Che Rose Nasi Padang – Arguably The Best Nasi Padang in Toa Payoh!

Everyone knows that one of the greatest (and yummiest) dishes in Indonesia is nasi padang. While Singapore is replete with numerous nasi padang stalls, we’ll love to bring to your attention what is possibly one of our best nasi padang finds — Che Rose Nasi Padang!

Meet Rashid and his mother, Che’ Rose. Che’ Rose has been selling nasi padang in Singapore for over 40 years. The padang-born chef is chiefly known for her rendang recipes, which she inherited from her grandparents. “Take a walk along Beach road. Some of the well-known restaurants that you see, such as Sabar Menanti and Rumah Minang, are actually started by my siblings!” Che’ Rose exclaimed. Her son, Rashid, together with his wife, is now currently learning the ropes and has plans to take over the family business.

The rendang dishes definitely top our list of must-orders. We had both the Chicken Rendang ($3.50/piece) and Beef Rendang ($3 / piece). I felt that the former fared much better in terms of execution. The dry chicken rendang got me hooked on its sweet and savoury notes, and the light heat was addictive. “A lot of spices, such as white onion, serai (lemongrass), ginger and garlic, go into my mother’s recipe,” Rashid shared on behalf of Che’ Rose. Che Rose certainly deserves praise, as the preparation of such an evenly cooked and tasty rempah couldn’t have been an easy task.

Some parts of the chicken were tender, while other parts were slightly chewier. Some diners might not appreciate the inconsistent texture, but I actually enjoyed it. After all, what’s an authentic rendang experience without biting through both tough and tender parts? Note that the rendang is a little oily, though.

One of their bestsellers is the Beef Rendang ($3/piece). While it is less oily than the chicken version, it isn’t as tender. The beef cubes have nicely absorbed the spices used in the rempah and possessed a slight smokiness. Expect a distinct nutty flavour, which comes from the use of nutmeg.

The beef rendang, which packs a tad more heat than its chicken counterpart, was really enjoyable with rice. Overall, the beef was too dry for my liking.

How can we forget the Asam Squid Curry ($4/piece), which everyone loves? The squid was slightly chewy. While I am not the biggest fan of squid, I really enjoyed the asam curry gravy. The gravy’s tangy, sweet, and spicy tones, made it so easy to love. If it wasn’t for the gravy’s watery consistency, this dish could have easily made the second place on my list.

The Sayur Lemak ($1/portion) came with a medley of tahur, cabbage and long beans cooked in a spiced coconut broth. The curried vegetables were executed well, with the cabbage and long beans having a satisfying crunch. The tahur made the dish feel complete. However, it wasn’t as lemak as I had hoped for it to be. You’ll find that the flavours of the sayur lemak nicely balance out the stronger flavours of the meats. 

Of all the dishes that we had for lunch, the dry chicken rendang has to be my favourite dish. Having a meal at Che Rose Nasi Padang feels like we’re celebrating a joyous occasion. Che’Rose is an amazing find right here in the heart of Toa Payoh.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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