南洋岛 NAN YANG DAO – A Plethora of Malaysian-Style Dishes in Serangoon

Satiate your cravings for Malaysian food at 南洋岛 NAN YANG DAO, a vibrant eatery located just a stone’s throw away from Serangoon MRT. Despite having only opened early this year in March 2022, the eatery is very popular, Crowds come surging especially during dinnertime to get a taste of their extensive variety of Malaysian classics that include Selayang curry noodles, KL hokkien mee and Penang assam laksa. 

The interior sports eclectic neon lights and had a fun, casual atmosphere. There are overhanging plants, turquoise walls, and a mural of the streets of Malaysia. A few al fresco seats are available as well to meet the surge of patrons in the evening. 

Their menu comprises everything from appetisers and snacks such as Ngoh Hiang ($6.90), Nanyang Signature Fried Pork Belly ($11.90) and Penang Pasar Malam Fried Carrot Cake ($5.80), to just the one dessert option of Cendol ($3.50). 

But many come flocking for the Penang Fried Kway Teow ($6.80), Melaka Cheese Beehoon with Big Prawn ($18.80) and Selayang Big Bowl Curry Noodle ($9.90). 

If you’re the type that enjoys sampling a little bit of everything but would rather not go overboard when it comes to appetisers, get the Nan Yang Deep Fry Platter ($8.90 for mini, $12.90 for standard, $19.90 for jumbo) which comes with fried wu xiang balls, yam rolls, BBQ tofu and crispy golden fish roe. I got the mini platter which serves two. 

The yam ball was very crispy, almost to the point where it was a little tough to bite through. It was also hard to detect both the taste and texture of the yam within. Dipping it into the sauces made it tastier, though the dark sweet sauce was very much like the kind you’d find in rojak. It’s like a compact rojak minus the fruits and you tiao. 

The sweet chilli sauce was a classic match for the chonky fried wu xiang ball and abated the heavy wave of five-spice powder it was seasoned with. My favourite of the lot has to be the golden fish roe and I enjoyed how the creaminess of the mayonnaise on top melded well with the prawn paste. 

Another sampling round of some of 南洋岛 NAN YANG DAO’s best-sellers brought us to the Signature Trio Mini Noodles ($9.90) that includes Penang Prawn Noodle Soup, Seafood Curry Mee and Pork Ball Noodle Soup, served in tiny bowls and presented on a little wooden tray. 

We started with the lightest-looking broth as to not overwhelm our taste buds. The Pork Ball Noodle Soup’s broth was delightfully flavourful but could be a tad too salty for some folks. There was a rather strong alkaline taste from the noods that had seeped into the soup. Two types of pork balls were available in the bowl; one had a very firm texture and strong porky taste while the other one had a separate meat filling hidden in the middle that was pretty yummy. 

Up next was the Penang Prawn Noodle Soup. Slurp up the sweet and robust broth before tucking into the fresh and crunchy prawn and thin pork slices. 

The final bowl was the Seafood Curry Mee that came with a bounty of ingredients that included prawn, a large fishball and tau pok that had beautifully soaked up the curry. While it might look deceptively light, the curry was surprisingly thick and creamy while not being too spicy. 

The Penang Assam Laksa ($6.50) came in a rather large bowl and came with classic toppings of ikan kembung (chub mackerel), sliced cucumbers, onions, pineapple, mint leaves and chilli. The broth was on the tangy side (very much so, in fact), and carried a hint of spice and also a very strong taste of ikan kembung. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the unique 3 Layers Coffee ($3) that started off robust. It was a little hard to completely dissolve the syrup at the bottom, but give it a good swirl and drink it from the centre to enjoy the perfect middle ground of this beverage that will instantly perk you up. 

The best way to combat the sweltering heat and wrap up our meal was definitely with the Cendol ($3.50). It wasn’t overly sweet but still had a good amount of gula melaka. And of course, we liked the added textural contrast of the chewy green rice flour jelly! 

With such a convenient location, and large range of dishes available in one place, 南洋岛 NAN YANG DAO is certainly an attractive place for a meal!

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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