
Friends toil at nasi padang stall, find ways to attract customers amid rising costs
In Singapore's saturated F&B industry, it's not easy to survive - much less stand out.
So when friends Leelavathi Sinnathurai, 57, and Nabisah Bevi Maudu, 55, decided to open N&N Nasi Padang Corner at 1036 Sembawang Road in February, those around them thought they were a little mad.
N&N stands for Nancy and Nash, as Ms Leelavathi and Ms Nabisah are known.
"We were just having breakfast when the stall owner told us there was a vacancy," Ms Nancy recalled, chuckling at the memory.
"We'd been talking about it casually, and suddenly, it just... happened."
Ms Nash does all the cooking. Ms Nancy is the cashier, handles daily operations and chats with the regulars.
But the stall is not a hobby project. Between managing costs, cooking over 30 dishes daily, and competing for customers in a saturated market, it's a full-time grind.
Ms Nash learnt to cook from her mother and best friend, who ran a nasi padang restaurant for 30 years. After years of helping out in the kitchen, she eventually struck out on her own.
"Even now, I don't get tired of cooking," she said. "It's my passion. I can cook at work, then go home and still cook for my family."
Her favourite dish? The beef rendang, slow-cooked till tender and served with chilli padi on top.
"It's traditional kampung style - very homely," Ms Nancy added. "A lot of customers say it tastes like something their mum or grandma would make."
Their ayam masak merah is another crowd favourite. The nasi lemak goes for just $4 a plate, which some customers say is "value for money".
"We even give out free keropok and fruits," Ms Nancy said. "Watermelon, papaya, banana - we cut and leave it there for people to help themselves. Especially on Fridays. It's a good thing to do."
That said, some customers have baulked at paying $7 to $9 for nasi padang. But the duo is used to it - and ready to explain.
"You can't compare today's prices with a few years ago," said Ms Nash. "Everything's more expensive now - even eggs. A tray used to cost around $4, but now it's nearly double."
Leftovers aren't kept overnight either. "We throw them," she said bluntly. "Fresh food, every day."
"If a customer really cannot afford it, sometimes we give them a discount," Ms Nancy said. "Or throw in an extra egg."
Operating hours are tight. The coffee shop opens at 6am, so Ms Nash starts cooking early - sometimes even at her Jurong outlet before driving the food over to Sembawang.
Every Friday, they also prepare food deliveries for several mosques across Singapore, including those in Marsiling, Keppel and Jurong.
And yes - they clean the stall themselves. "Even spray air freshener," Ms Nancy joked. "It's supposed to be the coffee shop's job, but we just do it."
Rental, they admit, is steep - about $6,000 to $8,000 a month. They're now exploring ways to open for dinner, possibly with lighter bites like vadai.
"Right now, we're operating until only 3pm. But the area gets busy at night - bars, clubs, all around. So we thought, why not try something new?" Ms Nash said.
They're bringing in a partner who specialises in vadai - a familiar face from pasar malams.
Ms Nash also has bigger ambitions. "I want to create more dishes. I'm good at seafood - that's my next goal."
For now, Ms Nash and Ms Nancy are keeping things humble - good food, good service, and a little extra to make customers smile.
And regulars are noticing.
Mr Soe, 55, has been eating at the same stall location for over a decade - even before the current owners took over.
"The previous couple retired when the old man got sick, but the food now still has the same taste," he said.
While he admits prices have gone up a little, he isn't too fussed.
"I bought two meals for $11 - one for me, one for my kids. Chicken nuggets and nasi lemak for the kids. Not too bad lah. The quality is quite good, and they've added more variety now."
And with few other food options nearby, it's a spot he keeps returning to. "Unless we want to drive to another block, there's not much else to eat. So we support these neighbourhood shops."
Ms Nancy said that kind of support means everything.
"We do it because we love it - and because when someone says the food reminds them of home, that's the best feeling," she said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
31 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Ikea recalls Vardefull garlic press due to risk of metal pieces detaching, full refund offered
Ikea said Vardefull garlic press' production error was identified after an internal investigation, and no incidents have been reported in Singapore. PHOTO: IKEA SINGAPORE – Swedish furniture company Ikea issued a recall on June 11 for all models of its 365+ Vardefull garlic press due to a production error. The company said the issue was identified after an internal investigation, and no incidents have been reported in Singapore. The Vardefull garlic press, which comes only in black, was found to have a risk of small metal pieces detaching during use and subsequently being ingested with food. The product has a date stamp from (YYWW) 2411 until 2522. The garlic press can also be identified by a marking of the Ikea logo on the upper handle of the product. Ikea advised its customers to immediately stop using the product and contact the store for a full refund. Those who are unable to verify the product by the logo on the handle can still return it at any Ikea store and get a refund. Ikea also encouraged customers to raise awareness about the recall. When returning the product, proof of purchase is not required. 'Ikea apologises for any inconvenience this recall may cause,' the furniture company added. For more information, go to or contact the Ikea Customer Contact Centre on +65 6786-6868. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.


