GEN Z Nasi Lemak!
It is so good to see that Nasi Lemak is alive and well in Singapore with so many new brands emerging over the last few years! Not only that, it is also encouraging to see that many of the new stalls are being run by next generation hawkers like our protagonist, Shanice Lim, 26, today!
This newly opened stall is located at the same coffee shop as another Gen Z hawker venture — Ah Jie Hokkien Mee, which I recently reviewed. It’s the second outlet for Shanice, who gained significant social media attention when she launched her first stall in Bedok.
From Badminton to Michelin Star to Hawker
Shanice, a Culinary Institute of America (CIA) graduate from the Temasek Polytechnic campus, originally trained as a pastry chef. Interestingly, she had previously been on a completely different path—training as a badminton player for the national team. She decided to switch career paths at 16, just before the SEA Games to pursue her passion for cooking instead.
After graduating from CIA, Shanice had ambitious plans to work in prestigious restaurants in the U.S. But her dreams were shattered by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. But every cloud has a silver lining and she managed to land a job at the three Michelin-starred restaurant Zen. That’s where she trained for nearly two years before deciding to venture out on her own.
Food Review
The Key Components Come Together Nicely!
For me, the key elements of Nasi Lemak are the rice, sambal, and egg. And I was very happy with all three at So Lemak.
The rice has a strong coconut fragrance, is fluffy, and most importantly, has the rich “lemak” quality. I prefer my nasi lemak to be full-bodied and flavourful rather than just light and fluffy. When I eat nasi lemak, I want it to be able to assuage my craving for something rich and satisfying!
Their sambal has a nice balance of sweetness and “savoriness” which come from the addition of dried prawns. Thanks to Shanic’s Teochew grandmother! It pairs perfectly with the tasty rice and runny egg yolk!
Har Cheong Gai with Nasi Lemak!
During the pandemic, she had launched a home-based business, @twohandstwowoks. She offered Har Cheong Gai, Ngoh Hiang, Fish Head Curry, and other dishes inspired by her grandmother’s recipes. When she was deciding on a dish for her new hawker venture, the idea began with featuring her Har Cheong Gai chicken wings and finding the perfect dish to complement them. That finally morphed into the So Lemak menu.
The Har Cheong Gai was nicely marinated, although I would have liked the Har Cheong (prawn paste) flavor to be more punchy. Shanice tells me that she had to tone down on the prawn paste flavour in order to make it more acceptable to a wider audience. The crust was crispy but just slightly oily on the day I visited. Judging from other photos on social media, this may be due to some teething issues at the one-week-old stall. 4.25/5
They have also introduced Ayam Berempah as a new item on the menu. Ayam Berempah is usually only found in more atas Nasi Lemak establishments like The Coconut Club. Shanice wanted to make the dish more accessible to the general public.
The crispy shredded ginger crust goes really well with the rice. I felt the chicken could be marinated a little longer for the flavours to really penetrate into the meat. 4/5
Conclusion
If you’re looking to satisfy your Nasi Lemak cravings with the added bonus of Har Cheong chicken wings, then this is the perfect spot! It’s encouraging to see passionate Gen Z hawkers like Shanice making their mark in the local hawker scene. Her dedication to her craft and her passion for honoring her grandmother’s recipes truly shine through in every dish. Let’s hope she stays focused on maintaining the quality and doesn’t rush into expansion, preserving the heart and soul of her food.
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