Still remembered making our way to the then-new Nan Yang Dao in 2022 at Blk 262 Serangoon Central twice previously to give their rendition of Malaysian cuisine a try; little did we expect Nan Yang Dao to have expanded their operations this quickly though with a second outlet which had opened its doors at the foot of Blk 119 Aljunied Avenue 2. Situated just right across the road from Aljunied Avenue 2 Market & Food Centre, Nan Yang Dao is pretty recognisable especially for those whom have patronised their Serangoon outpost before — the Aljunied outlet bearing that same prominent green signboard on the facade of the store, while dining tables are also being placed along the walkways of the block outside the shop to maximise seating capacity. One noticeable difference at their Aljunied outlet would be how this outlet is designed to be an open-concept space where there is no windows and doors separating the shop unit and the walkway of the HDB block. Otherwise, the interior is seemingly decked with the same zinc plates on one side of the space which also features neon lighting while the interior design scheme sees more usage of dark green along wooden accents — a wallpaper depicting a street scene on another wall does provide a vibe where diners at the eatery are dining along the streets of Malaysia. The printed menu at Nan Yang Dao’s Aljunied outlet does differ from the same that is used at their Serangoon Central outlet during our visits there. That being said, the menu features quite a number of items that are also offered at their Serangoon outpost — the menu being segregated into sections dedicated to Appetiser / Small Bites, Main Dishes — Stir-Fried, Main Dishes — Noodles, Nanyang Fried Nasi Lemak, Nanyang Nasi Lemak, Vegetarian Series and Desserts. Beverages available at Nan Yang Dao’s Aljunied outlet includes the 3 Layers Coffee, syrup-based beverages such as that of the Lime Juice, Chinese Tea and canned drinks — just to name a few.

We made it a point to try the Selayang Big Bowl Curry Noodle after having skipped the item at our previous visits to Nan Yang Dao at Serangoon Central; we also found ourselves giving the Nanyang Fried Nasi Lemak a go — a dish which we did not recall coming across in the menu at their Serangoon Central outlet. That being said, perhaps the most memorable dish that we have had during our trip to their Aljunied outlet was probably their Penang Pasar Malam Fried Carrot Cake. On first look, the Penang Pasar Malam Fried Carrot Cake looks pretty similar to the XO carrot cake that one is likely to be able to find in the dim sum menu of a Chinese restaurant; wok-fried in dark soy sauce, it also comes tossed with a myriad of ingredients such as that of beansprouts, egg and spring onions as well. Digging into the Penang Pasar Malam Fried Carrot Cake, we were really impressed with the textures and flavours of the dish — the carrot cake being lightly crushed on the outside and soft inside; almost required no effort to chew, while the slight sweetness of the dark soy sauce comes well-accompanied by that strong wok-hei which was pretty evident throughout the entire dish. The fluffy nibs of egg, crunchy beansprouts and spring onions further adds both flavour and texture to the dish. Overall, one of the most memorable variation of the carrot cake that we have had in recent times — a dish that was very moreish.

Despite being a relatively new name in the F&B scene, Nan Yang Dao does seem to have a steady following since its days of being only in Serangoon Central — for both times that we had dropped by Nan Yang Dao for dinner, the entire establishment was running on maximum capacity with all tables being filled with diners. It is little wonder how they are always so full after one has tried them out however; Nan Yang Dao does serve up quite a good variety of Malaysian fare on their menu — there just seems to be something being listed on their menu for everyone, especially considering the vast selection of both rice and noodles being served up at both their Serangoon and Aljunied locations. Priced at pretty reasonable rates, one would be able to get a main between $6.80 to $18.80 — the most expensive dish being the Fresh Prawn Egg Noodle with Ginger, Spring Onion Creamy Sauce (which is suggested to be shared with 2 pax), with most dishes being priced below $10. The prices can also be said as pretty value-for-money, considering how they come considerably well-executed, with portion sizes that can be said as generous; makes them a pretty attractive option to dine at even as a regular thing. There is pretty much nothing that is not to love about Nan Yang Dao, and we are glad to say that the food quality at Aljunied is pretty consistent with what it was at Serangoon as well. With this new location, it certainly makes for a more convenient spot for those living further in the East to give Nan Yang Dao a go!