Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Recommended)
Address: Jalan Tun Dr Awang, Taman Tunas Muda, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/JzF9jpXYsiAWoizU7
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)
🍚 Nasi 7 Benua (7 Types of Malay-Styled Rice)
🐔 1 Black Sauce Chicken
🥬 1 Serving of Yellow Cabbage
🥬 1 Small Lady Finger
🍳 1 Fried Egg
Final Price on the Bill = RM12.00
No Service Charges
Got to know of this Adorable Dish from a Random Youtube Channel that I came across when doing Research on Penang Foods to try. 🎥 I'm sorry I don't remember the Name of the Channel but I remember he is a Malaysian, although I'm not sure if he's a Penangite. 🤔
The Word "Benua" as I've learned from my Malay Colleagues means "Realm" so this Dish basically translates to "The Realm of the 7 Rices". 🍚 Pretty Epic Name if you ask me! 😄 It was quite a Relatively Large Eatery uniquely Thatched with a Zinc Roof. Not alot of Customers on a Tuesday Afternoon at 1.30pm. There is also a Very Cute Adorable Meow roaming the Area! 🐱
At its core, this is basically a Nasi Campur Food Stall. Think of it like Chinese Cai Fan or Singapore Malay-Styled "Nasi Padang". 🍛 Nasi Campur is what Malaysia refers to our SG Nasi Padang btw. 👍
Really Friendly Staffs here. Although they are not Very Fluent in English, as long as you can Converse in Basic Malay and point to what you want, its still very easy to order. 👍
The Highlight of this Place is really the 7 Types of Unique Malay-Styled Flavoured Rices that they serve here.
If you were to choose all 7 Flavours, the Rice will be scooped using a Very Adorable Small Scoop thats basically the Same Type of Scoop you see used in a Baby Milk Powder as you can see in the Attached Video. 🍚😅 All 7 Scoops is just about Nicely the Amount of 1 Regular Bowl of Rice actually. 🍚
You don't have to choose all 7 Flavours of Rice. If you want just 1 - 2 Flavours its also ok. Just let them know what you want. 🍚👍 I will of course describe each of the 7 Flavours in greater detail later on in the Review.
1) Self-Service take a Plate and go up to the Rice Station. 🍚 You can choose their "Nasi 7 Benua" or if you prefer only 1 Flavour of Rice you can do so too. Just tell the Friendly Staff what you want.
2) After taking the Rice, just go to the Ingredients section and Self-Service take as much or as little as you want. 👍
3) When you are ready, go up to the Cashier and pay for it. 💵🥤 You can order your Drinks here too if you want.
The 7 Different Flavours of Rice
Here, I will describe each of the Flavours of the Rice. 🍚
You can also see how they look like in the Photo Collection. 📷
🍚 Nasi Putih (White Rice)
This is of course the Standard Jasmine White Rice. 🍚 Standard Plain Taste, No Extra Flavouring. Normal Texture.
🍅 Nasi Tomato (Deep Yellow Rice)
Despite the Name, there are No Tomato in this. 😅 This tastes like the Standard White Rice with a Biryani Flavouring which is a Indian-Styled of Rice Flavour.🤔 The Biryani Taste here is not Overly Strong but it is there.
🥜 Nasi Kacang (Light Yellow Rice)
“Kacang” means "Peanut". This Rice has a Very Strong Turmeric Taste with Bits of Mushy Peanut Pieces within. 🍚🥜
🌿 Nasi Lemak Pandan (Green Rice)
Basically Nasi Lemak Rice with a Pandan Green Colouring. 🌿 The 马来风味 is present in this, although not Super Gao Gao. Coconut Milk is Subtle. 🥥 I personally thought this tasted Decent, if Pretty Average Nasi Lemak Flavour.
🍯 Nasi Minyak (Off White Colour Rice)
"Minyak" translates as "Oil" and this is a Very Traditional Malay-Styled Rice Flavour. 😋 Despite the Name, its Not Super Oily and exudes a Nice Savoury Oil 油香味 Aftertaste.
