Since 2003, Village Park Restaurant at 5, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama (Uptown PJ) has been the name on every PJ local’s lips when nasi lemak comes up.
Famously credited with pioneering the whole-leg ayam goreng berempah atop coconut rice — a concept many have since copied — it draws a daily mix of office workers, families, foodie tourists, and even politicians.
It’s not a roadside stall; it’s a proper air-conditioned (and open-air annex) restaurant that moves fast, seats a lot, and turns tables like clockwork.
The nasi lemak at the Village Park Restaurant in Damansara Utama is well worth the wait. The highlight is the fried chicken and strong coconut flavor of the rice and that’s the reason many locals frequent this place.
Really delicious nasi lemak and the fried chicken is tasty, well marinated and it’s served with a big portion.
The rice is lemak and the chilli is sweet rather than spicy.
The place is well air conditioned so no worries about the heat from the weather or the spiciness of the sambal.
First Impressions & Ambience
Village Park occupies a corner lot in SS21 with both air-conditioned indoor seating and a breezier semi-outdoor section.
It’s busier than it looks — weekdays see a breakfast/lunch surge from nearby office crowds; weekends bring families and out-of-towners.
The layout is functional: you’re shown to your table by a captain, order from the waiter, and food arrives in 5–10 minutes.
Turnover is high — lingering is discouraged when there’s a queue, which is most of the time between 7:30–9:30 am and 12–1:30 pm.
Cleanliness is acceptable for the volume; the restrooms could be better maintained. Parking is notoriously tight — most regulars park at Starling Mall and walk the 5-minute stretch down Jalan SS 21/37.
The Signature
Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Berempah (Whole Leg)
The headliner is the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Berempah — Whole Leg (approx. RM12 – RM14 depending on GST / service charge).
Unlike the thick-flour-coated mamak style, Village Park’s chicken is marinated in a wet spice paste of turmeric, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and coriander, then deep-fried to order.
The result: thin, craggy, golden skin that shatters when you bite in — not a thick batter — with juicy, flavourful thigh-and-drumstick meat.
The “berempah bits” — those crispy spice remnants left in the fryer — are scattered over the plate and are arguably the best part: salty, aromatic, and meant to be eaten with the rice. It’s a substantial portion; most find one plate filling.
A standard plate includes fragrant coconut rice, a hard-boiled egg (you can request telur mata/sunny-side-up for a small top-up), cucumber, crunchy ikan bilis, roasted peanuts, and their signature sambal.
The Rice
Fragrant, Soft, Slightly Sticky
The nasi lemak rice is steamed with coconut milk and pandan — it’s soft and slightly clumped rather than grain-by-grain fluffy like a kukus style.
The santan presence is moderate: enough to coat the palate without being heavy.
The softness actually works in its favour here — it soaks up the sambal and catches the fried rempah bits beautifully.
Rice portion is on the modest side for big eaters; add-on rice is available.
The Sambal
Sweet-Onion, Crowd-Pleasing
Village Park’s sambal tumis is sweet-leaning with visible shallot / onion slices and a mild-to-medium chilli heat.
It’s not a dark, savoury-sour Ujang Corner type nor an asam-forward Pak Hassan style — it’s a balanced, approachable sambal that plays nicely with the turmeric chicken.
Purists who want face-melting heat or zero sweetness may find it too gentle, but it’s exactly calibrated for mass appeal.
Ask for extra if you like it — they usually oblige.
Other Menu Items Worth Knowing
Location & Hours
Village Park Restaurant (Village Park Nasi Lemak) at Damansara Utama (SS21/Uptown PJ) — the wildly popular halal-certified spot credited with popularising the whole-leg ayam goreng berempah nasi lemak in PJ.
| Village Park Restaurant | |
|---|---|
| 5, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. See Google map. | |
| 012-273 8438 | |
| 6:30 am – 5:30 pm | |
Practical Tips:
• Parking: Very limited roadside. Strongly recommend parking at Starling Mall / The Starling and walking (~5 min). Rainy days = tougher call.
• Timing Tip: Arrive before 7:30 am for a near-seamless table; 11:45 am–1:00 pm = lunch queue peak. Takeaway moves fast if you don’t want to wait.
• Payment: Cash & major cards / Touch ‘n Go eWallet accepted.
Verdict
Village Park isn’t trying to be a hidden-gem roadside stall — it’s a well-oiled PJ institution that helped define what a “premium” nasi lemak plate looks like in Selangor.
The turmeric berempah whole-leg chicken with those crispy rempah crumbs is genuinely distinctive and executed with consistency few can match.
The sambal won’t convert heat-seekers, and the rice is softer than kukus purists might like, but as an accessible, family-friendly, halal-certified nasi lemak experience with a legendary fried chicken, it thoroughly earns its reputation.
Come early, park smart, and don’t leave those spice bits uneaten.
⭐ Rating: 4.2 / 5 — Best for: first-time PJ foodies, halal nasi lemak seekers, turmeric-chicken fans, family breakfast / lunch runs.
