Mamak’s Nasi Kandar serves authentic nasi kandar from Penang and homely mutton soup

Indian-Muslim fare is a Singaporean favourite when it comes to supper options and now you’ll have one more eatery for your consideration.

Mamak’s Nasi Kandar at Arab Street brings Penang’s famed Nasi Kandar Jamal Mohamed to us without the need to jump on a plane.

Thanks to the folks at The Malayan Council — a halal restaurant known for its Malay influences on Western cuisine — this nasi kandar concept is one of its latest endeavours.

Nasi kandar is a Malaysian dish from Penang, originally introduced by Tamil-Muslim traders from India. The name comes from when hawkers would balance (kandar) a pole on their shoulders with two huge containers of rice (nasi) on each end.

You can choose from a delicious spread of seafood, curries and vegetables to go with the rice.

The double-storey shophouse unit might comfortably seat only a handful of diners on the ground floor, but a quick peek upstairs reveals a spacious air-conditioned dining space (where you could easily host a small gathering).

Rich gravies tied to rich histories

Nasi Kandar Jamal Mohamed was already a household name by the 1980s. The business started with just a pushcart, making its way around Penang’s local ports and factories, especially during the twilight shift.

It still sees crowds of hungry patrons visit its coffeeshop outlet in Butterworth, Penang. And it still serves the same family recipes that regulars have grown to love, with visitors raving about its impressive variety of dishes and flavourful gravies.

By 2007, the owner’s son, Mohamed Aboothahir, took over the family business and gradually increased the variety of dishes in its repertoire, catapulting it to its present-day success. At Mamak’s Nasi Kandar, this smorgasbord of nasi kandar dishes is fully displayed when you enter the restaurant.

Aside from nasi kandar, Mamak’s also offers Haji Abu’s mutton soup. A mutton soup stall that hails from Kuala Lumpur, Haji Abu started the stall in 1961 using his family’s recipe.

Mouth-watering meats

Deciding which dishes to try on the first visit can be slightly overwhelming, but we suggest going with the meats and vegetables you’re familiar with. It’ll give you another reason to return for the other dishes!

Also, if you prefer not to have too-wet rice, you can request that the gravies be served separately — although having the rice doused in gravy is highly recommended.

Our first plate was straightforward: It was piled with an omelette (S$2), telur puyuh (S$2.50, boiled quail eggs in gravy) and ayam madu (S$4, honey chicken). While the gravies were undoubtedly savoury and rich, the ayam madu was disappointingly tough — a point we raised to the staff.

Conversely, the omelette was fluffy and adequately seasoned without leaning on the gravies for too much flavour.

Our second plate was made more interesting by a hefty lamb shank (S$15), kerang (S$4, cockles) and sotong (S$5 to S$8, squid). The lamb shank was fall-off-the-bone tender and ladled with thick, gamey curry.

Don’t forget to extract the marrow from the lamb bone for extra gratification.

For those who have a penchant for brininess, the kerang will satisfy. At the same time, the sotong retained some of its crunch from deep-frying, even after being tossed in its sticky, dark gravy.

A side order that you shouldn’t miss out on is the sup kambing (S$7, mutton soup). Dig into hearty chunks of mutton and fat, swimming in a homely, comforting, aromatic broth. It carried a distinct, healthy dose of white pepper for a flavourful accompaniment to our plates of nasi kandar.

Aside from its signature nasi kandar, Mamak’s also serves other familiar Indian-Muslim dishes such as a variety of biryani, prata, mee goreng (fried noodles), nasi goreng (fried rice), and thosai (South Indian savoury, thin pancake).

While Arab Street is famous for having plenty of food options, you’ll have more than plenty of delicious options at Mamak’s Nasi Kandar — especially if you’re hunting for authentic nasi kandar.

This was a hosted tasting.

For more halal food options, read about these must-visit halal bakeries for your sweet-tooth fix. Alternatively, sink your teeth into Timbre Pizza’s famous roasted duck pizza and its other delectable bites.

You can also book a ride to Mamak’s Nasi Kandar at Arab Street to try nasi kandar and other mouth-watering Indian-Muslim dishes.

Do explore the GrabFood Dine-in service for awesome deals.