Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Highly Recommended)
Address: GF, 11, Jalan Daya 1, Taman Daya, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/z1rF4nS9eKUwJrfC9
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)
Indonesian-Styled Nasi Padang = RM27.70
Service Charge 6% = RM1.66
There are No Menu Available at this Eatery/Restaurant.
With a Score of 5 Stars over 1600+ Google Reviews, I knew I just have to visit this when I did my Research on the Places to eat in Taman Daya. 👍 This is an Indonesian Restaurant 🇮🇩 and the Area where its located is a Huge Open-Air Complex filled with Many Other Big Restaurant Franchises. Some of them with their Own Dedicated Buildings even. 😳
And this place seems to be dedicated 100% for Restaurants, I don't see any Shopping or Retail around. 🛍️🤔 Just a Very Big Open Area Food Park it seems. The Whole Place feels Cleanly Maintained. 👍 Having said that though, even on a Saturday Afternoon when I was exploring the Area, I hardly see any people around. 🤔 Whole Place feels quite 冷清清.
Interior of the Actual Restaurant itself
The First Thing that greets you is the Ornately Indonesian Styled Entrance of the Place and even before you step in, there is already a Thick and Rich Super Appetizing Aroma of Rendang in the Air. 🍖😋 The Interior of the Place is Cleanly Maintained and is Renovated with a Nice Indonesian Style. 🇮🇩❤️ I like the look of their Dining Tables with the Beautiful Intricate Malay-Styled Patterns. The Whole Place is Air-Conditioned and Very Cooling and Comfortable. ❄️😌
The Staffs were Friendly and Polite and they were Very Welcoming. 😄 Especially because since I can't speak Fluent Malay when ordering the Food. 😅 I appreciate that they were Very Patient with me trying to explain what each items are as best as they can as I took them down while prepping for this Review. 📝 The Place itself was quite Empty though without much Customers. 🤔 As of 4.42pm on a Saturday when I was there, there were at Most Only 2 Tables of Customers.
How to Order your Food.
The Restaurant is basically a More Atas Version of Nasi Padang where all the Ingredients are laid out nicely in Glass Trays. 👍 Take a look at the Photo Collection Below on whats on offer.
1) Let them know that you'd like a Plate of Nasi Putih (White Rice). 🍚 If you are watching your Carb Intake like me and would like Lesser Rice, tell them you want "Nasi Kurang".
2) Go up to the Ingredients Section and see what you like. All the Ingredients are Nicely Labeled although Prices are Not Shown. 🏷️ The Place is kept nice and clean, there weren't any Flies flying around. 👍
3) Once you've let the Staff know what you want, go back to your Seat and it will be served up to you shortly. It took 3 Mins for them to serve mine up. 👍
4) When you've finished your Food, go ahead and pay at the Cashier as normal.
Although this looks like Classic Malay-Styled Red Sambal, 🌶️ it had an Unusual Slimy Bite Texture. I think Brinjal is used in this? 🍆🤔 The Sambal itself is Solid with a Base that reminds me of China-Styled 红油. It is Salty but Not Overly So. 🧂 Spicy, but doesn't Bite Hard. 🌶️
If you are used to Spicy, I feel this is a Very Comfortable Level of Spiciness that Teases and Linges on your Tongue but Never Punishes you. 🌶️👍 I personally find it interesting that Brinjal is used as a Component for a Sambal like this.
This also has abit of Slimy Bite Texture but Noticeably Less So compared to the Sambal Merah. 🌶️ The Initial Spiciness does not hit you immediately but will Slowly Strengthen in Spiciness overtime. If you have eaten enough Sambal, you will know that Such Sambals are the Fierciest Type! Hahaha! 🌶️🔥
Even if you are used to Spicy, I feel this Level of Spiciness can still be Painful. 🌶️😅 I call this type of Spicy Level as "Make your Ear Itchy" type of Spicy. 👂🔥 Not only that, the Spiciness will Linger Long. For me, this is still not the Most Spicy as I did not feel the need to drink any Water, but I'd still consider to be quite Strong. This is also a Solid Sambal. 🌶️👍
The Ingredients in this Nasi Padang Consists of:
🍚 Nasi Putih (Kurang)
🐮 Rendang Sapi
🍆 Terong Balado
🫘 Orek Tempe
🐮 Dendeng Balado
🍚 Nasi Putih (Kurang)
This is of course the Main White Rice Carb. Mention "Kurang" if you are watching your Carb Intake and want Less Rice. Its Jasmine Rice certainly. Has a Slightly Sticky Texture but Not Overly So. 🍚 Not Dry and abit Moist and Soft to the Bite. Standard and Decent Rice Quality for Nasi Padang.
🐮 Rendang Sapi
Probably the Main Star of the Dish, I was already Halfway to Heaven when I smelt its Delicious Aroma even before I entered the Restaurant. 🐮❤️ Made of Beef, this is the Dry Type of Rendang, not the Wet Wet Lots of Gravy type. 🤔 The Magic happens when you sink your Teeth in and the Meat Fibers Completely Breaks Apart so Easily. Exactly the Type of Rendang that I love most! ❤️
Although the Dry Type, there is still some Sauce on it. 🍯 Its Robust Tasting but what I particularly like is that it Never Attempts to Overtake the Natural Beefy Taste of the Meat. 🐮👍 This is something that Many Rendangs miss the Mark for me, sometimes the Gravy is Too Dominant and completely covers up the Meat. 🍯🤔 As for the Meat, the Natural Beefiness of the Meat lets its Presence be known but its also Never Overly Beefy.
