The scent of star anise and cardamom doesn’t dissipate from Indonesia Cuisine, no matter how windy it is. I was hooked by their showcase of cooked dishes, and immediately started queuing when I caught a whiff of their rendang.
Despite the line snaking from the stall, customers were served promptly, and I received my food without much delay. It was nearing peak lunch hour at Bendemeer Market and Food Centre, which explained the rapidly lengthening queue forming behind me. Phew.
What I tried at Indonesia Cuisine
I was first introduced to Indonesia Cuisine through its Google reviews, where netizens posted contrasting comments about the lontong and rendang. Which one was truly the best? I was curious too, so it was time for me to go find out!
Instead of the usual beef, Indonesia Cuisine serves up a mean Rendang Chicken Set (S$4). This set includes a thicc chicken drumstick, crunchy sautéed vegetables, a fried sunny-side-up egg and rice. Everything is topped with a generous layer of the fragrant rendang sauce.
Before I start talking about the food, I need to give a shoutout to the prices here. With everything being around the S$5 to S$6 mark these days, I appreciate the set meals priced for less. The cheapest item on the menu is Mee Goreng, for just S$2!
I’m usually one to start a meal from the small side dishes, but even I couldn’t resist the chicken drumstick smothered in sauce. It was easy to peel off chunks of flesh with cutlery alone, a convenience I constantly rave about.
The rendang sauce complemented the meatiness of the chicken without overpowering its natural flavours. The spices were a carefully concocted blend; a versatile companion with an umami-packed fragrance.
With the addition of the egg, a spoonful of the chicken and rice pair becomes a creamy bite. The vegetables resemble those served with caifan, with a distinct savouriness from oyster sauce. A few pieces of cabbage eaten after deliver a refreshing crunch.
However, the chilli could use a little less salt. It didn’t deliver much spice — which I’m impartial to — but the extra seasoning on the toppings was overkill. Without the chilli, everything was a-ok!
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If the rendang was a gut punch of aromatics, the Lontong (S$3.80) was its creamier, gentler sibling. With the first sip, what hit me wasn’t spice, but a smooth and almost floral coconut-iness.
Calling it “creamy” is an understatement. This bowl was downright decadent. The sayur lodeh swirled with pale coconut milk tinged orange from spices. It coated the softened vegetables and slices of lontong like a second skin.
While the coconut cream did take centre stage in this dish, I appreciated how the curry spices cut through the indulgence. The mild spice and aromatics were invigorating in both scent and taste, preventing the sayur lodeh from becoming too jelak.
The cylindrical slices of lontong also played a part in balancing out the flavour profile. The unseasoned centre of the thickly cut rice cake sopped up the soup whilst mellowing out the creaminess.
A hard-boiled egg was the perfect finish to the meal. The jelly-like white and crumbly yolk soaked up the last dredges of my sayur lodeh. With the yolk becoming a thick coconut-and-egg paste, this last bite was a delight.
Final thoughts
The Lontong at Indonesia Cuisine was the highlight of my day. As a creamy food enthusiast, the taste and texture were right up my alley. But I do know that I’m as fickle as they come, and with Singapore’s heat these days, soup won’t always be what I crave.
This is where the Chicken Rendang Set comes in, a filling, no-frills plate of goodness more than worth the S$4 price tag. Overall, the time I spent eating — ahem, investigating this Lontong VS Rendang championship was fruitful.
So, what about you? Team Lontong or Team Rendang, there’s only one way to find out!
Expected damage: S$2 – S$6 per pax
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