Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: Nasi Penyet
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| Nasi Penyet |
Nothing was sponsored, we visited as regular paying customers. Photos in this post were taken between 2000 and 2026 (across 26 years!), as such, the quality of photos varies drastically due to advances in camera technology. Mobile smartphones were in their infancy and had yet to become widespread.
Also Known As:
Nasi Penyet, Smashed Fried Ingredient With Rice,
Nasi Penyet Ayam, Ayam Penyet, Smashed Fried Chicken With Rice,
Nasi Penyet Ikan, Ikan Penyet, Smashed Fried Fish With Rice, Nasi Penyet Ikan Bawal, Ikan Bawal Penyet, Smashed Fried Pomfret Fish With Rice, Nasi Penyet Ikan Dori, Ikan Dori Penyet, Smashed Fried Dory Fish With Rice, Nasi Penyet Ikan Joget Tilapia, Ikan Joget Tilapia Penyet, Smashed Fried Dancing Tilapia Fish With Rice,
Nasi Penyet Iga, Iga Penyet, Smashed Fried Beef Ribs With Rice, Nasi Penyet Empal, Empal Penyet, Smashed Fried Sliced Beef With Rice
Average Price Per Serving:
SGD $7 - $22
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List in alphabetical order - click the links to jump to entry
- 1. Ayam Penyet President
- 2. Ayam Penyet Ria
- 3. D'Penyetz
- 4. Dapur Penyet
- 5. Impian Wahyu
- 6. The Penyet Company
- 7. Uncle Penyet
- 8. Zoul's Corner
S.K. ConnectionSri Bistari Changi Village Famous Ayam PenyetWaroeng Penyet
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Description:
The Nasi Penyet is a Singaporean Malay dish, featuring white rice accompanied by fresh vegetables, spiced deep-fried lightly smashed meat or fish, deep-fried tofu bean curd, deep-fried tempeh / fermented soy bean cake, and a fiery coarsely-ground sambal terasi / pounded fermented shrimp chili paste. Also known as Smashed Fried Ingredient With Rice, the Nasi Penyet dish is usually priced around SGD $7 to $22 per serving. It's commonly eaten for lunch or dinner.
A meal of Nasi Penyet has a few common ingredients. This includes gently steamed white rice, fluffy and moist in texture with grainy earthy sweet flavour. There's a medley of fresh vegetables, including crisp lettuce, crisp cabbage, juicy cherry tomato, crunchy cucumber, or crisp water spinach leaves, all with vegetal sweet flavour. Typically, a deep-fried firm tofu bean curd with spongy soft texture and grainy savoury flavour is included on the side.
A meal of Nasi Penyet also has sambal terasi / pounded fermented shrimp chili paste is chunky and coarse with sharp sour tangy zesty spice flavour, made with a blend of red chilies, fermented shrimp paste, lime juice or calamansi juice, white sugar or palm sugar, and shallots. Some stalls specialise in differing level of fiery heat through different blends of sambal. There's also the firm dense tempeh / fermented soy bean cake with nutty earthy savoury flavour. This features whole soy beans which have been cleaned, dehulled, allowed to ferment for 24 to 36 hours, and partially boiled, then compressed into a cake. It's seasoned with a blend of ground garlic, coriander, turmeric, salt, and water; then deep fried.
Where the Nasi Penyet will differ is in the meat or fish that it features. The meat or fish will be marinated in a bumbu / spice paste of blended shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, white sugar or palm sugar, salt, turmeric, cumin, bay leaves, fennel seeds, and coriander, boiled in water then battered with all-purpose flour or rice flour, deep-fried then lightly smashed before serving. The Nasi Penyet Ayam, also known as Ayam Penyet or Smashed Fried Chicken With Rice, features a bone-in chicken drumstick and thigh, marinated in the bumbu / spice paste then boiled, deep-fried, and gently smashed to finish. Has a tender chewy texture with meaty savoury salty spice flavour and chicken meat that pulls easily from the bone.
