[We visited this restaurant back in Dec 2019. For the latest visit, check out our post here.]
[Halal] We fell in love with Nasi Padang/Minang food when we first visited Restoran Nasi Kapau in Chow Kit.
Seriously, the dishes here are so good! And the place is so clean! What I love is that you can really taste the different spices for every dish without numbing the tongue.
Typical of Indonesian cuisine, Nasi Kapau is steamed rice served with dishes originating from Kapau – hence the name. Similarly, Nasi Padang originates from Padang, Sumatra.
Dendeng lambok
Our favourite here has to be the Dendeng Lambok Lado Ijo (RM8) – thin beef slices served with sambal ijo (green chilli sambal). So, we initially thought that this dish was Dendeng Batokok as they appear similar. However, while Dendeng Batokok tends to dry, the Dendeng Lambok here is more moist and it is boiled with spices before it is flattened and fried.
Hence, the beef slices were actually both crispy and juicy at the same time! Meanwhile, the sambal ijo had the perfect combination of salty, spicy and sourness.
Ayam pop with accompanying sambal petai 
Sambal merah
The Ayam Pop (RM7) is another standout dish here. The secret to the chicken’s juiciness is it being boiled in coconut water(!) and spices before it is fried to light golden brown. It goes so well with the accompanying sambal petai. We’ve yet to find another Padang restaurant that serves this dish.
We loved the food here so much that we learned to cook Dendeng Batokok and Ayam Pop. Check out our recipes here and here.
There are indeed many dishes to choose from – the Dendeng Lambok Sambal Merah (beef with spicy red chillis) and rendang were yummy too! The Gulai Nangka (jackfruit curry) was surprisingly savoury and delicious!
PROTIP: Ask for nasi rames when ordering to get all the different gravy and curries on your plate. Also, come early for lunch as it can get busy. This is our favourite Nasi Padang place in KL. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Dendeng lambok with green chillies 
Dendeng lambok with red chillies 
Restoran Nasi Kapau
Address: 379, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Chow Kit, 50100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Hours: 10am-10pm Daily
Phone: 012-645 8983
