For many growing up in the Malay archipelago, Nasi Lemak is something we just can’t get enough of. So it’s not surprising that one restaurant in Singapore has whipped up a whole new menu of different Nasi Lemak dishes that could knock you into a food coma.
There are five different Nasi Lemak dishes on the new menu at OSG Music Bar + Kitchen at Suntec City, and all of them come on large plates with at least five different side dishes circling around a mountain of blue pea flower-infused coconut rice. The extra servings definitely go against what the name of the restaurant stands for – Our Simple Goodness – with all sorts of flavors bursting in every mouthful.
For those who were in Singapore when American President Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2018, OSG may ring a bell for having introduced a special edition Trump-Kim Chi Nasi Lemak that contained Korean staple kimchi and dry-aged American beef. But there are no outrageous combos on this latest menu as the restaurant now focuses on bringing only authentic local flavors to its dishes, each priced from S$7.90 to S$17.90.
‘Trump-Kim Chi Nasi Lemak’: summit-themed dish uses kimchi and American beef slices
The most expensive item is the OSG Signature Nasi Lemak (S$17.90). This hearty meal overflows with blue pea-infused coconut Basmati rice, fried chicken wings, beef rendang, sambal belacan crawfish, fried anchovies and peanuts, belado-spiced egg and pickled vegetables.
The crispy fried chicken wings are topped with crunchy coconut flakes and made fragrant with coconut marinade. They also come with turmeric.
All chili pastes, or sambal, served at the restaurant are homemade and ranked from least to most spicy, with the sambal belacan – chili with shrimp paste – being the spiciest. The achar, or pickled vegetables, could do with more acidity to balance out all that spiciness.
All in all, the side dishes complement each other and the meal can definitely fill bellies. But is it worth S$17.90? Perhaps if you’re planning on eating just once all day. Be prepared to get your hands dirty deshelling those tough mini lobsters too.
Its other Nasi Lemak iterations are not as over the top and come with a side of either chicken (Chicken Nasi Lemak, S$7.90), barbecue chicken (Nasi Lemak Ayam Bakar, S$10.90), beef rendang (Nasi Lemak Beef Rendang, S$10.90) or chicken with spiced coconut gravy (Ayam Masak Lemak, S$7.90).
Ayam Masak Lemak is spiced coconut gravy cooked with lemongrass, blue ginger and turmeric, while beef rendang is a rich coconut based dish cooked with chilies, dried shrimp, and tamarind, among other ingredients.
On a recent hosted visit, all the chicken was succulent and tender, especially the barbecued chicken, which is cooked by sous vide and marinated with sweet and savory soy sauce that is married well with sambal belacan.
OSG also serves dishes other than Nasi Lemak.
The restaurant’s extravagant fried rice is as heavy as its signature Nasi Lemak and worth a try, especially for people who love the heat of spicy foods. The Nasi Goreng Sambal (S$16.90) comes with rice fried, sambal belacan, chunks of prawn meat, and a side of turmeric-fried chicken wing, sambal belacan crawfish, fried egg, and achar.
There is also the Harmony Wagyu Beef Rice Burger (S$13.90) made with coconut rice and wagyu beef patties, kimchi, anchovies, peanuts, egg, achar, and chilli paste.
Some of the dishes go well with tipples, like a glass of Piccino Prosecco or Sauvignon Blanc with Nasi Lemak. A pint of Guinness also helps to refresh that palate nicely after a plate of beef rendang.
If you consider yourself a big eater with a lot of time to kill, OSG Music Bar + Kitchen seems appropriate. They even have live music and open-mic sessions to keep groups of friends and families entertained.
FIND IT:
OSG Music Bar + Kitchen
3 Temasek Boulevard #01-510/511 Suntec City Tower 1
11am to 10:30pm, Monday to Saturday
1pm to 10:30pm, Sunday
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