The Nasi Penyet Ikan, also known as Ikan Penyet or Smashed Fried Fish With Rice, features 1 of 5 types of fish, marinated in the bumbu / spice paste then boiled, deep-fried, and gently smashed to finish. The 3 most popular types of fish are the Nasi Penyet Ikan Bawal, also known as Ikan Bawal Penyet or Smashed Fried Pomfret Fish With Rice, features a whole pomfret fish with tender flaky texture and savoury salty sweet spice flavour. The Nasi Penyet Ikan Dori, also known as Ikan Dori Penyet or Smashed Fried Dory Fish With Rice, features several boneless fillets of dory fish with soft flaky texture and savoury sweet spice flavour. The Nasi Penyet Ikan Joget Tilapia, also known as Ikan Joget Tilapia Penyet or Smashed Fried Dancing Tilapia Fish With Rice, features a whole tilapia fish tastefully arranged to look like it's swimming or dancing on the plate, tender flaky in texture with savoury salty spice flavour. The 2 remaining types of fish are ikan lele / catfish, and ikan kerapu / grouper fish.
Beef may feature in 1 of 2 ways, marinated in the bumbu / spice paste then boiled, deep-fried, and gently smashed to finish. There's Nasi Penyet Iga, also known as Iga Penyet or Smashed Fried Beef Ribs With Rice, which has bone-in beef short ribs that are chunky tender in texture with meaty savoury salty spice flavour. There's Nasi Penyet Empal, also known as Empal Penyet or Smashed Fried Sliced Beef With Rice, which has boneless beef shank or flank that is chewy tender in texture with meaty savoury salty spice flavour. The Nasi Penyet is a classic Indonesian comfort dish.
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1. Ayam Penyet President
@ Lucky Plaza, 304 Orchard Road #03-36
Opening Hours: Daily 10:30am – 8:30pm
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| Taken in 2013 |
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| Taken in 2013 |
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| Taken in 2013 |
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| Taken in 2013 |
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| Taken in 2026 |
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Nasi Penyet (SGD $9.50, $15.90) @ Ayam Penyet President.
Established in August 2009 by the family of Bahar Riand Passa, this brand has grown to 12 outlets and introduced tech-enabled cloud kitchen operations. They are known for their no-frills ambience, friendly service, and tasty food that is reasonably priced.
Their meals are accompanied by sticky soft steamed white rice with grainy earthy sweet flavour, crunchy juicy vegetables (cabbage, cucumber, tomato) with vegetal sweet flavour, a chunky coarse sambal terasi / pounded fermented shrimp chili paste with unusually mild sour tangy zesty spice flavour, and sticky thick kecap manis / dark sweet soy sauce with sweet savoury earthy flavour.
Their marinated deep-fried and smashed chicken thigh with drumstick has a tender gentle chew to texture and meaty savoury salty spice flavour. Their marinated deep-fried and smashed dancing tilapia fish is beautifully presented with a flaky tender chew to texture and sweet savoury salty spice flavour. The deep-fried tofu bean curd is soft and spongy in texture with grainy earthy savoury flavour, while the tempeh / fermented soy bean cake is firm and dense in texture with nutty earthy savoury flavour.
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2. Ayam Penyet Ria
@ Lucky Plaza, 304 Orchard Road #04-25
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 8:30pm
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| Taken in 2011 |
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| Taken in 2011 |
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| Taken in 2026 |
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Nasi Penyet (SGD $9.50, $12.90) @ Ayam Penyet Ria.
Established in 1998 in Batam, Riau Islands, Indonesia, by Ibu Ruth, this family-owned restaurant brand arrived in Singapore in 2004. Born out of a dream the founder had during a period of uncertainty in her life, where she dreamed of serving her signature smashed fried chicken with a fiery sambal and sides, this brand is largely credited with popularising this dish in Singapore.
Made according to closely-guarded recipes featuring a house bumbu / spice blend, the marinated deep-fried and smashed chicken thigh with drumstick is tender chewy with meaty savoury salty spice flavour, while the marinated deep-fried and smashed pomfret fish is tender flaky with sweet savoury salty spice flavour. The spongy soft deep-fried tofu bean curd has grainy earthy savoury flavour, while the firm dense tempeh / fermented soy bean cake has nutty earthy savoury flavour.
Accompanied with sticky soft steamed white rice with grainy earthy sweet flavour, crunchy crisp vegetables (cucumber, cabbage, water spinach leaves) with vegetal sweet flavour, and a chunky coarse sambal terasi / pounded fermented shrimp chili paste with mild sour tangy zesty spice flavour. The crumbly bits of fritters sprinkled over lend a satisfying crunch.
