Kampung Kia – Authentic Malaysian Nasi Lemak at Marine Parade!

Located at Marine Parade, three-month old Kampung Kia’s Nasi Lemak is definitely eye-catching with its blue butterfly pea infused rice. The stall is run by a dynamic duo of chef-owners who go by Jack and Ann, hailing from Penang and Ipoh respectively. Interestingly, both chefs have an extensive background in Chinese cooking but have no prior experience in cooking Malay cuisine. However, the pair shared a common love for Nasi Lemak and decided to develop their own recipe!

I first tried their Rendang Chicken Nasi Lemak ($5.50). I found that the portion was quite generous given its price! The rice was fluffy and moist, having just the right balance of coconut flavour. Sat atop the rice was a beautifully fried egg – it was not rubbery and the yolk was still runny! Alongside the rice you get a large chicken drumstick that is juicy and well-coated in the rendang. The rendang itself is aromatic with a strong scent of lemongrass. Their sweet and sour sambal chilli, which is made in-house, only has a hint of spiciness and is a lovely complement to the savoury richness of the dish. The dish also came with the typical accompaniments of ikan bilis and some soft curried vegetables.

I also tried their Curry Chicken Nasi Lemak ($5.50), which instead comes with a drumstick smothered in delicious Malaysian-style curry. The gravy itself is thick and rich with a wonderful blend of spices. A few pieces of potato are also added to the curry to absorb all of its delicious flavour. As a Malaysian living in Singapore, this dish really brings back memories of the home-cooked curry I would have at my grandparents’ house. If you are a fan of Malaysian curry, I think this is as authentic as it gets!

Kampung Kia doesn’t just prepare delicious Nasi Lemak, it also sells Assam Laksa ($4.80)! This enticing bowl of laksa comes topped with a whole sardine, though mackerel is more traditionally used. The thick and white rice noodles, which Kampung Kia imports weekly from Malaysia, are nice and springy in texture. I found that the Assam broth was more subtle in flavour when compared to others that I have tried in Singapore. The broth was mildly sweet but could have been a bit more tart to add more sharpness. The laksa was also topped with sliced bamboo shoots, cucumber, red onion, as well as chopped red chillies for a bit of heat. The sardine was well-cooked and briny, which brought a much needed savoury element to the laksa. Overall, it was a decent and light bowl of Assam Laksa but could have done with a bit more acidity.

If you are looking for a heartier bowl of noodles, look no further than Kampung Kia’s Curry Mee ($5.50). Their Curry Mee contains a mixture of thin bee Hoon and thicker egg noodles for a combination of textures. The bowl is filled generously with their deep and rich Malaysian curry. The curry was packed with flavour but I found it to be slightly too spicy for my liking. The bowl was also topped with dried tofu, chunks of potato and green beans. The dried tofu had soaked in the curry, providing a burst of flavour once bitten into. The green beans added a bit of crunch to give additional texture to the Curry Mee. In addition to a chicken drumstick, the dish came with a few slices of fish cake and even a few chunks of sio bak (roast pork)! Definitely value for money if you ask me.

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

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We have other Nasi Lemak recommendations for you too! You may wish to check out Nasi Kukus or some Nasi Lemak inspired dishes at Nasi Coco!