Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak

My first time at this stall.
Using basmati rice is not a bad idea, but it is too soft and sticky.
Nasi Lemak’s rice should be slightly more solid and separated.
Sambal Chilli is excellent.

I’m not so sure whats so special about this place (except that I confess the basmati rice makes it more fluffy) but I’m a sucker all the same

Adam Road Food Centre. This is another local only food place, but has been touted as the best in Singapore and I can understand why. I ordered the Full House. Includes rice (basmati rice), thick slice of cucumber, sambal sauce, fried chicken wing, otak otak (fish paste in banana leaf), ikan bilis (small dried fish) and a fried egg. Awesome!
The key here is that they use Basmati rice. Makes a huge difference.

Suprisingly, using basmati rice for nasi lemak work quite well — it’s not too separated as I expect like briyani and the coconut taste can still stand out. The sides is just ok for me you can choose between otah, bergedil, fried wing, fried fish, or egg with combo named just like in poker. Somehow I think the portion is too small for the price it charges.

My parents and I used to come here every Saturday morning to have breakfast before the lines start snaking. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that Selera has the best nasi lemak in Singapore, but it’s pretty damn close.
The Good:
Basmati Rice. Begadil. Sweet & Spicy Sambal.
The Bad:
Long lines. Food is occasionally cold.
The Ugly:
People before you in line ordering 874 893 278 932 packs of Nasi Lemak
Come here for a life changing experience, but be prepared to line up for a while before you get there.

I’m going to write this review without excessive philosophizing, ranting or use of the «I» word. There will be no lengthy back story. I wouldn’t be saying anything new anyway, since Selera Rasa has been on TV, blogged about and reviewed ad nauseum. Little wonder why, since this is arguably Singapore’s best nasi lemak.
Imagine a simple 3 ingredient high. The rich fragrance of basmati rice simmered and steamed in coconut milk and pandan leaves, the abrupt spicy heat of a sweet chili pepper coulis, and the savory comfort of a curry-​fried chicken wing. There are other condiments, a fried egg, cucumber slices and ikan bills, the ubiquitous accompaniment to any self-​respecting nasi lemak, but your brain is past caring about these other players on the plate and your eyes struggle to focus on what it is exactly that you’ve put in your mouth that still has you reeling. It’s the triumvirate of chili, rice and curried chicken wing… trust me.
I’d like to think I know a thing or two about nasi lemak, having had it just about every Saturday for tea since I was knee high to a cicak. So I think I speak with some personal authority on the matter of whether Selera Rasa is a worthy nasi lemak hall-​of-​famer. I think it is. I also think that Selera Rasa is a victim of it’s own fame. All the media coverage creates unrealistic expectations in diners who flock here only to be disappointed when angels don’t appear and next week’s 4D numbers fail to materialize in the basmati. Don’t expect too much, come with an open mind and set your senses free to explore and you will come away satisfied, if not pleasant surprised.
It really is just honest to goodness solid quotidian fare. Look beyond the bull-@$!# that’s been piled on these guys by the media and see it for the single specialty master hawker stall that it is and you’ll see what all the fuss is about. It’s just a local stall that serves good honest nasi lemak. No gimmicks. No fancy service. Just think of all the superlatives that pepper reviews of the latest French restaurant, Italian joint or Spanish tapas place; why don’t those same superlatives apply here? Based on flavor alone, I see no reasonable explanation why not… unless it’s the bull-@#$% these places are throwing in your eyes.
Get real, get local, hug your local hawker today and tell him or her you love her. Creepy? Yes, but necessary, oooh so necessary!

We sought this place out because it was on the Food Network, and supposedly the sultan of Brunei visits this stall when he’s in Singapore. I think their main claim to fame is that they make their nasi lemak with basmati rice, which makes it a little bit lighter. I’m not sure that it’s really that much better than any other nasi lemak I’ve had in Singapore, but it definitely is good. The rice is packed with aromatic coconut flavor, and the fried chicken wing that comes with the set was crispy and juicy. I’m also a big fan of their sambal; it’s spicier than most, a little sweet, and not too salty.
It’s debatable whether this is truly food fit for royalty, but it’s more than good enough for me.

Long Q here, waited at least 15 mins till my turn. But frankly speaking, after tasting the nasi lemak, I really wonder why people are queuing up. The chilli is good, abit on the sweeter side, but the rest is so so, I’ve taste much better ones. Overall I felt its not good enough if only the chilli is good.

To find this stall, follow the queue. Okay, maybe not quite. There are two famous nasi lemak stalls in Adam Road Food Centre, side by side. One of them is the first shop of the food centre, this one is the second. Ironically, I find that the better one is in second place. Fair enough as well, as Selera Rasa seems to be open longer hours than the other one does.
Most of the time when you’re there you ought to be prepared to queue up for a good twenty minutes, because many people come in line not just to order one plate, or two boxes, but a party-​load of it. That just shows how good it is.
The rice is always at such a good texture, though I find that its taste can be quite a hit and miss sometimes, and lacks that bit of coconut flavour to it. But Selera Rasa more than makes up for whatever’s lacking with such good sambal chilli, so the rice becomes a little matter.
The gold is in the chicken. The colour is so wonderfully golden, you only have to look at it to tell that it will be such a crispy treat. Inside the chicken is still so juicy and so tender, though a little oily, and it makes you wish you had more than one on your plate — which is why I always ask for two.
The ikan bilis is very well fried, and as a personal bonus, don’t come automatically with the nuts, as they usually tend to do, thus saving me all that time and effort in removing it.
Word on the street is that the nasi lemak from this stall is one of President Tony Tan’s favourite food… so ’nuff said I hope!