This New Bugis Eatery Has Crispy Pork Belly And Rendang Nasi Lemak—Is It Worth A Shot?

Madness Nasi Lemak has pork belly nasi lemak in Bugis

Nasi lemak is a familiar, beloved dish for many Singaporeans and Malaysians. But pork in my nasi lemak? That’s madness—and exactly what Madness Nasi Lemak whips up in Fortune Centre. 

While the use of pork in nasi lemak dishes isn’t novel in Singapore, it might still subvert our expectations given the dish’s Malay roots. In fact, the pork berempah style hails from Kuala Lumpur, where it is rather common. With the new stall gaining momentum across social platforms, we headed down to put the hype to the test.

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Food at Madness Nasi Lemak

The nasi lemak sets are split into two categories: Play Adventurous and Play Safe, which we guessed alluded to their level of spice. 

We were expecting a strong start with the Nasi Lemak Crispy Pork Belly Berempah ($6.90), but the first thing we noticed was the lacklustre portion of meat. Not wanting to judge by appearances, we dug in. 

The coconut rice was fragrant and had a strong lemak flavour, a quintessential element of this dish. However, we thought it was rather flaky and slightly dry.

This was counteracted by adding the sambal chilli into the mix. It had a good amount of heat and a pleasant sweetness, which added some moisture to the rice.

We also enjoyed the fried egg, which had a gooey yolk and was lightly crisp on the bottom. 

Now now, let’s not stray away from the pork berempah—its strong aroma tantalising, but betrayed by just one bite. Each piece of pork was extremely dry, and the lean meat was tough to chew. Despite the use of pork belly, there was a significant absence of fat that would have made the chew more bearable. 

Thankfully, the fried coconut and curry leaves uplifted the flavours of the pork—which were otherwise rather unremarkable—and saved it from being full-on unpalatable. However, as Madness’s claim to fame, this dish was disappointing. 

As our expectations had already dipped to a new low, the Nasi Lemak Nyonya Pork Rendang ($8.90) at least lifted them slightly. The measly portion of pork berempah was replaced with a larger helping of Nyonya-style pork rendang.

Each piece of pork belly was coated in a luscious, coconutty sauce that was satisfyingly piquant and lemak, without being overpowering with spice. There was also a considerable amount of fat content, which lent a softer texture and drastically improved the flavours. While the lean meats were once again quite tough, the gravy really helped with the mouthfeel—a far cry from the dryness of the berempah.

The rendang was really a step up from the previous dish, though not cohesive enough as a whole to fully impress. 

I was told that the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Kunyit with Sambal Hijau ($9.20) is their bestseller, so I couldn’t resist giving it a try. The size of that chicken leg is just massive!

Sadly, the chicken fell to the same issues as the previous pork offerings; despite being oily, the meat within was dry and slightly tough. We also would have appreciated a crispier exterior from its deep fry. 

We have to praise the sambal ijo here, though—it was extremely green chilli-forward, making it very spicy, and yet had an intense, complex flavour that teetered between tangy and sweet, owing to its blend of different spices. 

Ambience at Madness Nasi Lemak

Madness Nasi Lemak is located in Fortune Centre, an eight-minute walk from both Bugis and Rochor MRT Stations. 

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I’d have to admit that the flavours of the pork berempah and rendang here are decent, along with the surprisingly enjoyable sambal ijo. That’s where it all ends, though—small portions, tough and dry meats, and prices that aren’t exactly wallet-friendly make considerable room for improvement. 

For another take on pork belly nasi lemak, check out our Roasted Pork Belly Nasi Lemak review. For a Michelin-approved nasi lemak in Bendemeer, read our Kitchenman Nasi Lemak review.

Address: 190 Middle Road, #02-25, Fortune Centre, Singapore 188979
Opening hours: Daily 10:30am to 7:45pm
Website
Madness Nasi Lemak is not a halal-certified eatery. 

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