🌈 Nasi Hujan Panas (Most Colourful Rice)
"Hujan Panas" translates to "Hot Rain". 🌧️ No Idea why its named the way it is, but I thought its Adorable! 😄 This is also the Most Colourful One among the Rices. It looks like a Mix of the Nasi Tomato, 🍅 Nasi Minyak 🍯 and a slight bit of Nasi Lemak Pandan 🌿 with abit of some Red Colouring. Taste like a Mix of Nasi Tomato and Nasi Minyak.
I originally thought the Black Colour is achieved thru Squid Ink, but its actually made using a Herb called "Vitex Trifolia" which in turns translates to "Lamuni" 🌿🤔 Source: Wikipedia
Apparently, this Herb is usually eaten as a Confinement Dish. Abit like 益母草 (Chinese Motherwort). 🌿🤔 Among the Rices, this is the one that has a Deep Earthy Flavour to it. 🤔 Abit like Sarawak Kacangma, although not as Strong. If you are someone who likes an Earthy and Herbly type of Taste for your Rice, I reckon you will enjoy this. 🌿🍚 If not, I feel you might find it Too Earthy. 🤔
How does it Taste if ALL 7 Rices are Mixed Together?
Not surprisingly, Nasi Lamuni's Earthy Taste 🌿🍚 dominates strongly although I feel Nasi Minyak 🍯 also sometimes Shoots through. Other than that, Nasi Tomato's 🍅 Biryani Taste can still be felt, although its very much Subdued now. The Rest of the Rice Flavours are Definitely Lost as I could not taste them anymore when Banjir like this. 🤔
What about the Rest of the Ingredients? How do they taste?
The "Belacan-ness" of the Belacan Chilli is Strong. 🌶️ Not Overly Spicy, the Spiciness will Kiss your Tongue and Linger abit.
If you are someone who don't like Too Strong "Belacan-ness" with your Belacan Chilli, you may not like this. I liked this myself, quite shiok to eat. 🌶️😋
Yellow Cabbage is pretty much Stewed Cabbage with Turmeric. 🥬 It provides the Veggie Crunch in the Dish.
Standard Taste. 🥬 If you have eaten this before, you will already know how this taste.
Black Sauce Chicken 🐔 is a Wing and Thigh. The Sauce is Slightly Savoury, Not Overly Salty or Sweet. Pretty Standard Sauce tbh, Not Amazing but does it Job adequately. 🍯 Unfortunately, I felt the Chicken was abit Too Dry for me. 🤔 Again, this is a Common Dish you most likely have eaten before too if you have eaten Malay Nasi Padang before.
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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts
At a Total Combined Price of RM12.00 (S$3.60) I feel is a Very Reasonable Price for a Plate of Nasi Padang/Nasi Campur 🍛 which is basically what this is. Honestly, the Ingredients felt Pretty Average, 🤔 and tasted like how you'd expect if you have ever eaten such Malay-Styled Dishes before.
The Main Highlight is really the 7 Different Malay-Styled Rices. 🍚👍 At first look, you may dismiss this as Too Gimmicky but its really not. I feel this is especially Well Designed for a Non-Malay who don't regularly eat Malay-Styled Rices. 👍 I thought this was an Affordable and Convenient Sampler Plate to have everything all at once. 🍛👍
For a Tourist especially who is New to South-East Asian Malay Cuisines, this would be a Quick and Easy way to try everything all at once. 🍚👍 Its also located conveniently at Bayan Lepas which is where Most People will go thru when they travel from Penang Airport to George Town. ✈️ This would work beautifully as a 1st Meal Pitstop when coming to Penang. 🇲🇾
I appreciate what this Eatery is trying to accomplish here, and although its not really a Die Die Must Come Eat kind of place, the 7 Different Rices was a Creative Culinary Idea that served an Actual Purpose other than just being Gimmicky. 🍚👍 Really Friendly Place with Friendly Staffs with an Adorable Manja Meow Meow. 🐱😄 Definitely can Recommend to come give this a Try.
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