Indonesian Eatery Kota88 Sells Nasi Tumpeng With Hainanese Chicken Rice & Roast Meat

The traditional Indonesian dish, nasi tumpeng, is usually served only on formal occasions. An elaborate rice platter similar to nasi ambeng, it consists of a cone-shaped mound of rice surrounded by a myriad of meat and veggie side dishes.

You can order it in Singapore (check out this home-based nasi tumpeng biz which counts Zhu Houren’s Indonesian-born wife as a fan) from places like Indonesian restaurant Kota88, which has launched a mod Nasi Campur Babi Meriah ($98.88++) that’s good for five pax. Despite having ‘nasi campur’ (aka Indonesian-style cai png) in its name, it’s served like fancy nasi tumpeng.

While white or yellow turmeric rice is usually used for this dish, Kota88 has given it a local twist. At the centre of the platter is a tower of Hainanese-style chicken rice cooked with house-made chicken stock. It’s surrounded by seven side dishes: charcoal-grilled Char Siew, Roast Chicken and Sate Babi (pork satay), Mie Goreng with beef, chicken, pork, lap cheong (Chinese sausage) and fish cake, herbal Braised Eggs, Sio May (Indonesian-style pork-and-prawn siew mai) and fried Ngo Hiang.

The pretty platter is served on a rattan tray, with hollowed-out capsicums serving as ramekins for two types of super spicy chilli dips for the meat. There are almost no duds here; we enjoyed the smoky, well-marinated roast meat and satay and plump sio may with the fragrant pandan-infused chicken rice (the mee goreng is not as exciting, though).

Order at least three days in advance (takeaway only). Tel: 6242-2645. Kota88, #01-02, 907 East Coast Rd, S459107. Open daily Mon-Sat 11am-3pm; 6pm-10pm, Sun 11am-10pm. www.kota88restaurant.com.

Photos: Kota88/ Yip Jieying