I wouldn’t say Serene Centre is a go-to location as far as eating places or malls go in Singapore; a rather rundown building that limps along on small essential businesses and one assumes, primarily kept alive by the 24 hours MacDonald’s that occupies most of the building with a constant gaggle of students occupying it, both inside and out.

CO+OP Nasi Lemak

I am a regular visitor to the building as it houses our local DVD store, Rida video, which does a better job than most to keep us stimulated with western movies.

There is also quite a good, funky in a way, ice-cream shop, Island Creamery, www.islandcreamery.com that make their own natural ice-cream every morning with a bent towards local flavours. It too is a magnet for students that gravitate towards this in the afternoons and encouragingly, seemingly more popular than MacDonald’s.

As it happens, the people at the Island Creamery have taken over a space just across from them that was occupied by a hairdresser and started a stall serving up Nasi Lemak, Mee Siam and Kaya Toast and Kopi all day, calling it CO+OP Nasi Lemak.

My wife actually discovered the place, and being Chinese Malaysian has a good nose and palate for these sorts of places. I instantly warmed to the place as well noticing that they have gone to considerable trouble to use environmentally-friendly takeaway containers – cardboard, waxed covered boxes – and no plastic bags and polystyrene. This is MOST commendable and I sense from my interaction with the stall owners and staff, there is a strong appreciation of environmental issues here. BRAVO!

The stall is also spotlessly clean and modern in its layout, with seems to also translate in a contemporary approach to their cooking, adhering to the traditional home-cook recipes, and I sense a family effort here, with a clean, lightness to the food, my Nasi Lemak suitably tasty and the chicken wing clearly cooked in decent oil and much less fatty than others.

CO+OP Nasi Lemak

The limejuice is excellent here with a seed added to make it tangier (haven’t worked out what it is, sort of like Assam?) Anyone now what this is?

The Kopi is also good, nice and thick and rich in flavour.

Knowing how the word gets out on the best places to eat, it won’t be long before this place is constantly packed, and maybe they can take over the MacDonald’s space – which would be an major health improvement for all concerned.

CO+OP Nasi Lemak