Power Nasi Lemak (Boon Lay)

In Australia, 12am is bedtime. In Singapore, 12am is just about time for supper, whether it be nasi lemak, a mountain of fries and nuggets from McDonald's or butter pratas from The Roti Prata House.  

Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak is consistently rated as one of the best nasi lemak in Singapore, and it has become one of my holiday tradition to drive there for supper. It operates from 5pm-2am. We usually go about midnight. And people wonder why I get even less sleep during the holidays in Singapore. But in my defense, it's not just me. Midnight suppers are ingrained into our Singaporean foodie culture. Every single time we go, we rub shoulders with office folks who just got off the late shift. So it was a bit of a shock when I first moved to Melbourne, where everything closes by 6pm. 

Even though Hungrygowhere says it opens only in the evening, it was operating when we passed by recently on a Sunday morning, and true to its reputation, there was a queue snaking from the front of the store. It honestly doesn't matter whether you're there at 10am or 1am. There is always a queue. 

The front of the store, displaying certificates of just about every food award in Singapore.  

For suppers, the service was brisk and efficient, but with a hi-bye transactional feel. On my recent morning trip however, they were much warmer, and the Malay servers even took the time to crack jokes and impress us with their excellent Chinese. 

We had the Nasi Lemak Chicken Set ($3), and ordered an additional Fish Fillet ($1.20).

The sambal chili was excellent, and the chicken wings had perfectly crisped skin. I should have copied the lady before me, who got half a dozen extra chicken wings with her order. The fish fillet was cold and soft though , which was contrast to my midnight experiences, when the stall enjoyed a much larger crowd. It is a halal store, so don't do what somebody here did, and ask for luncheon meat. Twice. 

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