The White Tiffin Review: XXL Lobster Nasi Lemak at Alexandra Road

XXL Nasi Lemak at The White Tiffin

Started by Manna Pot Catering, which is known for curry chicken, The White Tiffin is a new restaurant that serves Peranakan and local food.

The driving force behind their opening two months ago was to sell their signature items. Interestingly enough, their newly added nasi lemak became a hit instead.

Food at The White Tiffin

We ordered the Nasi Lemak XXL ($49.90) which serves up to four people. The presentation was inspired by Indonesian tumpeng – a cone-shaped serving of rice accompanied by assorted side dishes.

The platter was impressive, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that the sheer size of it left all our mouths agape. The dish includes coconut rice, lobster gratin, salted egg fish skin, battered fish fillet, hard-boiled egg, ikan bilis, peanuts, papadum, achar and sambal chilli.

When the dish came, my eyes were immediately drawn to the cone of blue coconut rice stained by the dye of butterfly pea flower. Since it retained its shape so well, I assumed the rice would be clumpy and overcooked. However, breaking into it, the rice was fluffy and had a good bite. There was a faint coconut flavour that came through upon tasting.

Out of all the sides, what grabbed my attention first was the large lobster gratin.

The lobster was topped with a rich cheese and cream sauce that definitely gave me the satisfaction of an Insta-worthy cheese pull. The lobster meat was fleshy, succulent, and had a slight sweetness to it.

My eyes then shifted to the large piece of battered dory fish. The skin was fried to a perfect golden brown and was not overly greasy.

Though the batter was a little too thick at some parts, the flesh within was soft and flaky. Upon tasting, the meat had slightly sweet and delicate taste.

This signature curry chicken was the dish that inspired the opening of The White Tiffin.

Infused with red chillies and curry leaves, the curry gravy was rich and flavourful, but too heavy. What surprised me was the strong coconut flavour that came through among other strong spices.

There was a generous amount of chicken and potato chunks. The chicken was consistently plump and juicy throughout. However, the potatoes were a little undercooked and had a firmer bite than what I prefer.

The house-made salted egg fish skin here is definitely one to look out for. Served fresh and hot, the fish skin was crispy but soft at the same time; every bite left a crunch without feeling like it was cutting the roof of my mouth.

Without being overly greasy, the fish skin itself had a distinct salted egg flavour, with a good balance of sweet and salty flavours and a little bit of heat. I recommend having these crisps while they’re hot as they lose a bit of the flavour as they cool.

The platter also included hard-boiled eggs, sambal chilli, ikan bilis and peanuts and achar. They were all decent and added to the whole nasi lemak experience. Among them, the housemade sambal chilli stood out the most. Adding only a slight heat, the chilli was sweet, savoury and addictive.

The Local Trio Set ($10.90) comprises mini nasi lemak, mini mee siam and mini laksa. This is good for those who are fickle and want a taste of the popular orders here. The dish was served in a white tingkat, similar to how one would dapao food in the past.

The laksa was decent but was a little blander than what I’m used to. The dish came with prawns, egg, fish cake, abalone, tau pok and their signature sambal. The broth had a mild coconut taste.

There was a distinct aroma from the assam that tantalised my senses when it was served. The mee siam broth had a distinct tartness that contrasted with the other heavier dishes. The noodles were slightly overcooked and lost the firm bite that I was looking for.

I’d say that because we had ordered the XXL nasi lemak, this XXS version was pretty underwhelming. The mini nasi lemak resembled the standard portion of their standard Chicken Nasi Lemak ($7.50) for one, more than the Nasi Lemak XXL.  

For their opening promotion, every order came with a complimentary bowl of red bean dessert for each person. The dessert was pleasant, not too sweet but was forgettable.

For just $1, you can add on a drink to go along your meal. All their drinks are housemade; customers have the option of barley, luo han guo and chrysanthemum tea.

Ambience at The White Tiffin

Located in Fragrance Empire Building at Alexandra, The White Tiffin is a short walk away from Labrador Park MRT station. The setting here is styled to mimic the Peranakan homes in the past while adding a contemporary spin to it.

The seating area in The White Tiffin is air-conditioned, so you don’t have to worry about breaking a sweat while having your meal. There were various table sizes to accommodate both large and small groups. The whole area presents a cosy environment for a chill afternoon.  

The interior was decorated with intricate tableware and old-school drinks that’ll definitely take you on a trip down memory lane.

The verdict

All in all, food at The White Tiffin left me feeling happy and satisfied. I highly recommend coming down with your friends and family for lunch to try their XXL nasi lemak and the slew of impressive sides. Remember to come on an empty stomach as the portions here will surely leave you stuffed.

The White Tiffin is working on revamping their menu to add more variety and also to keep customers interested. They plan to add more soups including herbal chicken and salted duck soup.

Address: 5 Changi Business Park Central 1, #01-44, Changi City Point, Singapore 486038
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am to 9:30pm
Tel: 6777 0833
Website
The White Tiffin is not halal-certified.

Photos taken by Gerald Koh.
This is an independent review by Eatbook.sg.