The Combination of both Gravy and Beef paired Perfectly in Harmony with Neither trying to Outdo each other. 🐮👍 Because of how Tender Soft the Meat Texture was, this was a Dish that has certainly being Stewed for Very Long Hours. 🐮🔥 Rendang is really One of the Most Time Consuming Dish to Prepare and the Quality here 吃得出来 was made with Tender Loving Care. Power Sedap! 🐮😋
🍆 Terong Balado
This is basically a Sambal Brinjal Dish. Although I've eaten this before in Nasi Padang, I appreciate that this is the 1st time I know of its Original True Name. 🍆😅 Unlike Kopitiam Versions of this, where the Brinjal Texture still has a Firmish Bite, the Version here is Ultra Soft with a Very Creamy Texture. 🍆😋
The Taste is Savory, Slight Salty and it was Especially Comfortingly Yummy when served Slightly Warm. 😋 The Sambal on top isn't Super Spicy at all and surprisingly didn't really felt like it contributed much. 🌶️🤔 The Whole Dish felt like its completely being carried by this Creamy Brinjal. 🍆 Still taste Really Good though. If you enjoy Sambal Brinjal, you will enjoy this one.
🫘 Orek Tempe
Tempe or Tempeh is an Iconic Traditional Indonesian Culinary Ingredient. 🇮🇩 Its made of Fermented Soybeans and is actually an Incredibly Healthy and Nutritious Protein Packed Superfood. ❤️ The Dish here cuts the Tempeh into Long Strips which made it sort of look like Chinese 花生饼 Snack. You know that type where its Sweet with a Maltose Sort of Taste? 🍯🤔 Yea that one. Bite Texture is Crunchy and it is Coated with this Very Robust and Earthy Sweet Very Sticky Black Syrupy Sauce. 🍯 Eating this feels like I'm eating Fried Peanuts with a Very Earthy Braised Kicap Manis Sauce is how I would describe this. 🥜🍯
The Sweetness of this Sauce is quite Elevated but it never reaches to Too Sickeningly Sweet Level. 🍯🤔 If you are watching your Sugar Intake however, you might want to skip this. 🤔 Culinarily, I appreciated it because eating this brought a Nice Crispy Crunchy Component to this Nasi Padang Plate. 😋
🐮 Dendeng Balado
"Dendeng" is something I've heard of but never tried, so this is my First Time. 🐮🤔 What is funny about it, is that it is sometimes amusingly being referred to as "Malay Bak Kwa". 😅 Obviously its not made of Pork. This is actually a Beef Jerky and the one here is Not Spicy at all, Not Even a Little Bit. 🐮🤔 The Taste of Beef is Prominent but Not Overly So. Very Similar Level of Beefiness to Western Styled of Beef Jerky. 🐮🍖
What is Unique about this however is how Unusually Super Tough and Chewy it is. 😳 I'm not exaggerating about how Tough it is, you actually do need to Flex your Jaw Muscles to Chew this Thoroughly before it is Swallowable. 😅 If you are unable to eat Tough Foods, you might want to skip this one.
This is the one Dish that I thought didn't harmonize well with the Rest of the Ingredients on this Plate due to how Super Tough and Chewy it was, 🐮😅 but of course I'm not going to Fault it if this is what Dendeng is supposed to taste like. 🐮 In fact, I'm glad I finally have the chance to give Dendeng a try. 👍
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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts
At the Total Combined Price of RM29.35 (S$8.90) for a 4-Items Indonesian Nasi Padang that includes Rendang Beef 🐮😋 in a Beautiful Comfortable Dine-In Restoran felt Affordable for what it is. 👍 Eating Everything together was Very Satisfying. 😋 Abit of Superb Tenderness from the Rendang Sapi, abit of Soft Creaminess from the 🍆 Terong Belado, abit of Crispy Crunch from the 🫘 Orek Tempe, followed by some Hits of Fiery Spiciness from the 2 Sambals, 🌶️ all chased down with some Soft Nasi Putih. 🍚 Only the Dendeng like I mentioned felt abit Out of Harmony due to its Overly Tough Chewiness 🐮😅 but Overall was still Very Shiok and Sedap to eat. 😋 I thought it was a Good Mix of Ingredients on this Plate. The Whole Plate looks Heavy and 重口味 but its actually Not as 重口味 as you may imagine. 👍
Now I don't eat Malay or Indonesian Nasi Padang often and I have never been to Indonesia to eat Authentic Indonesian Cuisines, 🇮🇩🤔 so I might be completely wrong about this, but for some reason, I feel that Indonesian Version of Nasi Padang (at least for this Plate) actually feels slightly Less Heavy than Malaysian Style of Nasi Padang? 🤔 I can't really put my Finger on what is so Different, but I do feel that there is actually a Subtle Difference in Taste of Nasi Padang between Malaysia-Style 🇲🇾 and Indonesia-Style. 🇮🇩 I don't know if this tastes Truly Authentically Indonesian, but what I do know is Eating this Plate of Nasi Padang actually made me want to try out More Indonesian Cuisines in the Future! 🇮🇩❤️ A Dish that can make me feel this way surely deserves my Highest Score. 👍
Of course, my Highest Score is also based on Customer Service and this Eatery certainly deserves it. ❤️ I really appreciate how Friendly and Patient the Staffs were even though I'm not Fluent in Malay. They certainly made me feel very Welcome here. ❤️ What I am more Concerned though, is the 冷清清 Overall Lack of Customers in this Whole Entire Open-Air Food Area even on a Saturday Weekend. 🤔 It makes me wonder how long can they survive if there are So Little Customer Footfall even on a Saturday.
If you are in the Taman Daya Area and Craving for some Malay / Indonesian Food, 🇲🇾🇮🇩 I highly recommend to come visit this place to give them a try as soon as you can, because I honestly do not know how long can they sustain given that this Entire Area seems so Empty even on a Saturday. 🤔
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