in her
age) to the serving staffs are all bounded by blood
ties. No wonder, it feels like home here. I can
carefreely wander to and fro the kitchen to the
dining area like my own place.
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Then I wandered into their food counter and saw
some delicious nasi padang entry like asam pedas
(asam fish), petai sambal (stinky beans in chilli
paste) and ...I remembered something about sotong
hitam! (It's good that I read the newspaper
cuttings at their entrance before coming in).But I
did not see any squid-looking dishes at the display
thus I ask Roszy.
She replied chirpily that seafood and veggies are
coooked on the spot ONLY upon ordering. And so the
veggies and seafood will be fresh when it arrived
on the customer's table. And ayam sambal (chicken
fried in chilli paste) are only cooked when ordered
too. Wow! I have never heard of such painstaking
importance in an Indonesian Restaurant before
...unless its from a top-notch 5 star rated kinda
like hotel restaurant.
And upon hearing that, immediately, I ordered my
own menu....and before I know it ta-da! Look at the
dishes....it is almost covering the whole table and
it's all just for me?! This is like a Royal feast!
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Luckily, Leonard (thks!) their Marketing guy stop
by and accompanied me on my "gastronomically
challenged" lunch. Actually, I wanted to eat with
my bare hands but erm, being the "gentle princess"
*chuckles, I am kinda shy to eat that way (where
are my makan kakis?!! I need you!!).
Seriously, Nasi Ambeng is best eaten with ur bare
hands. Grab a handful of makan buddies with you
when you try to venture this "mountainous"
quest.These makan buddies must be the not
so-hygienic-conscious-type of people who do not
mind sharing a tray full of food with you and other
3-4 hands. (of course,do wash ur hands
beforehand).It is much more delicious eating with
your bare RIGHT hand as compared to the fork and
spoon.I found out later.. when I ate the food again
back home with all the gravies and food well-mixed
with my hand.
Ok ..what did I order? I ordered extras... ayam
masak merah, sambal petai, sotong hitam (squid in
black ink),ayam masak lemak cili padi (chicken in
coconut chilli gravy),asam pedas(asam fish)..
I reckon in order for me to evaluate this
restaurant, I need to know whether they can cook
simple local favourites such as the above. And the
verdict...?
They did it marvelously well! I love the succulent
juicy sotong hitam. It was so delicious that
Leonard and I took turns finishing it,clean!
Rendang was richly tasty with all the spices
swimming in your mouth as you much on the chewy
beef chunks and you can feel that love was included
in the recipe. I like the sambal petai. The stinky
beans are not that stinky (so it's safe to consume
during lunch hour and go back to office after that)
and I love the sweet freshness of the sambal!
Ok,now for the Nasi Ambeng verdict! First and
foremost, pull or break the middle banana leaf that
is segregrating the dishes and the rice. Let the
mountainous pile crumble and then use ur bare
hands, mixed all of them together.
The serundings (fried sweet dessicated coconut) and
sambal goreng (tofu and fermented beans) , long
beans fried in asam, brinjals with dried prawns,
begedil (potato cutlet), fried tenggiri
(traditionally, ikan tamban/kembung is used but too
many bones thus for customers' convenience, spanish
mackerel is used instead) and all that.... jumbled
them all up. I recommend choosing a coconut based
side dish like lemak cili padi ayam (cos it goes so
well with the above combination). Mixed well and
then scoop a mouthful and feed yourself, oh
my....it's shiok!
You will lose track of the outside world and
transcend magically into your own food world. And
no worries, Roszy is very health conscious. She
will try to ensure that the calories, carbohydrates
and proteins are all balanced out. And for
sure,there will be no MSGs and ghee used in any of
the food.
I stayed there for more than 3 hours! No, the food
are gone within an hour...but it felt so homely
that I overstayed my invitation. I chat with Roszy
when the lunch crowd was over and found out lots
about this beautiful proprietress.
Roszy is a Singaporean (born and bred),is of mixed
parentage of Scottish and Javanese blood, has
travelled and lived in many different countries
from Indonesia to America to Canada and Europe.
Thus her palate has its own adventures and
experience waiting to be unleashed (I did suggest
her writing a blog). She has tried all sorts of
cuisines and is a very good cook as well.
When she was abroad, she conducts workshops to
introduce Singapore and asian cusines to
expatriates' wives and locals as well. Although she
looked like a dainty princess, she is quite tough
inside, backpacking on her own to various places
and also driving in and out of one of the most
dangerous and busiest traffic in the world. And she
is very open minded ,embracing other cultures and
able to adapt to different lifestyles in seconds
and being multi-linguist helps.
Then she offered me her favourite dessert. Fried
banana fritters wrapped intricately in Popiah skin
and then added with a scoop of Vanilla icecream and
chocolate sauce.She said that this is her creation.
She wanted something crispy yet healthy thus the
popiah skin helps in lessening that "jerlak" after
feel. Ingenious idea! I tried it and yes, it wasnt
smoggily oily, I cannot even taste the oil! It was
a light, appropriately called "pencuci mulut".
Crack criuk...the popiah skin was crackling up in
my mouth and then oozed out the sweet juice of of
the banana flesh. I can eat more of these....
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Did I really finish the whole meal (with the help
of Leonard)?? Well, we finished only half of it.
But happily, I get to take my food in this cutesy
packaging (below).woo-hoo!
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Ramadan promotion?$3 off the normal Ambeng set.
Only for this Ramadan month. Reservation is greatly
recommended.
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And they do catering...minimum of 10 pax. If you
are have no time to cook iftar/sahur(break fast
/predawn meals) , they can do it for you according
to your budget. They can customised the menu just
for you.You can self-collect or have them deliver
at your doorstep.And if you have events (e.g
feast/kenduri/open house...weddings), do give them
a call, they are truly the Nasi Ambeng Specialist!
No need to procrastinate, just head down to....
Location:
Roszy's Tiffin House
(muslim-owned)
51 Thomson Road
Goldhill Centre #01-203
(opp the lifts)
tel:62554788
Sunday- closed
Monday-halfday till 3pm
http://www.roszystiffinhouse.com/