Nasi Padang 8789 – Elderly Chinese Couple Sells Mouthwatering Nasi Padang With Crunchy Ikan Bilis in a Cantonment Road Coffee Shop!

If there’s one meal I wouldn’t mind splurging on, it would be nasi padang! Although there’s a vast number of colourful, flavourful dishes to choose from, there’s often a hefty price tag slapped on. Luckily, Nasi Padang fans like me can enjoy Nasi Padang 8789’s nasi padang without breaking the bank!

Started by a former talented author, Mr Hee, and his childhood sweetheart, Nasi Padang 8789 has been serving an assortment of homemade dishes for 45 years!

Mr Hee was an excellent writer and a national book prize recipient《磨刀的艺术》(translated as the art of knife sharpening). His good penmanship also won his primary school classmate over to become his wife. After learning how to cook Nasi Padang from a Malay helper, Mr Hee and his wife opened their first stall at Pasir Panjang in 1976 , occupying stall numbers 87 and 89. In 2011, they shifted to their current spot at Cantonment Road and called their stall Nasi Padang 8789(inspired  by the stall numbers of their previous stalls).

When I arrived during lunchtime, there were, thankfully, just two people in front of me. Still, it took me a moment to select from the stall’s vast array of freshly cooked dishes as I was spoilt for choice!

I finally decided on Chicken Drumstick, Stir-fried Pineapples, Petai, Eggplant and Ikan Bilis, topped with curry sauce. Although the exact prices weren’t mentioned, the overall cost of the plate was $7.40. First off, the chicken was juicy and a bit firm, with the crispy edges giving a good crunch. I was surprised at how sweet the pineapples were, which went well with the spicy Petai beans and plump eggplant. Amongst all the ingredients, the Ikan Bilis was the star for me. The large salted nuts and anchovies were perfectly fried, and they gave the pillowy white rice a flavour punch, and also complemented all the other dishes.

Next, I had another plate with Rendang Mutton, stir-fried Long bean with Tau Kwa, egg, and Fried Beancurd, which totalled up to $7.90. I’ve always been a sucker for rendang, and this stall’s sauce was thick and savoury, with the mutton having a bit of a gamey taste to it. The long bean was soft and went well with the fried crispy edges of the tau kwa. I only wished the egg was less powdery. Amazingly, the fried beancurd was still moist and soft inside.

Overall, if you’re looking for a robust meal, make a pitstop at Nasi Padang 8789 and you won’t be disappointed!

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

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