I finally had the chance to visit this place, after knowing about it when I went to The Lab SG (my experience the other day). Jalan Pisang has a lot of nice eateries, I'm so happy. That day when I first saw this establishment, as well as the day when I was finally able to eat there, this place was the same: super crowded.
It's amazing to see that many people queue-ing outside, snaking around the corner of the street, especially when that tiny street has at least three other halal restaurants. So, I knew it had to be good.
I went all the way to Bugis, from Bukit Batok, for a plate of mixed rice, it better be good.
Before my visit, I asked a friend of mine, who also happens to be an Indonesian, and has had the chance to eat there (regularly) since her office is nearby, for an opinion. She said it sells good food, very much to her liking, but that it doesn't taste like your typical Malay food, it tastes Sundanese (Sunda is a region in West Java, Indonesia).
When I heard that, I wanted to laugh, but considering she's Sundanese herself, thus she should know what she's talking about, I wiped the wide mid-way grin off my face and asked her 'Really?!' instead. She confirmed it once more, 'It really does not taste Malay, it's Sundanese! I love it. Suits my palate.'
I was getting curious. Does it really taste like Sundanese food? Don't get my hopes up, I'm really missing authentic Indonesian food right now. I started to believe her as she went along, but then I thought this comes from a woman who, after years of living in Singapore, has traded her undying love for Indonesian bakso (meat balls) for mee rebus (boiled noodles). To me, this is blasphemous, plain and simple. So I grew skeptical, 'I'll just have to try it for myself,' I thought.
My family and I were there during lunch time, so the place was packed, it was very difficult to find empty seats, and it seems everyone came with their extended families. But, fortunately, they also have a place on the second floor and it's fully air conditioned. Perfect!
As it turns out, this place allows us to order portions to share (makan tengah as we say it in Bahasa Indonesia), and by the end of the line, we just need to ask the waitress, for the rice and drinks that we want. This is bad, because if they put the rice together with which food we wanted, then by the time the plate is out of space, we'd know when to stop. But, with this type of arrangement, there's a good chance of me going all nuts and order everything on display. Of course, as expected, I almost ordered too much until my husband came along and put some sense back into me. This doesn't always happen, sometimes he would provoke me to order more. Maybe he's testing my mental strength. He should know by now, I'm a weak person.
The snail dish in front of me here, is must be what they call Lemak Siput (though I didn't confirm it), in Indonesia we call it kol nenek (literally means grandma's cabbage). I don't know why we call it that, it's weird, not to mention a bit nasty.
You eat it by sucking the snails out and slurping the juice/broth that comes with it, a bit difficult for me, it takes practice (and strong oral muscle*eeehhh), but it's my favorite. However, I never had it in coconut gravy like this one before, in Indonesia they always cook it with chili.
I didn't order it this time though, maybe I'll save it for next time.
By the time I finished ordering ( we ordered the grilled chicken, stir fry spinach, fried fish for my daughter, chili eggplant, and chili beef lungs), it took us two full trays to carry the food up to the second floor.
But this restaurant also offers excellent service, who knew, it doesn't look it from the outside. A waiter (waitress?) was ready to help us carry the trays up. I was quite stunned for a moment by his/her appearance. Actually his orange rouge was what surprised me the most, it didn't suit his complexion. Plus, he needs to learn how to contour.
Wow, I side track a lot.
One of the two main dishes I expected to shine was the chili eggplant. Eggplant has always been my favorite, to me it has a mellow taste with a savory finish, very addictive. I could just fry them up and pop them up into my mouth as snacks.
Another one I expected to be stellar was the chili beef lungs. I love organ meat by the way, what about you?
I started my first bite with the eggplant. As expected, it was soft, not overcooked, savory and the chili was superb. I was starting to agree with my friend though, this didn't taste Malay, it tasted salty, and it's missing the ikan bilis (anchovy) component that I often find in Malay eggplant dishes. It tasted straight forward and 'clean' to me. I was starting to agree that it tasted Sundanese. Whaat? Now, I'm confused. Is this a Sundanese restaurant? Maybe the cook is Sundanese.
On with the beef lungs, tender but slightly chewy, so you still know you're eating beef lungs, savory, gamy (in a good way), spicy, awesome! Again, it tasted Sundanese. 'How so?' you asked? Well, I often find that Malay food in Singapore often has that sweet taste in the background. They are often spicy, but do not usually have this level of saltiness. This tastes uniquely Sundanese. I should know, because this is how my mother in law who's a Sundanese hua ren (Chinese ethnicity) usually cooks.
I was really enjoying my food and eating it happily, while getting confused with every bite. What kind of restaurant is this?Malay? Sundanese?
Another dish that confirms my confusion (my very own created oxymoron), is the grilled chicken. I was so in awe that I didn't even care to take a picture of it. That one really tastes Sundanese; it's grilled mostly with just kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) and they added cut cabe rawit (small green chili) into it. Where do they find this green chili here? I'm dying to know.
The chicken was really stunning, juicy, not overly fatty, and you can taste the spices within the meat itself, but the spices are in harmony with the taste of the chicken, they were not overpowering at all. They let the chicken be the star with its own natural chicken flavor. I think we have a winner!
This chili is my favorite in the world! Unfortunately, I cannot find it in Singapore, so to be eating this in Bugis, I was over the moon.
Even though my husband said the food was only okay, and he would not travel this far just to eat here, I have a different opinion. I love this type of cooking, and that grilled chicken.....it was so good, I wanna cry. Even if they set up shop in Indonesia, I would definitely eat there. They do it right in Hjh Maimunah Restaurant.
