Restoran Siang Malam, Sungai Buloh: Nasi Padang with Indonesian Spices

For Sungai Buloh folks craving piping-hot Padang dishes, Restoran Siang Malam in Kampung Cempedak, Jalan Kuang, deserves a spot on your list. The restaurant is open daily from 10am to 10pm, so it works for lunch or dinner. Nasi Padang comes from the Minangkabau cooking of West Sumatra, famous for its coconut milk gulai (curries), rendang and dishes lined up for you to pick yourself.

The dishes are laid out in a long row at the counter, like at most nasi Padang shops. There's chicken, beef, mutton and fish, alongside vegetables like brinjal, jering, spinach and kangkung, plus ulam (raw salad greens). According to the restaurant, the spices are imported directly from Indonesia, and you can taste it in every gulai.

We tried the gulai ayam, made with ayam kampung (free-range chicken). Kampung chicken is usually a bit tough, but this one was tender and soaked up the gravy well. The rendang daging is cut thick and tender, while the gulai daging (beef curry) has a thick gravy that's delicious mixed with rice.

For offal fans, there's babat, paru and urat (tripe, lung and tendon) cooked until tender. The pieces are big and thick, not stingy at all, and full of flavour. We rarely find shops that serve offal cuts this big, so for fans, this alone is enough to make us want to come back.

For drinks, we recommend the jus alpukat (avocado juice), a drink synonymous with Indonesian eateries. It's rich and creamy and just enough to cool down the heat of the gulai. The restaurant can also be ordered via GrabFood for those who want to enjoy it at home.