Indonesia and Malaysia have long shared ingredients, flavours and culinary traditions across our kitchens. So when we heard about a Nasi Padang place in Taman Daya serving recipes from its Indonesian owner, naturally, our curiosity got the better of us.
SSW Sari Wangi may only be about four years old, but age isn’t everything. Sometimes, good food simply deserves a Humble Mention.
Located in Taman Daya, SSW Sari Wangi is a sister outlet to Sari Wangi in Taman Johor Jaya.
A Little Bit About Nasi Padang
Nasi Padang originates from the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra and takes its name from Padang, the provincial capital.
At its simplest, it is steamed rice accompanied by your choice from a large selection of prepared dishes – meats, vegetables, curries, sambals and more. The difficulty isn’t finding something you want to eat. It’s deciding when to stop pointing. For our visit, we decided the best measure is to stick with the classic dishes.
Telur Dadar
First came the Telur Dadar, and this was no shy little omelette.
A good two inches thick, it was wonderfully airy and fluffy inside, dotted with chopped red chillies and shallots. The exterior had developed a beautiful golden-brown crust, which we imagine would have been even crispier straight from the pan.
It is remarkable how exciting an egg can become when somebody takes it seriously.
Rendang Sapi
The Rendang Sapi (Beef Rendang) was probably our favourite.
Rendang isn’t meant to be swimming in gravy, but neither does it need to leave you searching desperately for moisture. Here, the dark brown sauce was thick, sumptuous and concentrated enough to cling beautifully to the beef. Lemongrass, galangal, ginger, garlic, shallots and chillies had been slowly cooked with coconut milk until everything became one deeply aromatic rempah.
The beef was fork-tender and had absorbed those flavours right through. More importantly, the coconut richness was well controlled. It was rich enough to satisfy without becoming cloying halfway through the meal.
Ayam Bakar Pedas
The biggest surprise was the Ayam Bakar Pedas (Spicy Grilled Chicken).
We arrived for a late lunch at around 2pm and weren’t expecting grilled chicken that had been sitting in the display to remain particularly juicy. Our expectations were happily misplaced. The chicken was remarkably moist and tender, while its spicy marinade gave the exterior plenty of savoury flavour. (See Video)
Was it pedas? For us, perhaps more pedas-ish.
Even the accompanying green chilli sambal didn’t quite produce the forehead perspiration we were secretly hoping for. But spice tolerance is personal, and we’d rather have beautifully cooked chicken with moderate heat than dry chicken trying to assassinate us with chilli.
Kacang Bendi Udang Kering
The Okra with dried shrimp deserves a mention simply because the vegetables still behaved like vegetables. Okra can quickly become limp and tired after sitting around, but these remained bright, fresh and slightly crunchy. The dried shrimp brought a pleasant savoury umami without overpowering the natural flavour of the okra.
Simple, but nicely done.
Avocado Shake
And then came an unexpected reunion.
The last time we remembered having an avocado shake with chocolate syrup was more than 20 years ago in Bandung. It had been love at first sip then, so seeing it here required very little deliberation.
Creamy avocado and chocolate sounds enormously rich – because it is – but alongside all the savoury and spicy flavours on the table, that sweetness somehow worked.
More than anything, it brought back a rather lovely memory.
For a Moment, Indonesia
Across the meal, what stood out was balance.
The food was flavourful without being overly salty, the spices were distinct without fighting one another, and even the richer dishes remained surprisingly easy to eat.
The restaurant itself is clean and pleasant, with both air-conditioned and alfresco seating. Indonesian touches in the décor and the glass food display add to the experience, with diners choosing dishes from the colourful spread before having everything assembled onto their plates.
Sitting there, slowly working through our rice, rendang, ayam bakar, vegetables and avocado shake, there was a brief moment when it didn’t quite feel like we were in Taman Daya anymore.
Perhaps the only thing missing was the lively chatter of Bahasa Indonesia surrounding us.
For somewhere much closer to home, though, this is about as good as it gets.
And judging by the number of dishes we didn’t manage to try, SSW Sari Wangi has conveniently given us an excuse to return.
Humble Belly will happily take it.