After looking up on their website https://www.hjmaimunah.com/, I found out the grilled chicken was actually called 'Sundanese Grilled Chicken'. Duh.
So that's how it is. I guess it's safe to say that this place is a fusion of Malay and Sundanese food. Mystery solved.
Our total bill that day was S$23.90 (with two rice, two ice water and one canned drink with ice). Another favorite eating place added to my list :). I think I will try their grilled fish next time, and that kol nenek, I can't wait.
Hjh Maimunah Restaurant
11 & 15 Jalan Pisang
Singapore 199078
Tel: 6297 4294
Opening hours: 7am - 8pm (except Sunday)
It's amazing to see that many people queue-ing outside, snaking around the corner of the street, especially when that tiny street has at least three other halal restaurants. So, I knew it had to be good.
 |
| It doesn't show you the queue here, but it was long (it was on the right side) |
Before my visit, I asked a friend of mine, who also happens to be an Indonesian, and has had the chance to eat there (regularly) since her office is nearby, for an opinion. She said it sells good food, very much to her liking, but that it doesn't taste like your typical Malay food, it tastes Sundanese (Sunda is a region in West Java, Indonesia).
When I heard that, I wanted to laugh, but considering she's Sundanese herself, thus she should know what she's talking about, I wiped the wide mid-way grin off my face and asked her 'Really?!' instead. She confirmed it once more, 'It really does not taste Malay, it's Sundanese! I love it. Suits my palate.'
I was getting curious. Does it really taste like Sundanese food? Don't get my hopes up, I'm really missing authentic Indonesian food right now. I started to believe her as she went along, but then I thought this comes from a woman who, after years of living in Singapore, has traded her undying love for Indonesian bakso (meat balls) for mee rebus (boiled noodles). To me, this is blasphemous, plain and simple. So I grew skeptical, 'I'll just have to try it for myself,' I thought.
 |
| I was standing in line |
 |
| Look at all the marvelous foods |
 |
| Our order is waiting in line with everyone else's |
You eat it by sucking the snails out and slurping the juice/broth that comes with it, a bit difficult for me, it takes practice (and strong oral muscle*eeehhh), but it's my favorite. However, I never had it in coconut gravy like this one before, in Indonesia they always cook it with chili.
I didn't order it this time though, maybe I'll save it for next time.
 |
| These are what we ordered. Yumm! |
But this restaurant also offers excellent service, who knew, it doesn't look it from the outside. A waiter (waitress?) was ready to help us carry the trays up. I was quite stunned for a moment by his/her appearance. Actually his orange rouge was what surprised me the most, it didn't suit his complexion. Plus, he needs to learn how to contour.
Wow, I side track a lot.
One of the two main dishes I expected to shine was the chili eggplant. Eggplant has always been my favorite, to me it has a mellow taste with a savory finish, very addictive. I could just fry them up and pop them up into my mouth as snacks.
Another one I expected to be stellar was the chili beef lungs. I love organ meat by the way, what about you?
I started my first bite with the eggplant. As expected, it was soft, not overcooked, savory and the chili was superb. I was starting to agree with my friend though, this didn't taste Malay, it tasted salty, and it's missing the ikan bilis (anchovy) component that I often find in Malay eggplant dishes. It tasted straight forward and 'clean' to me. I was starting to agree that it tasted Sundanese. Whaat? Now, I'm confused. Is this a Sundanese restaurant? Maybe the cook is Sundanese.
On with the beef lungs, tender but slightly chewy, so you still know you're eating beef lungs, savory, gamy (in a good way), spicy, awesome! Again, it tasted Sundanese. 'How so?' you asked? Well, I often find that Malay food in Singapore often has that sweet taste in the background. They are often spicy, but do not usually have this level of saltiness. This tastes uniquely Sundanese. I should know, because this is how my mother in law who's a Sundanese hua ren (Chinese ethnicity) usually cooks.
I was really enjoying my food and eating it happily, while getting confused with every bite. What kind of restaurant is this?Malay? Sundanese?
Another dish that confirms my confusion (my very own created oxymoron), is the grilled chicken. I was so in awe that I didn't even care to take a picture of it. That one really tastes Sundanese; it's grilled mostly with just kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) and they added cut cabe rawit (small green chili) into it. Where do they find this green chili here? I'm dying to know.
The chicken was really stunning, juicy, not overly fatty, and you can taste the spices within the meat itself, but the spices are in harmony with the taste of the chicken, they were not overpowering at all. They let the chicken be the star with its own natural chicken flavor. I think we have a winner!
 |
| Oooh I did take a picture of the grilled chicken, or what's left of it |
Even though my husband said the food was only okay, and he would not travel this far just to eat here, I have a different opinion. I love this type of cooking, and that grilled chicken.....it was so good, I wanna cry. Even if they set up shop in Indonesia, I would definitely eat there. They do it right in Hjh Maimunah Restaurant.
After looking up on their website https://www.hjmaimunah.com/, I found out the grilled chicken was actually called 'Sundanese Grilled Chicken'. Duh.
So that's how it is. I guess it's safe to say that this place is a fusion of Malay and Sundanese food. Mystery solved.
Our total bill that day was S$23.90 (with two rice, two ice water and one canned drink with ice). Another favorite eating place added to my list :). I think I will try their grilled fish next time, and that kol nenek, I can't wait.
Hjh Maimunah Restaurant
11 & 15 Jalan Pisang
Singapore 199078
Tel: 6297 4294
Opening hours: 7am - 8pm (except Sunday)
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