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3. D'Penyetz
@ Jem, 50 Jurong Gateway Road #05-02
Opening Hours: Daily 10:30am – 9:30pm
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| Taken in 2026 |
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Nasi Penyet (SGD $9.50, $16.50) @ D'Penyetz.
Founded in 2009 by Indonesian entrepreneur Edy Ongkowijaya, this casual dining Singaporean eatery has expanded globally to 5 countries. They are best known for their 9 increasingly spicy levels of sambal, and their wide variety of chicken, beef, fish, and duck dishes.
Their meals are served with fluffy moist steamed white rice with grainy earthy sweet flavour, juicy crunchy vegetables (cherry tomato, cucumber) with vegetal sweet flavour, spongy soft deep-fried tofu bean curd with grainy earthy savoury flavour, firm dense tempeh / fermented soy bean cake with nutty earthy savoury flavour, and a choice of 1 of 9 levels of sambal. I usually default to the sambal terasi / pounded fermented shrimp chili paste of level 3, with its sharp sour tangy zesty spice flavour.
Their marinated deep-fried and smashed chicken thigh with drumstick is juicy and tender with meaty savoury salty spice flavour. Their marinated deep-fried and smashed tilapia fish is tender and flaky with salty savoury spice flavour. They offer complementary stewed vegetables soup, with soft tender cabbage and carrots within, carrying vegetal sweet spice flavour.
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4. Dapur Penyet
@ The Centrepoint, 176 Orchard Road #01-59
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 8:30pm
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| Taken in 2015 |
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Nasi Penyet (SGD $10.50, $13) @ Dapur Penyet.
Founded in 2005 by Indonesian entrepreneur Edy Ongkowijaya, this up-market mid-range restaurant offers a tasty range of authentic and consistently well-executed Indonesian dishes.
Their marinated deep-fried and smashed chicken (either thigh with drumstick or chicken breast) is moist and chewy inside, crispy outside, with meaty sweet savoury salty spice flavour. Their marinated deep-fried and smashed pomfret fish is tender and flaky inside, crispy outside, with sweet savoury salty spice flavour. Both are garnished with crispy fritter bits, lending a satisfying crunch with added salty savoury flavour.
Each meal is served with fluffy moist steamed white rice with grainy earthy sweet flavour, juicy crunchy vegetables (lettuce, cucumber) with vegetal sweet flavour, spongy soft deep-fried tofu bean curd with grainy earthy savoury flavour, light crispy krupuk / keropok / deep-fried tapioca crackers in hues of white red green yellow with savoury spice flavour (hinting of garlic), and a chunky coarse sambal terasi / pounded fermented shrimp chili paste with sharp sour tangy zesty spice flavour.
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5. Impian Wahyu
@ 462 Crawford Lane #01-29
Opening Hours: Mon - Sat 11am – 6pm, Closed Sun
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| Taken in 2026 |
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| Taken in 2026 |
Nasi Penyet (SGD $7.50, $11) @ Impian Wahyu.
Founded in September 2017 by wife-and-husband team of Wahyu Ning and Abang Batman, this humble hawker stall is lauded for their authentic Indonesian dishes and fresh hand-made sambal terasi / pounded fermented shrimp chili paste, chunky coarse in texture with mild sour tangy zesty spice flavour. Spot the display of Batman collectibles here!
Each order features fluffy soft steamed white rice with grainy earthy sweet flavour, juicy crunchy cucumber with vegetal sweet flavour, spongy soft deep-fried tofu bean curd with grainy earthy savoury flavour, and the house-made sambal terasi / pounded fermented shrimp chili paste.
The marinated deep-fried and smashed chicken thigh with drumstick is done well with a tender chewy texture and meaty salty savoury sweet spice flavour. The marinated deep-fried and smashed pomfret fish is done well with a firm flaky texture and sweet salty savoury spice flavour. A mountain of light crispy crunchy fritter bits lends addictive savoury salty spice flavour. On the side is a full-flavoured spiced chicken soup, thin and oily with meaty salty savoury spice herbal flavour.
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6. The Penyet Company
@ Admiralty Place, 678A Woodlands Avenue 6 #01-31
Opening Hours: Daily 10am – 9pm
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| Taken in 2026 |
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Nasi Penyet (SGD $10.80, $12.80) @ The Penyet Company.
