“OMG. It’s Madam Kwan serving me!” I got a bit of a pleasant disbelief when I saw Madam Kwan herself passing me the menu, complete with her signature grin, mole under her lips, specs and khaki-coloured hat.
It was really her.
“Thank you for coming. I hope you like our food.” She reminds me of my own grandmother, about the same height and has the same caring look. She is 80 this year.
I rattled off a few of Madam Kwan’s must-haves without looking, those which I have space for – Nasi Lemak, Nasi Bojari, Sambal Belachan Kang Kong, Otak Otak and Chendol. Until I noticed that the price was the almost the same as Malaysia’s, the only difference is theirs is in ringgit. Gasp. (Read: Review Madam Kwan’s in Malaysia)
Several fans would swear by the Nasi Bojari ($18.90), a Madam Kwan created dish of tri-coloured red-yellow-white rice with assam prawns, beef rendang and deep fried chicken drumstick. This is modified from an original Indonesia dish meant for royalty.
Wow. The entire combination is almost perfect, my only complaint is that it can get rather oily. The huge drumstick meat so lovingly tender-licious that simply comes off from its bones. I didn’t need to use hands. How does it even taste so awesome? Every mouthful gives you a slightly different flavour, the rice being both fluffy and dry at the same time (interesting combination), also well matched with the rendang. Give me more gravy please.
The Nasi Lemak ($13.90 in Singapore, $16.90 ringgit in Malaysia – argh, high rental) with aromatic coconut steamed rice with chicken curry, sambal ikan bills, dried shrimp floss, hard boiled egg, acar and cucumber is comparable in taste to Malaysia’s. Give me a blind test, and I won’t be able to tell the difference. Let hope it stays this way, not only because the owner is in.
While I probably had a better oilier more aromatic version of Nasi Lemak at some random stall in Malaysia, Madam Kwan manages to keep the standard consistent, and I liked that she has a variety of bite-sized side dishes as accompaniments. The only pity is that the chicken meats are too dry and tough to cut through.
Loved loved loved the Otak Otak ($15.90), a version where you can finally taste chunks of fish in its thick square slab without being too floury and ‘fake-tasting’.
Perhaps some may feel there is too much flavour somewhere. The Kang Kong ($10.90) was almost swimming in dried shrimps and oil. And the Chendol ($4.90) abundantly coconut-milky. I am not complaining.
Bill was over $80. Felt slightly faintly that the two persons paid so much for Nasi Lemak. Well, the dining ambience of Madam Kwan’s is much more pleasant at Vivocity. The branch at Malaysia was emm… a little noisy with floor full of shoe-print marks. You get what I mean. Will come back soon for its Fish Head Curry!
Other Related Entries
Crave (ION Orchard)
New Rasa Singapura (Tanglin)
Big Street (Jalan Besar)
Ponggol Nasi Lemak (Jalan Besar)
Good Chance Popiah (Jalan Besar)
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I always go to Madam Kwan's at least once when I visit KL. But wow, spending $40 per person in Singapore feels too close to fine dining to me.
Fine dining in Singapore now is 3 figure sum. Haiz. Have to get used to it.
Yes, I feel it is a little too much. Well, Fine dining in Singapore now is 3 figure sum. Haiz. Have to get used to it.
hmm bro, halal or not ah? 🙂
ive eaten the one at KLCC. heh
I think not yet. Didn't spot any sign around. I think in Singapore you need some time of operation before you are awarded a certification.
OMG! You met her too! 😀
i don't remember seeing any pork in the menu list. do correct if i am wrong.
the otak looks fabulous but $15.90 a piece? Did Mdm Kwan forgot to convert the ringgit to SGD?
I really think it's the rental that kills. With that said, at least the otak came in chunks.
I was at the Vivo City branch over the weekend, heard from friends that the food is nice and most try… Well….. I was very disappointed with the service level and the food has MSG and the dishes are quite XXXXXX….
The first impression was already bad…. At the entrance there is a sign that says..”Please wait to be Seated”…. We waited and waited…the person at the counter just stare at us blankly and did not show any indication to show us in…. no one came … finally we have to walk in ourselves and asked if they are open and find a seat ourselves…. The table was not clean properly and the floor is dirty… I had to request for the staff to come over to clean the area up.
The management should not be charging any service charge at all, as we need to serve ourselves, taking the cutleries and it took forever for the manager to come over to take the order from us and other customers. Quite a few customers just left the place as they were not serve at all… like the manager said they are “Short handed”.
While I was there… there were quite a few employees wearing “green t-shirts” may be the management should consider training them to take orders too rather than waiting for the managers to take the order.
A suggestion “If you are short handed then you should consider closing some sections of the place so that you all can managed better and will not have any unhappy customers…..”.
Overall, the food is ok with lots of MSGsss, not good at all… will not consider dining there again or recommending any friends there too….
Went there for the 1st time. Food so so. Service is not very impressive. Price overcharged. House files a lot. If you enjoy street food experience but with very high price, can give it a try.
Wondering how come they can operate with so many houseflies, can’t imagine how the kitchen is like…..
Went there for the 1st time. Food so so. Service is not very impressive. Price overcharged. House files a lot. If you enjoy street food experience but with very high price, can give it a try.
Wondering how come they can operate with so many houseflies, can’t imagine how the kitchen is like…..
Food so so. Dinning experience was no good. Lots of houseflies hovering over our food. Staffs not trained. Price overcharged. Overall wont even recommend.
Food so so. Dinning experience was no good. Lots of houseflies hovering over our food. Staffs not trained. Price overcharged. Overall wont even recommend.
The food at mdm Kwan is way over rated. It is surprisingly BAD given all the publicity. And worse the food is over priced. Ventilation in the restaurant is sooooo bad and the whole restaurant reeked of balachan, Assam, etc etc. Overall it was a really bad dining experience. My six friends all share the same opinion.
The food at mdm Kwan is way over rated. It is surprisingly BAD given all the good publicity about the founder and her great culinary skills. Worse, the food is over priced. Ventilation in the restaurant is sooooo bad and the whole restaurant reeked of balachan, Assam, etc etc. Overall it was a really bad dining experience. My six friends shared the same opinion.
All foods fantastic except their satay gravy. The peanut should be grinded further to make it more fine. It’s too rough. Taste better if pineapple gravy
Is added.
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Horrible! It’s fine most of the foid in the menu was out except some.
We ordered asam laksa and teh tarek – the tarek was sour and smell of milk was spoilt.
We called the waiter, they just oh I think the milk spoil as it’s long already? We asked to call the manager, useless – they just sat sorry and walk away, she just simply said no choice??
Helpful information. Lucky me I discovered your site by chance, and I’m stunned why this coincidence did not happened earlier! I bookmarked it.