Har cheong gai nasi lemak stall So Lemak opens new outlet at Ang Mo Kio

It’s been a whole year since we covered the launch of So Lemak’s first stall at Bedok. Back then, it was evident that first-time hawker owner Shanice Lim, now 26, was fresh to the scene — even a little camera-shy.

Having served up her now-social-media-famous har cheong gai (or prawn-paste chicken) nasi lemak for a year now, it’s clear the Gen-Z hawker has found her footing, whether it’s serving customers, working her way around the kitchen, or just churning out “a day in the life”-style content on social media.

So we weren’t too surprised to hear that So Lemak is opening its second outlet at a more central location — Ang Mo Kio. 

Located at Food Loft coffee shop at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, So Lemak’s second outlet occupies a visibly bigger space — or what some would recognise as the prime “economy rice” spot. 

Speaking to us a few days before the Ang Mo Mio’s outlet’s grand opening this Saturday (October 12), Shanice says they were first approached by the Food Loft team, when the stall space became vacant. 

She’s aware that some businesses might avoid expanding “too quickly”, but she felt that social media has helped So Lemak’s brand grow and gave her the confidence to set up a second outlet — this time in a more central location. 

Shanice tells us that they’ve also expanded the menu at the new Ang Mo Kio outlet. Since the stall occupies the prime “economy rice” location, she wanted to offer more choices for customers to choose from.

Aside from now serving a breakfast bee hoon set to cater to the early risers (bee hoon with a prawn-paste wing and egg, S$4.50), she’s also added new side dishes such as white cabbage (S$1.20) and lady’s fingers (S$1.20).

Though har cheong chicken (prawn-paste chicken, S$5 with nasi lemak or $11 for five pieces) is her brand’s main calling card, she has recently introduced ayam berempah (S$8.50 in a set or S$6 ala carte) — or spiced fried chicken — at both locations. 

The sizable chicken leg comes marinated with lemongrass, ginger and cumin seeds, among other spices.

Shanice had tried something similar at Village Nasi Lemak in Kuala Lumpur and was inspired to add this to the menu. It was also timely as she wanted to offer more variety to her customers, or to cater to those who wanted a more “traditional” taste. 

Digging into the ayam berempah, we loved how harmoniously the various spices came together. The chicken leg was also generously sized and still retained its moisture, even though it had sat at our table for a while before we dug in. Despite being crispy and juicy, it didn’t taste in the least bit greasy, thankfully.

The breakfast bee hoon is a bit more muted, compared to other versions we’ve tasted before, with a slight sweetness — perhaps owing to the use of sweet dark sauce.

While some traditionalists might baulk at the lack of savouriness and oil in Shanice’s version, we think it goes well with her flavour-packed prawn paste chicken, and might appeal to her seemingly younger clientele. 

Besides the expanded menu, So Lemak’s Ang Mo Kio outlet is pork- and lard-free, though a halal certification is still up in the air. 

If you’re planning to make a trip down to the Ang Mo Kio outlet this weekend, Shanice is offering a free har cheong wing with every order of the stall’s all-inclusive So Lemak set (S$7.50), which comes with fish, chicken and an otah. You just need to be following the stall on any of its social accounts. 

For more new openings around town, check out Nikutosake, a new izakaya at Paya Lebar, or Tomo Cafe’s latest new outlet at Upper Thomson. 

So Lemak is on the GrabFood Delivery Service and offers free delivery (up to S$3 off) with GrabUnlimited.   

Do explore the GrabFood Dine Out service for awesome deals.  

Alternatively, book a ride to So Lemak at Ang Mo Kio.