Nasi lemak? In my Japanese donburi? It’s more real than you think. Meet @nasi.don.sg, which fuses Japanese style rice bowls with nasi lemak. The proteins, the half boiled egg and the tempura enoki mushrooms are the Japanese influences, while the rice, sambal chili and nut & ikan bilis (deep fried anchovies) mix represent the nasi lemak delegation. They have many protein offerings built upon the base of coconut rice, but the Blackpink Calamari ($7.90 nett) was the most attention grabbing.

Squid rings are coated in a batter that I assume to be coloured with squid ink, and deep fried. The calamari are stunning fresh, even fresher than I’ve had at many restaurants, and they are fried just perfectly. It has the ideal amount of chew & spring to prove its freshness, while its tenderness showcases the mastery of the chef behind the fryer. The batter is everything expected of a brilliant one: airy & thin, light on the grease but still possesses a captivating crispness.

The pink sauce swizzled over the calamari is an oddity. It’s creamy, quite savoury and just a little smidge of sweet. I’m not convinced that it’s mentaiko based, but I haven’t a clue as to what its components are. The stellar sambal was spicy, salty and sweet, a real firecracker that enlivened this entire rice bowl. The deep fried ikan bilis & nuts were satisfyingly salty & crunchy, while the tempura enoki shrooms were the perfect blend of crispy & chewy.

However, the Nasi in the Nasi Don was a bit of a letdown. There was a discernible coconut milk aroma in some spots, while other spots lacked it. It felt inconsistent, especially since the coconut flavours couldn’t quite cover all the rice. Perhaps it’s a new outlet issue, but the rice was a slight downer.

Still, I reckon it’s only gonna get better from here, so don pass on Nasi Don just yet.