Welcome to the very first chapter of our new series, where we pit 2 eateries against each other. Both will be serving similar dishes but with very different years of experience. And what better way to kick things off than with our national treasure: nasi lemak? Naturally, the veterans are expected to be better at the game, while the newcomers are still revving their engines. But hey, that’s not always how the story goes.
Our first challenger is the legendary Nasi Lemak Tanglin, founded in 1948 and now operating across 5 outlets in the Klang Valley. I visited their stall at Kompleks Makan Tanglin, where you’ll find a classic Malay nasi lemak setup of a glorious spread of lauk ready for the picking.
Facing off against this 77-year-old eatery is our famous Nasi Lemak Shop, a Bandar Utama spot with just 2 years going into the biz.
Unlike its seasoned rival, Nasi Lemak Shop also offers noodles, toasts, and other bites alongside their take on the beloved nasi lemak. They’ve even opened a second branch in Subang Jaya due to how popular it is.
Price & Portion
To keep things fair, I went with the same protein at both places — the classic Ayam Goreng Berempah. My favourite!
At Nasi Lemak Tanglin, the bill came to RM9.50. For that, I got a generous heap of rice, a fried chicken thigh, a scoop of sambal, ikan bilis, roasted peanuts, and cucumber slices. Honestly, the portion was so hearty, a few grains of rice nearly tumbled off the plate while I was mixing everything together.
Over at Nasi Lemak Shop, things came in at RM15.90. But to be fair, they did serve 2 pieces of chicken to balance the price tag. The plate also included a halved hard-boiled egg and a delightful scoop of crispy golden bits from the marinade (or kerak). My only gripe was the amount of sambal. I was given barely a tablespoon’s worth, and had to ration it like liquid gold just to avoid eating too much plain white rice.
Coconut rice
As always, I started with the rice — the heart and soul of any good nasi lemak. Like sambal, it can either make or break the whole dish.
At Nasi Lemak Tanglin (pictured left), the first bite gave me a comforting warmth, reminiscent of nasi kukus. There was a strong hint of smokiness too, which was a nice surprise. But beyond that, the flavour was a bit one-dimensional — with only a gentle touch of santan taking the lead.
Nasi Lemak Shop (pictured right), on the other hand, delivered a more complex flavour profile. The rice was rich with santan, but what stood out was the added savouriness from aromatics like ginger — which came through clearly without overpowering. It was also better seasoned overall, making each spoonful flavourful even without the sambal.
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Sambal
Nasi Lemak Tanglin served up a sambal that stayed true to tradition. Its deep, dark-red hue hinted at its intensity. The red chillies carried a distinct smokiness, balanced with just a touch of sourness and sweetness — the kind of flavour that instantly reminded me of the nasi lemak stalls from my childhood. The only downside for me was the texture: a bit coarser than I prefer, likely due to the crushed ikan bilis mixed in.
Nasi Lemak Shop, meanwhile, offered a brighter, more savoury sambal. It leaned more towards tangy and umami, with a clear presence of fresh shrimp paste. The chilli flavour was clean but not as smoky as the version at Tanglin. Still, I personally found myself enjoying this one more.
Fried chicken
Nasi Lemak Tanglin’s chicken, unfortunately, was served rather cold as a result of being pre-cooked in bulk. Cutting into it took a bit of effort, as it was bordering on dry. Luckily, since it was a thigh piece, it still held on to some tenderness. Flavour-wise, it delivered. It was well-marinated with coriander, fennel, curry leaves, and other aromatics that gave it a solid, familiar profile. My main issue was the texture: the crust lacked crispiness, and the overall bite didn’t quite hit the mark.
Nasi Lemak Shop, in contrast, brought their A-game. Served piping hot, the chicken came with a bonus scoop of those addictive crispy bits. It’s no secret that their fried chicken has long been a personal favourite, thanks to their consistent work of brining and marinating. The result was incredibly juicy, tender meat that fell apart like butter, with a beautiful yellow hue from the spices seeping right into the flesh. The rempah was spot-on, though I did feel they got a little heavy-handed with the salt that day.
Other ingredients
Both contenders (left: Nasi Lemak Tanglin, right: Nasi Lemak Shop) used the larger variety of ikan bilis, which can sometimes be tough to chew. To my surprise, they were delightfully crispy at both spots. That said, Nasi Lemak Tanglin was a little stingy with the peanuts. Nasi Lemak Shop added a halved hard-boiled egg to the mix, which was a nice touch, though nothing particularly memorable.
All in all, when it came to the supporting cast — the ikan bilis, peanuts, and egg — neither place really stood out.
Final thoughts
My pick for the winner is Nasi Lemak Shop. You probably saw this coming halfway through! But before we close the curtain, it’s worth pointing out the price gap, which may very well be the biggest factor behind the difference in quality. At over RM6 more than Nasi Lemak Tanglin, Nasi Lemak Shop delivered better-tasting rice and sambal, with a crispier, juicier fried chicken.
That said, taste is subjective. If your vote goes to Tanglin instead, we’d love to hear why!
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