Walaku – Halal Hipster Eatery In Joo Chiat With Next-Level Nasi Lemak

Located along Joo Chiat Road, Walaku is a halal hipster eatery that serves local dishes with a modern twist. It is a casual and chic eatery that is just perfect for winding down at over chill vibes and real-deal tasty food.

Well known for their nasi lemak, Walaku serves a variety of nasi lemak with different ingredients added to it. Some of the unique ones include–Garlic Cheesy Lobster (S$22) and Ikan Bakar Salmon (S$11.80), which all have a Western twist to it. Of course, they have the classic one as well with fried chicken for those of you who are not particularly keen on messing with tradition.

We ordered the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Rempah (S$7.80) and boy it was bursting with flavours. We love that the sweet and spicy sambal sauce was placed underneath the rice, which allowed us to experience a sweet, savoury and spicy kick with each bite. To say the least, the sambal here is addictive.

The fried chicken was marinated in a mix of spices and the skin was crispy and brimming with savoury flavours.

Next came the Nasi Goreng Kampung (S$7), which was, hands down, one of the best Malay rice dishes we have ever tried. Although it was simple—with only fried rice, an egg, some cucumbers and keropok on top—this dish is enough to keep us coming back for more.

The rice was soft and flavourful, and the subtle hint of spice really elevated the dish tenfold.

Unlike the usual mee goreng, Walaku’s Seafood Mee Goreng (S$8) comes with vermicelli noodles instead of yellow noodles. The vermicelli noodles are stir-fried with their signature chilli crab paste, prawns and squid and topped with grilled asparagus.

We like that the noodles were not too dry and the seafood imparted lots of nice flavours to the dish overall.

Last on our table was the Lemak Chilli Api Soft Shell Crab Pasta (S$15.90). Putting their own spin on a cafe classic, this dish was as visually stunning as it was a delight to tuck into. The linguine pasta was coated with curry powder, turmeric and other spices, which gave the otherwise dull egg noodle a flavour lift.

The soft shell crab was pretty huge and surrounding it was a thin yet enticing layer of crispy fried batter. The crab itself boasted a deep umami flavour and the crunch just made the entire experience phenomenal.

Walaku
102 Joo Chiat Road
Singapore 427396
Tel: +65 6284 2420
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Eunos