Craving beef rendang? Read on to find out more on where to get both traditional as well as modern spin-offs of this delectable local Malay dish
Chock-full of flavour and melt-in-your-mouth tender, local food staple, beef rendang, is said to originate from Minangkabau (an Indonesian ethnic group). Typically slow-cooked in a rich lemongrass and coconut sauce, this luscious beef stew usually takes centrestage at Hari Raya feasts and weddings, and is typically eaten with rice or ketupat (rice cakes) along with a medley of other side dishes. Here’s where to go in Singapore for modern renditions of this hot mess.
Rumah Makan Minang Indonesian Restaurant
Authentic Beef Rendang
Unfamiliar with this delectable local cuisine? Experience the authentic version at Rumah Makan Minang before venturing off to its spin-offs. While the beef rendang dish that’s commonly served today in hawker stalls resembles more of a thick curry – thanks to the addition of toasted grated coconut – the rich, beefy dish here is drier and has less gravy, but is still remarkably tender and flavoursome.
Rumah Makan Minang Indonesian Restaurant, 18 Kandahar Street, Singapore 198884.
Slake Bar + Kitchen
Beef Rendang Nachos
Instead of traditional nachos, Slake Bar + Kitchen serves crackling, deep-fried wanton skins that are smothered in flavour-packed rendang sauce, melt-in-your-mouth beef cubes, and creamy nacho cheese. Watch out: it’ll be finished before you know it.
Slake Bar + Kitchen, 15 Swan Lake Ave, p. 9245 0184.
Wild Rocket
Beef Short Ribs In Rendang Sauce
Chef Willin Low of mod-Sin (modern Singapore) restaurant, Wild Rocket, makes mouth-watering beef rendang with short ribs, which he slow-cooks for 48 hours in a spicy rendang sauceuntil fork-tender, and serves it with cylindrical-shaped ketupat.
Wild Rocket, Hangout Hotel, 10A Upper Wilkie Road, p. 6339 9448.
Hyde & Co.
Beef Cheek Rendang
Expect the unexpected at this fancy English-themed café with its bold take on the local Malay dish, where they use slow-cooked beef cheek that’s smeared in delicious Grandma’s Secret Rendang sauce, and served with silky sweet potato mash, slaw and crostini.
Hyde & Co., 785 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198753, p. 6635 5785.
Baba Chews Bar and Eatery
Peranakan Beef Short Ribs Rendang
Chef Alvin of Baba Chews gives this Indonesian beef rendang dish a Peranakan twist – using succulent, very fatty, melt-in-your-mouth beef short ribs that are stewed in a rich, mildly-sweet gravy of coconut cream, spices, gula Melaka and turmeric leaf.
Baba Chews Bar and Eatery, #01-01 Katong Square, 86 East Coast Road, Singapore 428788, p. 6723 2025.
Sunday Market
Rendang Lasagne
Be surprised by Sunday Market’s elevated edition of a typical lasagne; this one’s made up of beef brisket drenched in flavourful rendang gravy and Béchamel sauce, firmly tucked in between pasta sheets and mozzarella, and garnished with rocket, grated parmigiano and vine-ripened cherry tomato.
Sunday Market, 22 Lim Tua Tow Road, Serangoon, Singapore 547772, p. 6287 8880.
Krave
Rendang Bolognese Pasta
Make a trip to Krave, a Halal Western cafe at Bali Lane, where you can find this Asian fusion pasta. If you’re a huge fan of bolognese and can’t live without beefy, spicy rendang, this mouth-watering dish is probably a dream come true.
Krave, 28 Bali Lane, Singapore 189864, p. 9856 4249.
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