Restaurant Review: Melting pot of South-Asian flavours

As we walked in to this new eatery that was buzzing with much-in-love couples and families on Valentine’s Day, we were welcomed by cheerful waiters. The decor is industrial chic with rustic wood, metal elements, bright colours and good music giving the space a cool and relaxed vibe. Nasi and Mee, that translates to ‘rice and noodles’ in Indonesian and Malay cuisines, has been started by Ravi Nahappan in partnership with Singapore-based Lioncity Foods. It offers a range of delicacies from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and China — the menu is an eclectic potpourri of South-East Asian party dishes and street food classics. 

We started our meal with chicken winter melon ( neer poosanikaai) soup. From the rich broth to the velvety cubes of winter melon — a gourd commonly used in Cantonese cuisine for the wonderfully soft texture it takes on during cooking — this wholesome soup is immensely satisfying. Next up was mushroom and water chestnut dim sum in which button mushrooms and crunchy water chestnuts were encased in translucent dim sum wrappers and steamed to perfection. They were simply sublime. Prawn har gow, the traditional shrimp dumpling was equally delightful, if not more. The chefs nailed this one. However, it was the crab xiao long bao that was a clear winner. A muchloved xiaochi (small eat), the xiao long bao, also known as dumplings in soup, has perfectly seasoned crab filling in a hot, flavourful broth. These dumplings are the real deal and making them is an art in itself, we are told. 

We were also treated to chatuchak chicken wings — scrumptious Thai styled stuffed, spicy chicken wings make for the perfect party sides and are a must try. If you love seafood, don’t miss the sambal prawns. Marinated in a fiery lemongrass and spicy chilli pepper sauce, the bold flavours will have you licking it off your fingers. On the other hand, the Malaysian chicken and tofu satay marinated in a luscious mix of shallots, garlic and ground spices, was refreshingly light and subtle departure from the earlier burst of flavours. 

For the main course, we went for chicken rending, a ceremonial Indonesian dish. Chicken thighs flavoured with an intensely fragrant ginger-chili paste in a sea of coconut milk; this dish a sheer delight. But the ayam pongteh , a signature chicken and potato stew of the in Melaka (Malaysia), was not quite impressive. The sweet savoury dish left our palate slightly confused and we weren’t exactly sure what to make of it. 

Last but not the least, it was time for dessert. We went for the red ruby, a Thai dessert of mock pomegranate seeds served in iced and sweetened coconut milk. Sweet, fragrant and very refreshing, it was the perfect finish to a memorable culinary indulgence. 

Nasi and Mee Asian Canteen, KNK Road, Nungambakkam Cuisine: Pan-Asian 

Must try: Crab xiao long bao, chatuchak chicken wings, chicken rending and red ruby 

Contact: 044 4854 8222 

Rating: 3/4