Bistari Nasi Ayam Penyet
Malay Village
08/12/06
Rating: 5.5 billy goats

After reading the Makansutra review on Bistari Nasi Ayam Penyet a few weeks ago, I thought I really had to try it. They have outlets in Changi Village and Malay Village. They seem to like villages a lot.

So I asked her. Of course she said yes coz she knows I won't rest in my quest to find the greatest nasi ayam penyet joint on the island. And I thought why not ask Su and Khai too since they're foodies themselves and they agreed as well.

Su also asked to bring one her colleagues from work, J and his wife Cynthia. Su said he's from Perth. Being a Perthling-wannabe and all, of course I counter-agreed. Any Perthling is a friend of mine.

We went to the one at Malay Village.

Us before we started mowing everything down.

The spread we were gonna mow down

In total, we demolished eight plates of rice and nine plates of chicken between the six of us. Of these, I had like a combined total of two plates of both. Ok, ok, MORE than that alright coz I had some of hers as well.

They all seem to like the rice. Smells like buttered rice to me but Su ahem, pointed out that well, it's actually coconut milk that they used so it's more like nasi lemak rice minus the pandan fragrance.

For me though, I was more hungry than anything, as always and not because I liked what they dished out. It was above average but as I've said before, once you've tasted authentic, all others are just lousy copycats. I'm sorry, but KF Seetoh has no idea about nasi ayam penyet. Everything is 'robust' to him.

For one, the rice is a scam. Nasi ayam penyet by right should only come with white rice. No coconut milk rice, no gingered rice, no yellow rice, blue, pink or even purple ok, comprende?

And then, they kinda forgot to include the fried tofu and fermented soybeans. I'd have closed one eye if their chicken was ok-sized but they might have used quails. I thought they were quite small. That's why I had to have two servings.

The chicken was alright. It's just chicken, fried... with the wrong spices, for your info. Sigh... . Why do these guys keep thinking nasi ayam penyet is only about rice and any old fried chicken? They just couldn't be bothered, can they?

The thing is, Bistari's chicken is salty and spicy hot. Maybe they are trying to suit local tastebuds or maybe they don't even have a clue but nasi ayam penyet is a Javanese food and Javanese food is supposed to be more sweet than spicy. Sumatran food is traditionally spicy, that's why nasi padang dishes are as such. That's where 'nasi padang' got its name. 'Padang' is a Sumatran province.

Dang I wish Ita, the authentic nasi ayam penyet cook and friend of mine hadn't changed her number. I would do ANYthing to eat her nasi ayam penyet again without actually having to go to Java for it.

Us after mowing everything down. BURP!