Founded in July 2021 by Indonesian entrepreneur Edy Ongkowijaya as a brand off-shoot, this concept offers a straightforward down-to-earth focused menu for casual everyday heartland dining.
On a plate resembling a traditional woven basket, there's fluffy soft steamed white rice with grainy earthy sweet flavour, juicy crunchy vegetables (lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomato) with vegetal sweet flavour, spongy soft deep-fried tofu bean curd with grainy earthy savoury flavour, firm dense tempeh / fermented soy bean cake with nutty earthy salty flavour, and a choice of 1 of 5 levels of sambal. I usually default to the sambal terasi / pounded fermented shrimp chili paste of level 3, with its sharp sour tangy zesty spice flavour.
The marinated deep-fried and smashed chicken thigh with drumstick is well-executed, with a tender moist interior and crispy crunchy exterior, carrying meaty salty savoury sweet spice flavour, enhanced with crispy fritter bits. The marinated deep-fried and smashed pomfret fish is well-executed, with a tender flaky interior and crispy crunchy exterior, carrying sweet salty savoury spice flavour, enhanced with crispy fritter bits. The variation with a pairing of Indomie instant noodles (instead of white rice) is very popular too.
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7. Uncle Penyet
@ Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre, 110 Pasir Ris Central #01-02
Opening Hours: Daily 10:30am – 9pm
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| Taken in 2018 |
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| Taken in 2026 |
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Nasi Penyet (SGD $7.10, $7.10) @ Uncle Penyet.
Founded in December 2023 by Alson Ng and managed under the Indonesian Express Private Limited Group, this brand is known for offering wallet-friendly Indonesian fare in Singaporean campuses and heartlands. Their dishes rank amongst the most affordable versions for dine-in.
Uniquely, they offer the option to add a thick luscious chicken curry gravy with meaty salty savoury spice flavour, over the base fluffy moist steamed white rice with grainy earthy sweet flavour. A smattering of vegetables (lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomato) lends a juicy crunch and vibrant colour, carrying vegetal sweet flavour. The deep-fried tofu bean curd is soft and spongy with grainy earthy savoury flavour, while the coarse sambal terasi / pounded fermented shrimp chili paste has sharp sour tangy spice flavour, among the most fiery with a lingering grip on the palate.
The bone-in chicken thigh with drumstick is well marinated deep-fried and gently smashed, served up quickly, carrying meaty salty savoury sweet spice flavour and a crispy outside tender inside texture. The boneless dory fish fillets are well marinated deep-fried and gently smashed, served up quickly, carrying sweet salty savoury spice flavour and a crispy outside soft inside texture. Optional sticky thick kecap manis / dark sweet soy sauce with sweet savoury earthy flavour may be added on request.
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8. Zoul's Corner
@ 801 Tampines Avenue 4 #01-257
Opening Hours: Daily 10:30am – 10:30pm
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| Taken in 2026 |
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Nasi Penyet (SGD $8.50, $9) @ Zoul's Corner.
Founded in 2002 by Azhar Bin Mohamed Salleh 'Zoul', this family-run casual eatery has garnered numerous accolades for its tasty food and unique menu offerings.
Their white rice is infused with spices and chicken stock, resulting in a pleasant savoury grainy earthy sweet spice flavour with a fluffy loose texture. There are crisp juicy vegetables (lettuce, cucumber) with vegetal sweet flavour, soft spongy deep-fried tofu bean curd with grainy savoury earthy salty flavour, and dense firm tempeh / fermented soy bean cake with nutty earthy salty flavour. A chunky coarse sambal terasi / pounded fermented shrimp chili paste with sharp sour tangy zesty spice flavour, and a thin spiced chicken soup / broth with meaty savoury salty sweet spice vegetal flavour, accompanies.
Their bumbu / spice paste includes candlenuts, garlic, turmeric, ginger, and coriander seeds, blended and used to marinate their ingredients. The deep-fried bone-in chicken thigh with drumstick is lightly smashed, yielding a crispy outside tender inside texture with meaty salty savoury sweet spice flavour. The deep-fried boneless dory fish fillets are lightly smashed, yielding a crispy outside soft inside texture with sweet salty savoury spice flavour. Uniquely, they offer a rendition with calamari squid rings.
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| Taken in 2013 |
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CONVERSATION