Best Nasi Kandar in Taiping

by Apr 18, 2024Guides, Eat & Drink

Taiping has several nasi kandar restaurants, some of them quite famous for their delicious food that attracts patrons from neighbouring cities (and even states!).

What Is Nasi Kandar?

Nasi kandar” is a dish consisting of rice, served with a combination of side dishes: meats, seafood, chicken, and vegetables. It is really a mix-and-match affair where one picks their favorite ingredients to make a complete meal. One could choose a choice of dishes and sauces or curries to tailor their meal suit their tastes, be it spicy, sweet, savoury, or a mix of flavours.

 

Origins

Another popular name for nasi kandar is nasi campur, which translates to “mixed rice” in English.

The name nasi kandar itself as a term  originates from the practice of the earliest sellers of this food that would carry a long pole on their shoulders, with large pots or other food containers hanging at both ends. One pot would usually contain rice, and the other pot would contain several smaller pots containing various dishes: chicken, beef, mutton, fish, and vegetables, as well as a pot usually containing hot tea. The word kandar itself refers to a pole used to carry items at both ends, and the verb form of the word means “to carry”, or “to bear” on one’s shoulder.

These nasi kandar sellers would usually walk the length of the village or visit work sites such as farms and mines and stop to serve patrons who wished to buy their food.  Some patrons would have standing orders and the nasi kandar sellers would visit their patrons’ homes to deliver their orders. Meals would usually be served or wrapped in a banana leaf.

With the advent of the bicycle, the trips made by nasi kandar sellers became easier and faster, also allowing them to cover more area. Well-to-do sellers would eventually open their own restaurants as the city of Taiping developed and its population burgeoned.

The original Nasi Kandar in Penang. Officially extinct and replaced with eating outlets.  The picture is displayed at Deen Maju, Jalan Gurdwara.   #nasikandar #penang #malaysia

Nasi kandar sellers largely come from the Indian Muslim (or more commonly known as mamak) community, something that has changed very little over the centuries. Nasi kandar restaurants are often referred to as  mamak restaurants, and if a Malaysian invities you to go to a mamak, they’re usually referring to a nasi kandar restaurant, and not actually to meet a particular member of the Indian Muslim community.

Today, nasi kandar/ mamak restaurants are a staple and integral part of Malaysian culture, and are most often the place to go to relax and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with friends. These restaurants are usually packed to the brim on nights where football matches are broadcast on TV, and most of them usually have a big screen television especially to cater to football fans.

Recommended Dishes

  • Daging mask hitam (beef in black sauce)
  • Nasi biryani (biryani rice)
  • Ayam kurma (chicken korma)
  • Roti Canai (paratha)
  • Samosa

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Recommended Dishes

  • Ayam masak merah (chicken in red sauce)
  • Nasi biryani (biryani rice)
  • Kari ikan (fish curry)
  • Ayam kurma (chicken korma)
  • Kari kambing (mutton curry)

Food Delivery

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Nasi Kandar Al-Baik

Recommended Dishes

  • Ayam madu (chicken in sweet sauce)
  • Ayam bawang (onion chicken)
  • Ayam kurma (chicken korma)
  • Nasi biryani (biryani rice)

Food Delivery

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Nasi Kandar Beratur 786

Recommended Dishes

  • Telur sotong (calamari eggs)
  • Ayam kurma (chicken korma)
  • Ayam bawang (onion chicken)
  • Telur ikan (fish roe)
  • Nasi biryani (biryani rice)

Food Delivery

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Restoran Kamaliya Maju

Recommended Dishes

  • Kari perut lembu/ kambing (beef/ lamb tripe in curry)
  • Ayam kurma (chicken korma)
  • Ayam goreng (fried chicken)
  • Nasi goreng kambing (mutton fried rice)
  • Mee goreng daging (beef fried noodles)
  • Capati (chapati)
  • Tosai (dosa)
  • Samosa

Food Delivery

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Nasi Kandar Railway

Recommended Dishes

  • Kari daging (beef curry)
  • Ayam goreng (fried chicken)
  • Kari kambing (mutton curry)
  • Mee goreng (fried noodles)
  • Nasi biryani (biryani rice)

Food Delivery

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Nasi Kandar Railway

Recommended Dishes

  • Kari daging (beef curry)
  • Ayam goreng (fried chicken)
  • Kari kambing (mutton curry)
  • Mee goreng (fried noodles)
  • Nasi biryani (biryani rice)

Food Delivery

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Restoran Firdaus Kader Food Court

Recommended Dishes

  • Lamb shank
  • Kari ikan (fish curry)
  • Ayam rendang (rendang chicken)
  • Ayam masak merah (chicken in red sauce)
  • Mee goreng (fried noodles)
  • Bubur gandum (wheat porridge)
  • Murtabak

Food Delivery

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Nasi Kandar Shahlan Maju

Recommended Dishes

  • Peria goreng (fried bitter gourd)
  • Labu ular goreng (fried snake gourd)
  • Sambal udang (prawn in chilli paste)
  • Ayam goreng (fried chicken)
  • Naan & tandoori

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Restoran Nasi Kandar RK

Recommended Dishes

  • Mee goreng (fried noodles)
  • Kari ayam (chicken curry)
  • Kari kambing (mutton curry)
  • Ayam goreng (fried chicken)
  • Roti canai (paratha)

Food Delivery

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Restoran Nasi Kandar Hafeeza Maju

Recommended Dishes

  • Roti canai (paratha)
  • Mee goreng (fried noodles)
  • Kari sotong (calamari in curry)
  • Ayam goreng (fried chicken)
  • Ayam kurma (chicken korma)
  • Kari kambing (mutton curry)
  • Labu ular (snake gourd)

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Restoran M A Mydin

Recommended Dishes

Nasi goreng (fried rice)

Ayam madu (chicken in sweet sauce)

Kurma kambing (mutton korma)

Kari ketam (crab curry)

Roti canai (paratha)

 

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Restoran Pelita

Recommended Dishes

  • Ayam goreng (fried chicken)
  • Kari kambing (mutton curry)
  • Kari ikan (fish curry)
  • Sotong (squid/ calamari)
  • Kari udang (prawn curry)
  • Papadom (poppadom)
  • Mee goreng (fried noodles)

Food Delivery

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Nasi Kandar AK Maju

Recommended Dishes

  • Masala vadai
  • Ulundu vadai
  • Mee goreng (fried noodles)
  • Ayam goreng (fried chicken)
  • Kari ikan (fisdh curry)

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Nasi Kandar An Naseem Maju

Recommended Dishes

  • Nasi biryani (biryani rice)
  • Ayam bawang (onion chicken)
  • Ayam peratal (chicken peratal)
  • Ayam masak merah (chicken in red sauce)
  • Ayam kicap (chicken in soy sauce)
  • Kari daging (beef curry)
  • Kari kambing (mutton curry)

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Restoran Mo Salah

Recommended Dishes

  • Telur sotong (calamari eggs)
  • Kari udang (prawn curry)
  • Kari sotong (calamari curry)
  • Ayam madu (chicken in sweet sauce)
  • Daging hitam (beef in black sauce)
  • Nasi biryani (biryani rice)

Food Delivery

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Recommendations

Recommended Dishes

The recommended dishes listed in this post are the author’s personal views based on their preferences, and do not necessarily reflect the best dishes available on each individual restaurant’s menu.

Menu items may differ from what is listed based upon availability, the general mood of the chef of the day, and consumption by patrons. 

Health 

If you have a medical conditions, such as allergies, sensitivity to certain ingredients,  or interference with medication, be sure to ask your server about your intended meal.