We Found A Nasi Lemak Stall With Crispy Pork Belly And $3 Sets In Hougang

Roasted Pork Belly Nasi Lemak has $3 sets in Hougang

Hougang Hainanese Village Centre is home to some of the best eats in the North-East, including Ming Fa Duck Rice and Lorong Ah Soo Lor Mee. But even among these established names, newcomers such as Roasted Pork Belly Nasi Lemak occasionally emerge.

Despite opening just a year or so ago, the stall has already built a loyal following. Fans praise two things: affordable prices, with the cheapest nasi lemak starting from just $3, and the signature roasted pork belly.

While some nasi lemak stalls do offer sio bak, it’s still a relatively rare find. More importantly, the golden slabs of pork belly on display here looked promising enough for us to give the stall a try.

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Food at Roasted Pork Belly Nasi Lemak

We started with the Pork Belly Nasi Lemak ($5.50), which came with a generous serving of coconut rice, a sunny-side-up egg, roasted peanuts, ikan bilis, and of course, slices of pork belly. The sambal comes on the side, accompanied by a green chilli sauce meant for the pork belly.

Though the sio bak can’t go toe to toe with some of the best roast meats around, we think it gets the job done. With its crackly skin and decent meat-to-fat ratio, it just needed a thicker cut and more succulence.

The green chilli dip was great, and certainly an interesting choice. It had a bright tanginess and a mild spicy kick, which really lifted the flavours of the pork belly.

The rice, on the other hand, was rather disappointing. It lacked the fragrance and creamy flavour that’s present in the best nasi lemak, though we did appreciate that each grain was fluffy and separated. Of course, the sambal—which was on the sweeter side—helped compensate somewhat.

The rest of the dish—egg, peanuts, ikan bilis—did the job just fine. Do note that these elements recur for all nasi lemak sets here, including the next one we tried.

We’re talking about the cheapest option on the menu, the Nasi Lemak with Luncheon Meat ($3). For three bucks and the generous portions you see above, we can only say that it is a steal in this economy.

With most of the dish remaining the same, the only thing new to evaluate was these slices of luncheon meat. They had a nice crisp on the outside, and managed to be tender and juicy within. But at the end of the day, it’s luncheon meat, and that’s totally fine for such an affordable plate.

For a side dish, we decided to get the two pieces of Otah ($1.30 each). What arrived were these wide slabs of fish cake cut into halves for easier consumption.

We appreciated the otah’s generous size and its fresh, piquant flavour, though the fish cake itself was a touch too dry for our taste. It could’ve also benefited from the smokiness of traditional char-grilled otah.

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Ambience at Roasted Pork Belly Nasi Lemak

At Hougang Hainanese Village Centre, you’ll find a wide selection of stalls, plenty of seating, and decent ventilation throughout. It’s far from the flashiest hawker centre in the country, but what’s important is that it has loads of good, homely food options.

The hawker centre is a 14-minute walk from Kovan MRT Station.

Roasted Pork Belly Nasi Lemak – Eatbook Review

With its affordable prices and solid sio bak, this stall is a decent option if you’re in the area and are looking for a quick nasi lemaki fix. Just don’t expect top-tier nasi lemak, as it has a few flaws that hold it back.

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For a Nanyang cafe with a different take on pork belly nasi lemak, read our Heartland By Enjoy coverage. For a Michelin-approved nasi lemak in Bendemeer, read our Kitchenman Nasi Lemak review.

Address: 105 Hougang Avenue 1, #02-28, Hainanese Village Centre, Singapore 530105
Opening hours: Thurs-Tue 6am to 1pm
Tel: 8613 2449
Website
Roasted Pork Belly Nasi Lemak is not a halal-certified eatery.

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Photos taken by Paula Formantes.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg.