In recent years, a new wave of nasi lemak chains has taken social media by storm. Now, there’s another name to get to know in the Klang Valley.

Head to Seksyen 13, Shah Alam, where “Nasi Lemak Pak Man” has become a crowd-puller.

While they only opened in October last year, the owners are hardly newcomers to the scene. They are the founders of ‘Padangs on Wheels’, which began as a humble food truck in 2014, and has since expanded into multiple outlets.

While the brand’s original restaurant specialises in the traditional food of Indonesia’s Minangkabau people, “Nasi Lemak Pak Man” leans toward a more contemporary, distinctly Malaysian style.

Even before you walk in, a vintage-style signboard in all three Malaysian languages sets the tone.

Inside, the space, designed by Khalisha Amanda Lokman (one of the founders’ daughters) feels cosy, combining modern aesthetics with classic kopitiam vibes.

Co-founder Farrrah Adeeba told FMT Lifestyle, “After 10 years of ‘Padangs on Wheels’, we wanted to expand our brands since we already have a central kitchen that allows us to do a lot more. The next step was creating ‘Nasi Lemak Pak Man’.”

Farrah, who trained as a legal practitioner, later worked as a journalist for several years before venturing into fashion design, and finally, the F&B world.

Along with the original two founders, they brought on Fais Zulkifli, who helped expand the brand to four outlets and is now also a co-owner of their latest eatery.

So, will they be able to repeat their success?

FMT Lifestyle dropped by for breakfast and tried their nasi lemak with fried chicken. The rice, served from a traditional wooden bucket, was steaming and rich with coconut aroma and not too oily.

The chicken did look plain at first, but each piece is lightly battered and seasoned more like KFC than the usual ayam berempah – different, but in a good way, letting the nasi lemak itself shine.

And the sambal? Sweet at first, but with a subtle kick that grows as you eat, making it surprisingly addictive. Plus, priced at just RM13.50 for a whole quarter chicken, it’s definitely worth every ringgit.

Building on what they already perfected with “Padangs on Wheels”, the restaurant also serves a wide array of authentic Malay side dishes (lauk).

From sambal udang petai and sotong to kerang, rendang daging, kangkung, and even the rare sambal goreng, it’s a full, satisfying meal that never gets boring, anytime of the day.

Make sure to save room for the roti bakar. Alongside the classic butter and kaya, the restaurant adds its own unique twists, like the crunchy pistachio version. Each slice of white kopitiam bread is grilled on the spot, layered with cold butter and a pistachio spread.

The combination of crispy bread and crunchy, sweet pistachio is downright addictive – no wonder it’s both a best-seller and the owners’ favourite.

If you prefer something more traditional, try the roti bakar kacang tumbuk!

And don’t sleep on the drinks either. Creative options like teh tarik float, soda gembira, and even modern coffees like a Spanish latte are on the menu.

FMT Lifestyle’s favourite, though, was the kopi leleh – rich, thick, frothy and a perfect pairing with the nasi lemak.

“We have a few more menu items in the works, and we hope to open more outlets one day and grow into additional brands in the future,” shared Fais.

Open till midnight, head to Seksyen 13, Shah Alam for your anytime, all-day nasi lemak cravings.

Nasi Lemak Pak Man
32, Jalan Bola Tampar
13/14, Seksyen 13
40100 Shah Alam
Selangor

Business hours: 6:30am-12am daily

Follow Nasi Lemak Pak Man on Instagram