Salero Minang

The Indonesian version of cai png, nasi padang is a selection of rotating dishes depending on what’s on the menu. Tucked in a far corner away from the queues is Salero Minang, an Indonesian stall that no longer sells ayam set meals, choosing to focus on nasi padang instead.

With the usual selection of curries, meats and veggies to pick from, I chose the mutton rendang, a fried egg, and steamed veggies for a grand total of $4.50. The auntie finished by drizzling even more rendang sauce over the rice, with shreds of meat and a dollop of sambal balado.

The unassuming plate of nasi padang is a perfectly average lunchtime meal. It was nothing mind-blowing, but good enough to fill my tummy and satisfy my rendang cravings. The mutton rendang was surprisingly decent; it didn’t have that smelly, gamey taste and wasn’t dry and stringy. The thick rendang curry was thick and full of spices, but not too spicy that it overpowered the flavours with the heat.

Perhaps the most understated thing about their nasi padang was the sambal balado. The hot and spicy chili is mixed with garlic and lime juice for a fragrant and tangy chili. Usually used to upgrade dishes, the sambal balado added a nice breath of spice and aroma to the curry and steamed veggies.