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Maxwell Food Centre: Madam Tan’s Nasi Lemak – Got Lemak?

Rating:

By Veron Ang

Lately I have been hearing a lot of online chatter, mostly glowing reviews, about a certain Madam Tan’s Nasi Lemak at Maxwell Food Centre. One of my favourite local dishes just happens to be nasi lemak (rice cooked in coconut milk) so this is something I really gotta check out.

Update: The stall is closed for now and will reopen in April 2011 at a new location.

The stall also has a number of other offerings that include beef rendang, curry chicken and potato croquette, but for now I am only interested to know if the nasi lemak lives up to all the hype!

Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak (rice cooked in coconut milk)
S$2.50
Rating:

You can select from a few predefined sets, like how they do it at Qi Ji, or pick your own ingredients. I go for Set A that comprises ikan bilis (dried anchovies), egg, cucumber, achar (pickled vegetables) and a choice between a chicken wing or crispy chicken. Pictured above is the crispy chicken that comes in a generous heap of yummy, boneless chunks!

The rice is really out of this world. I used to think that no one can do a better-tasting rice than Madam Kwan’s in Malaysia or Grandma’s in Singapore. Looks like they have finally met their match in Madam Tan! *cue the dramatic music* There is a delicious coconut milk fragrance and a sweet undertone, probably due to the use of Spanish onions.

The achar is great, too, and that’s saying a lot coming from someone that doesn’t have a love for vegetables.

Nasi Lemak chilli sauce

Apart from the rice, a distinguishing factor between this and the typical nasi lemak is that it is served with not just one but TWO different types of chilli sauce! One is the sour and spicy sambal belachan, the other the less spicy sweet chilli sauce. The latter is my favourite and I love throwing spoonfuls of it onto the rice.

Madam Tan's Nasi Lemak, Maxwell Food Centre

Look out for the brightly lit signboard that has the image of a Peranakan lady smiling down at you.

It’s the epitome of “cheap and good”!

Now, for the all-important question: Does Madam Tan’s live up to the hype? Even with my initial high expectations after hearing nothing but good reviews, I must say that she passes with flying colours! Yes, this humble little stall has sky-rocketed to the top of my list of favourite places for nasi lemak.

As a side note, I think it’s great that businesses are increasingly generating publicity through social media, be it blogs, Facebook, Foursquare or Twitter. That’s how I got to know of a little gem like Madam Tan’s Nasi Lemak in the first place!

Have Your Say!

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In your opinion, where can you find the best nasi lemak in Singapore? Don’t keep it to yourself, share with us in the comments!

Madam Tan’s Nasi Lemak
Maxwell Food Centre / Kim Hua Market (Stall 25)
1 Kadayanallur Street
Singapore 069184
Tel: +65 9107 3028 | Website

Bus services: 80, 145
Nearest MRT: Chinatown/Tanjong Pagar

Opening hours: 9:30am – 8:30pm (Tue – Sat), 9:30am – 4:30pm (Sun) (Closed on Mondays)

Tags: Chinatown, hawker centre, lunch, Maxwell Food Centre, nasi lemak, Singaporean, Tanjong Pagar

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About the Editor

Veron Ang is the Founder and Chief Editor of Sparklette, a Singapore restaurants guide, lifestyle and travel blog. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in computer science from the National University of Singapore and runs a web design firm at Sparklette Studio. To get in touch, head on over to the contact page or follow @Sparklette and @VeronSG on Twitter.

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Responses Leave a comment

Sparklette
195 tweets

Same-day review of @MadamTans Nasi Lemak is up at http://sparklette.net/food/madam-tans-na…! Probably our quickest review yet.
Reply
Tweeted May 18, 2010 at 11:13 am
- inrsoul
  6 tweets
  
  RT @Sparklette: Same-day review of @MadamTans Nasi Lemak is up at http://sparklette.net/food/madam-tans-na…! Probably our quickest review yet.
  Reply
  Tweeted May 18, 2010 at 11:16 am
Sparklette
195 tweets

Sparklette Digest! Madam Tan’s Nasi Lemak – Got Lemak? http://sparklette.net/food/madam-tans-na...
Reply
Tweeted May 18, 2010 at 11:21 am
- colinq
  1 tweet
  
  RT @Sparklette: Sparklette Digest! Madam Tan’s Nasi Lemak – Got Lemak? http://sparklette.net/food/madam-tans-na...
  Reply
  Tweeted May 18, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Razlan
5 comments

