Aliff Nasi Lemak (Serangoon Garden Market)

Established in June 2005 by wife-husband owners Masita Ghani and Mohammad Firuz Samuri and named after their son (Ashraff, nicknamed 'Aliff', who now helps out here), this stall is beloved for their traditional, unpretentious, everyday-comfort rendition.
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The neatly plated dish has a bed of fragrant long-grain basmati rice, the aroma and taste of coconut milk and pandan / screwpine leaves gently perfuming the dish, carrying grainy earthy milky floral sweet flavour. The crispy crunchy deep-fried ikan bilis / anchovies is golden with a mild fishy salty savoury balanced flavour, while the juicy cucumber has vegetal sweet flavour, and the wobbly soft fried chicken egg carries eggy savoury sweet flavour.
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The otak-otak / otah / spiced mackerel fish paste is soft with a lingering kick of fishy savoury spice flavour, while the deep-fried turmeric marinated chicken wing has a crisp exterior and a tender interior that bursts with meaty savoury salty spice flavour. Their chunky sambal tumis / stir-fried chili paste has additional red onions caramelised within, resulting in a pronounced sweet savoury spice flavour.
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Nasi Lemak
Aliff Nasi Lemak
@ Serangoon Garden Market & Food Centre, 49A Serangoon Garden Way #01-27
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More details:
https://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.com/2026/02/best-of-singapore-hawkers-nasi-lemak.html

Quite satisfying, especially the chicken wing and chilli, but the rice had no lemak.

There’s a reason why people living in the hood will recommend Aliff Nasi Lemak. Especially when we traveled all the way from the west, there’s no excuse for not trying. In fact, leaving more stomach space for whatever that’s recommended in the same hawker centre!

Affordably priced at $4 for a Nasi lemak set that consists of the usual suspects, fried chicken wing, ikan bilis and a sunny side up, the way it was wrapped in a pyramid reminded me of those found in Penang somehow. True as I have read previously, the use of basmati rice here elevates the entire flavour’s lightness, even the coconut taste was light enough for my liking. Personal favourite was the fried ikan bilis as usual for the intense crispiness that got so addictive. But the star here was definitely the sambal chili, well-balanced sweetness paired with a fiery kick.

Known for basmati rice in the nasi lemak, selecting whatever ingredients you like with the sambal just makes this really light and delicious. No hate for my like for fish dishes and carbs, okay?

File this stall away for future food expeditions to Serangoon Gardens Food Centre. The highlight of their Nasi Lemak (from $3) is definitely the incredibly fragrant basmati rice sporting a delightful coconut aroma. Accompanying that is a perfectly fried egg with a runny core, crispy ikan billis and kuning fish, as well as a well-marinated fried chicken. Cover it all in their sweet and spicy sambal chilli — sedap!
Photo by Burppler The Modernlad

My new regular place for nasi lemak, at Serangoon Gardens Food Centre. We've probably tasted many different nasi lemak in Singapore and Malaysia - some heavier, some lighter, some using Jasmine rice, some using basmati rice, some enhanced with flavour essence, while some have a lighter natural fragrance.
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This one sits at one end of the spectrum which is lighter, for many reasons - it uses basmati rice, so it's more fluffy, less sticky, less cloying. It also has a light, natural fragrance from coconut milk, so it doesn't feel overly lemak or guilty. It's one nasi lemak that is easier on your tummy.
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But as with all nasi lemak stalls, you need a bit of luck when it comes to the fried accompaniments. It's really good when it happens to be freshly fried, but at times you could get those that has been left to air for a while.
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Still, it's one stall I'll keep coming back to whenever I'm here.
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Aliff Nasi Lemak
Stall 27
Serangoon Garden Market
49A Serangoon Gardens Way
Singapore 555945
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8am to 5pm daily (according to Google map)
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