HEAR:
Click to listen/ download podcast of this week’s delicious episode!
SEE:
Hello Makan Kakis, our Foodie Friend Raj from MasterChef Singapore Season 3 is back! This week, he recommends we try a restaurant that specialises in chicken dishes – it’s not called Ayam Penyet President for nothing – but surprisingly, neither of his two favourite dishes of their menu contain chicken.
That is, unless you count the egg in Tahu Telor ($6.90)! According to Raj, this dish is soft on the inside, plastered with crispy yet fluffy fried egg batter on the outside and garnished with shredded carrot, cucumber and crushed peanuts. The dish wouldn’t be complete without a generous drizzle of the sweet yet spicy sauce.
This is one dish full of different tastes and textures – absolutely wonderful! Besides the classic crispy tofu & egg combo, Raj is also very partial to the Beef Rendang ($7.90) at Ayam Penyet President.
What he loves about this rendang is how tender and juicy the beef is. You also get the good taste and fragrance of daun kunit (yellow ginger). Adding to the melt-in-your-mouth quality of the meat is the delicious savoury-sweet gravy, replete with a mild and fresh coconut taste.
True to form, I ordered a few extras a try when I paid Ayam Penyet President in Yishun a visit myself! The Sundanese-style Fried Tilapia (Ikan Pesmol $15.90) was a massively meaty portion of firm, moist, white fish that flaked beautifully and boasted a crispy skin.
The accompanying sauce was sweet and sour, chunky with herbs and spices like lemongrass, purut leaf, lengkuas (blue ginger or galangal), red chilli and green chilli padi. Assam (tamarind) infused the gravy with a pleasant tang.
Another menu item I couldn’t resist was the Ikan Bilis Cabe Ijo ($3.50) – crispy white bait in green chilli sambal. This was the perfect salty, umami, fresh yet spicy condiment to eat with rice and slathered all over morsels of fish that I hadn’t dunked in the Sundanese sauce! Finding little briny bits of ikan bilis was a crispy bonus!
With takeaways, deliveries and plenty of outlets island-wide for dine-in options, don’t overlook Ayam Penyet President as just another restaurant chain. The food here is tasty and hearty! To quote Raj, his menu favourites are “cheap, good and satisfying”!
TASTE:
Ayam Penyet President (Yishun)
Northpoint #B1-54, 930 Yishun Ave 2, S(769098)
Open Daily: Mon-Thu 11.30am – 9pm; Fri 11.30am -9.30pm; Sat 11.30am – 9.30pm; Sun/PH 11.30am – 9pm.
Tel: +65 6257 3981
Makan Kakis on Gold 905 