Nasi Padang stalls always pique my curiosity, it always has a certain pull at my heart strings. The colourful spread, aroma of spices, the craving for a good rendang.
Che' Rose's signboard declares that it was founded in 1968 and immodestly, "Probably the Best Rendang in Singapore". The presence of matriarch Che' Rose at the stall made the stall even more enticing.
Stall name: Che' Rose Nasi Padang
Address: Blk 128 Lor 1 Toa Payoh, Singapore 310128
Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Braddell station
Tel: 8102 7855
Hours: 10:00am - 4:00pm (Fri off | closed at 2pm on Sat & Sun)
We were there as soon as Che' Rose stall opened for the day, so not all dishes were ready. But, the beef rendang was - a small brownish mountain of it. Rendang and nasi Padang dishes are generally not very photogenic but growing up in the Malay archipelago, we know how delicious they are when well prepared.
But, there are some pretty dishes like this fried eggplant with sambal balado.
Che' Rose's humble looking, partially hidden stall is actually sister stall with Singapore nasi Padang luminaries Sabar Menanti I, Sabar Menanti II, Rumah Makan Minang, and Hajjah Ratna.
Che' Rose came to Singapore from Pariaman in Padang, Sumatra (the home of nasi Padang) and with her mother they ran a nasi Padang stall at Bussorah Street in Kampung Glam in 1958.
Che' Rose opened her own stall in Toa Payoh in 1968, which was also the year I moved to the new satellite town (soon after Singapore became independent in 1965).
Che' Rose's sisters and their families still run Sabar Menanti I, Sabar Menanti II, Rumah Makan Minang, and Hajjah Ratna.
Nasi Padang is like a buffet where we pick the sides we like to eat with boiled white rice. We had beef rendang, fried beef lung (paru goreng), curry stingray, and achar (spicy pickled vegetables). Not a lot of sides as this was just the second stop of our food trail. Everything here for SGD12 (which is within range for Singapore today).
Without my asking, the boss splashed fiery looking stinging spicy sambal balado (made with chili, tomato, onion, etc) on my rice to mark it as authentically Minangkabau cuisine 💪 So much unspoken pride in their food and culture 👏
First things first, the beef rendang. It was the tender, moist type - the type popular in Singapore and Johor. (I actually prefer this over the stiff, dry and very salty variety in Indonesia where the dish originated.) The infused spice and coconut flavours were robust in the tender moist meat.
The best rendang in Singapore? I can say this was the best thing we had today from our small sampling at Che' Rose.
I recall that the rendang at Warung Nasi Pariaman in Kampung Glam was also great. And, Che' Rose's rendang reminded me of rendang at Qin Garden, Nasi Lemak Mana Lagi and Sukaramai in Johor Bahru which I like for their tender, moist, flavourful, aromatic rendang.
I always order fried beef lung (paru goreng) whenever it is available. I like Che Rose's rendition. Not too stiff, slightly chewy like a jerky with savoury and turmeric spice flavour. My kakis today didn't fancy this, so I had all the fried beef lungs to myself 😬
Curry or spicy stingray is one of my favourite dishes. Che Rose's was a little too intense and flatly salty which overwhelmed all the fish and spice flavours in the soft-tender meat.
Buddy Wei got a plate of Che' Rose's chicken rendang when it became available. It was also very salty and flat which overwhelmed everything. The minimum serving of chicken rendang costs SGD8.
Sour is not my favourite flavour, so I forgot to try this 😬
The best rendang in Singapore? I like Che Rose's beef rendang but felt the chicken rendang a little too salty.
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