Maria’s Corner – Good Ol’ Home-Style Nasi Lemak in Tanglin Halt

I used to be an early bird but because I have been working late almost everyday,  so breakfast isn’t really my thing anymore. But if I do wake up early enough, I make sure I have a good breakfast.

It’s a shame that I didn’t have the time to explore Queenstown more. Most of the flats are already half a century old, and the atmosphere can only be best described as being filled with the original kampong spirit. Following the recommendation of Chef Shen Tan, I popped by Maria’s Corner Nasi Lemak, and the stall is now my go-to breakfast spot if I am around Tanglin Halt.

Located in a quiet and retro coffeeshop, Maria’s Corner is a quaint little stall run by a cute Makcik. So, expect rustic, good, home-style cooking. You can order a mountain of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk, and pile it with toppings such as beef rendang, seronding, sambal goreng, beef lungs, fried tempeh, fried fish, egg and more. The rice is not too heavily scented so it doesn’t overpower the delicious dishes.

The sambal goreng didn’t leave an impression, but the flavours were robust and intense. The chicken wings are fried in small batches so to ensure that that they remain crisp. Don’t forget to add a spoonful of serunding to your rice.

The other crucial component of nasi lemak is the sambal. Maria’s version is especially memorable, as it was sufficiently spicy with the right balance of sweet and tangy notes. If you want to eat the Nasi Lemak here, you should come before 10am so that there is still a wide range of choices. They also serve longtong, mee siam and mee rebus for breakfast.