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Be it miniature nasi lemak or a kingly lobster biryani, these joints are innovating rice to the next level.
It’s a fact – taking the rice out of our lives would mean taking the Asian out of us. So inextricable is our love for rice that given the choice, we’d pick nasi lemak over a cheeseburger. A couple of days abroad and we’re overcome with the strongest homesickness… for rice.
While you can always rely on a simple rice dish to hit the spot, sometimes a venture into unconventional and swanky variations of the starch will change your appreciation of the humble grain. Let us count the new ways to love rice through these innovative dishes…
Ruyi & Lyn 
Loyalty to our national dish comes in all forms – in this case, miniature nasi lemak shaped into sushi. Its petite size automatically transforms it into a delicacy as well as allows us to enjoy all the flavours in one mouthful – with a scaled-down calorie count as an added bonus. Check out their other mini interpretations of Malaysian favourites on their official site.
Bistro à Table 
Not one to shy away from treading on thin surfaces, this adaptive French bistro gives sticky rice a twist in a dessert of deconstructed pulut hitam with coconut mousse and white chocolate & passionfruit lamington. Black glutinous paste is dehydrated into a wafer-shaped cone, then filled with coconut mousse and enhanced with a pairing of tangy and tropical passionfruit lamington. For more stunning creations, visit their website.
The Good Co. 
What’s not to like about this wholesome, hearty and familiar meal, which so happens to ticks off healthy and organic whilst allowing us to indulge in our nasi obsession? The Good Co’s take on nasi lemak is a skinnier, guilt-free one, featuring virgin coconut oil millet, tempeh in place of protein and lots of fresh veggies. Discover honest and wholesome choices by visiting their homepage.
Fierce Curry House 
We never met a biryani we didn’t like and top it off with lobster – now that’s food fit for kings. On a scale of one to indulgence, Fierce presents a lobster biryani encasing a huge, fragrant Canadian crustacean, cooked for seven minutes to retain its juicy and sweet lobstery perfection that calls for more helpings of the heavily spiced basmati rice. Discover North Indian offerings on their Facebook.
Dewakan 
Glutinous rice is the star of this fragile dessert by Dewakan’s Darren Teoh. Diners offer nothing but rave recommendation for the Gula Melaka Marquise, of palm sugar and pulut (glutinous rice) ice cream that melts tenderly in the mouth, crushing a sheet of fine petals of sour meringue. Peruse the menu on their official website.
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Jessica Liew currently shuttles between London and Brighton, having traded her former role as deputy digital editor for life as a student in her dream city. The thought of meeting new and intriguing people gets her up in the morning, but not before a round of Vinyasa yoga to fully awaken. She remains an ardent food porn consumer, and is often found procrastibaking till ungodly hours. Follow her on Instagram @kookycrumb.
