Hotel Rendezvous is the place for passionate affairs – affairs with fragrant curry and fiery sambal, that is. Rendezvous Restaurant, located on the third level of the hotel's courtyard, seduces palates with their renowned Nasi Padang in all its spiced glory. Having started off more than six decades ago in Bras Basah Road as a coffee shop, Rendezvous finally returned to the land of their humble beginning as a thriving restaurant that serves authentic Indonesian Nasi Padang in 1998.

• The Vibe
  Diners will find themselves in a charming old-school environment with the restaurant's Peranakan-style floral tiles, granite-top tables and heavy wooden chairs. If you would like to have some privacy, there are two tables available by the windows for the discreet. However, note that the windows are quite dusty and grimy, so if you are not on a clandestine rendezvous (no pun intended), go for the main dining area instead.

• The Food
  Nasi Padang literally means rice from Padang, a place in West Sumatra, Indonesia. In Rendezvous, diners are spoilt for choice as the menu features an array of curry, rendang and sambal items to complement the mandatory staple of white rice ($1.00 per plate).

  Most people are very comfortable with Curry Chicken ($6.40 for breast meat, $7.40 for thigh meat) as its rich, flavourful gravy is not too hot and fragrant, with the abundance of spices used. The chicken is tender and easy to devour with your fork and spoon, making the dish very popular with the lunch crowd who wants a fuss-free meal. If you are tired of the usual chicken meat, Mutton Curry ($3.30) is a cheap and good alternative. There is no need to worry about mutton odour in this curry because Rendezvous adds a special blend of spices to mask the unpalatable smell. The meat also lends a good chewy texture that allows diners to fully savour the aroma of the curry infused within. In fact, both curries' charm lies in the gravy and I was wolfing down more gravy than meat, really.

  Another hot favourite of regulars at Rendezvous will be the Beef Rendang ($3.30). As a beef-lover, I have had the misfortune of tasting some of the toughest beef in rendang history so I was not exactly in a hurry to repeat history. The Beef Rendang at Rendezvous came as a pleasant surprise because although it looks totally dry and well, tough but it tastes otherwise. The beef was suitably soft and heavily suffused with the spicy gravy, making it an irresistible side for my white rice. Note that this Beef Rendang is quite a fiery item so if you are a potential fire-engine who turns red and spew steam from your ears at the first sign of chilli, I would recommend a non-spicy dish instead.

  The Korma Chicken ($6.40 for breast meat, $7.40 for thigh meat) is a tame choice for those who are not accustomed to spicy food. Stained a bright yellow with the assortment of spices used, Korma is a fragrant and very, very mild curry. Children usually take to this dish well, although the gravy very much pales in comparison to that of the hot Curry Chicken.

  No Nasi Padang should go without a sambal at least. The Fish Sambal ($3.30) and Prawn Sambal ($6) are highly popular in Rendezvous, although I cannot fathom the charm of the former. The fish was dry and a vast disappointment from all the previous dishes of curries and rendangs. The prawns, however, were perfectly juicy, firm and astoundingly huge for a sambal. Rendezvous insists on using king prawns for the best sambal quality they can offer patrons. It was a joy feasting on the gigantic prawn head even though I had to shell the prawn with some difficulty. I was won over at the eleventh hour by the prawns.

• The Service
  There are no menus at Rendezvous – diners are expected to proceed to the kitchen counter to order their food ala canteen style. However, rest assure it is not a self-service restaurant, as the staff will bring you your food once you have completed your order and returned to your seat. Their friendly greetings as I step out are heart-warming enough to make me feel like I have made friends there.

SD Food Advisor's Take on Rendezvous Restaurant Hock Lock Kee
The restaurant is located on the second level of Hotel Rendezvous, therefore it is largely unnoticed by the crowds scurrying along Bras Basah Road. A substantial Nasi Padang here is pricey only if you compare it with hawker prices, which is simply ridiculous because you certainly can't get such quality curry (not to mention such enormous prawns) just anywhere else.