CNA
39 minutes ago
- CNA
Rare earths: China's trump card in trade war with US
BEIJING: China is counting on one crucial advantage as it seeks to grind out a deal to ease its high-stakes trade war with the United States - dominance in rare earths. Used in electric vehicles, hard drives, wind turbines and missiles, rare earth elements are essential to the modern economy and national defence. AFP takes a look at how rare earths have become a key sticking point in talks between the US and China. MINING BOOM "The Middle East has oil. China has rare earths," Deng Xiaoping, the late Chinese leader whose pro-market reforms set the country on its path to becoming an economic powerhouse, said in 1992. Since then, Beijing's heavy investment in state-owned mining firms and lax environmental regulations compared to other industry players have turned China into the world's top supplier. The country now accounts for 92 per cent of global refined output, according to the International Energy Agency. But the flow of rare earths from China to manufacturers around the world has slowed after Beijing in early April began requiring domestic exporters to apply for a licence, widely seen as a response to US tariffs. Under the new requirements, which industry groups have said are complex and slow-moving, seven key elements and related magnets require Beijing's approval to be shipped to foreign buyers. DEEP IMPACT Ensuring access to the vital elements has become a top priority for US officials in talks with Chinese counterparts, with the two sides meeting this week in London. "The rare earth issue has clearly ... overpowered the other parts of the trade negotiations because of stoppages at plants in the US," said Paul Triolo, a technology expert at the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis, in an online seminar on Monday (Jun 9). That disruption, which forced US car giant Ford to temporarily halt production of its Explorer SUV, "really got the attention of the White House", said Triolo. Officials from the two countries said on Tuesday that they had agreed on a "framework" for moving forward on trade, with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressing optimism that concerns over access to rare earths "will be resolved" eventually. RARE EARTH ADVANTAGE The slowing of licence issuance has raised fears that more automakers will be forced to halt production while they await shipments. China's commerce ministry said over the weekend that as a "responsible major country", it had approved a certain number of export applications, adding that it was willing to strengthen related dialogue with "relevant countries". But that bottleneck has highlighted Washington's reliance on Chinese rare earths for producing its defence equipment, even as trade and geopolitical tensions deepen. An F-35 fighter jet contains more than 400kg of rare earth elements, noted a recent analysis by Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz of the Critical Minerals Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Developing mining and processing capabilities requires a long-term effort, meaning the US will be on the back foot for the foreseeable future," they wrote. PLAYING CATCH UP The recent export control measures are not the first time China has leveraged its dominance of rare earths supply chains. After a 2010 maritime collision between a Chinese trawler and Japanese coast guard boats in disputed waters, Beijing briefly halted shipments of its rare earths to Tokyo. The episode spurred Japan to invest in alternative sources and improve stockpiling of the vital elements - with limited success. That is "a good illustration of the difficulty of actually reducing dependence on China", said Triolo, noting that in the 15 years since the incident, Japan has achieved only "marginal gains". The Pentagon is trying to catch up, with its "mine-to-magnet" strategy aiming to ensure an all-domestic supply chain for the key components by 2027. The challenge facing Washington to compete with Beijing in rare earths is compounded by sheer luck: China sits on the world's largest reserves. "Mineable concentrations are less common than for most other mineral commodities, making extraction more costly," wrote Rico Luman and Ewa Manthey of ING in an analysis published on Tuesday. "It is this complex and costly extraction and processing that make rare earths strategically significant," they wrote.

Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Slovakia cannot support new EU sanctions against Russia without energy solutions, PM Fico says
FILE PHOTO: Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico attends a press conference, as he marks the anniversary of his attempted assassination, at the site of the attack, in Handlova, central Slovakia May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa/File Photo Slovakia cannot support new EU sanctions against Russia without energy solutions, PM Fico says Slovakia will not back the EU's 18th package of sanctions against Russia unless the European Commission provides a solution to the situation the country faces if the bloc phases out Russian energy as planned, Prime Minister Robert Fico said. The Commission proposed on Tuesday a new round of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, targeting Moscow's energy revenues, its banks and its military industry. Fico has criticised separate European Union plans to phase out Russian gas and other energy imports in the coming years, which the EU executive announced last month, calling them "economic suicide". Hungary, which like Slovakia, continues to rely on Russian gas and oil supplies, and like Slovakia has maintained warm ties with Moscow, has also rejected the plans. EU countries will start debating the sanctions proposals this week, which require unanimity in the bloc for approval. "Slovakia will not support the upcoming 18th sanctions package against Russia unless the European Commission provides it with a real solution to the crisis situation that Slovakia will find itself in after the complete cessation of gas, oil and nuclear fuel supplies from Russia," Fico wrote in a Facebook post late on Tuesday. Slovakia has not blocked any previous sanctions packages. But Fico had said over the weekend Slovakia would block any sanctions that harmed its national interests. The Commission's new sanctions package proposes banning transactions with Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines, as well as banks that engage in sanctions circumvention. The Commission has also proposed lowering the Group of Seven nations' price cap on Russian crude oil to $45 a barrel, from $60 a barrel, to cut Russia's energy revenues. Fico has long opposed sanctions against Russia, saying they harmed Slovakia and the EU more than Moscow. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.