Oh my, this looks absolutely ravishing. I gotta try this if I go back to Singapore for my birthday. Maybe do a catering from them…. it’s gonna be a fattening birthday party! LOL.
Reply
Posted May 18, 2010 at 7:17 pm
- Veron
  3439 comments
  
  Yes, ask for extra chilli! I have a feeling this would go extra well with beer. Beer + Nasi Lemak party!
  Reply
  Posted May 18, 2010 at 7:34 pm
linjie
19 comments

wow! 2 types of chilli. Definitely different from the others
Reply
Posted May 20, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Melissa
133 comments

Have you tried the one at Adam Road? Sedap!
Reply
Posted May 23, 2010 at 3:57 pm
- Veron
  3439 comments
  
  Will check it out soon. I’ve heard a lot of good stuff about that stall!
  Reply
  Posted May 25, 2010 at 1:51 pm
EuJzin
26 comments

How does Mdm Tan’s compare with say…The ones @Boon Lay Hawker, Adam Rd Hawker or even Changi’s?
Reply
Posted June 7, 2010 at 2:09 pm
- Veron
  3439 comments
  
  I’m ashamed to say that out of the three, the only one I have tried is the one at Changi Village. Have been putting off visiting Adam Road since forever! Gotta say that Madam Tan’s Nasi Lemak is way better than the one at Changi.
  What about you? How do you rank those 3?
  Reply
  Posted June 7, 2010 at 3:25 pm
J2Kfm (Malaysian Food Blog)
13 comments

Lovely choice, and so cheap to boot.
I like the nasi lemak with a heavy santan taste … and preferably, a killer sambal.
Reply
Posted June 16, 2010 at 3:56 pm
mr. lee
5 comments

have you tried Selera Rasa in Adam road. Their coconut rice is one of the best for me
Reply
Posted July 2, 2010 at 9:11 pm
- Veron
  3439 comments
  
  I have heard sooo much about it. Gonna try it out real soon!
  Reply
  Posted July 2, 2010 at 9:19 pm
- eujzin
  26 comments
  
  yeah, no.1 and selera are my faves for nasi lemak in singapore!
  Reply
  Posted February 17, 2011 at 7:38 pm
eve
1 comment

hmm…. how is this one compare to the famous poungol nasi lemak? haha.. curious.. cause im always travelling from west end to pungol to eat that..
Reply
Posted October 31, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Bob
1 comment

All these great reviews, had to try it, and it is all that the hype said it is. Simply Madam Tan’s exceed expections. Go there try it, be silly not to.
Bob Adelaide Australia
Reply
Posted February 17, 2011 at 12:14 pm
- eujzin
  26 comments
  
  Hi
  unfortunately the place is CLOSED! =(
  I really wanted to visit the place again but it’s closed now. please, anyone who knows what happened, more importantly, where it moved to, please share
  Reply
  Posted February 17, 2011 at 7:37 pm
  - eujzin
    26 comments
    
    wait…silly me. I could be wrong. I MAY have visited on a day where they close. Shall try visiting the stall again. *fingers crossed* (there’s hope!)
    Reply
    Posted February 17, 2011 at 7:41 pm
    - Veron
      3439 comments
      
      lol you scared me for a moment there! I haven’t heard any bad news from @MadamTans on Twitter, so phew! The stall is closed on Mondays, so you can try getting your nasi lemak fix there during the rest of the week. It’s been a long while since I last went. Let me know if the food is still as good, or better :)
      Reply
      Posted February 18, 2011 at 12:10 am
    - Veron
      3439 comments
      
      This just in: Heard from a reader who went looking for Madam Tan’s at Maxwell this morning. The stall is closed for now and will reopen in April 2011 at a new location. Straight from the horse’s mouth!
      Reply
      Posted March 16, 2011 at 11:16 pm
      - eujzin
        26 comments
        
        SO it’s true! anyways, she oso on facebook. so she’s contactable…can alwis ask.
        can’t wait to eat at the new place!
        Reply
        Posted March 17, 2011 at 12:55 am
@mBuzzSing
1 comment

Social Media in Hawker Centres – Want good Nasi Lemak? Try #4square http://t.co/JfClf6Di via @sparklette
Reply
Posted October 3, 2011 at 5:51 pm