This 12-year-old wants to be the next boss of heritage nasi padang shop Sabar Menanti

A century ago, Iszahar “Isz” Tambunan’s grandparents started peddling nasi padang from a pushcart along Kandahar Street, serving steamed rice with a variety of pre-cooked dishes originating from their hometown of Padang, Indonesia. Over the next decade, they settled into a shophouse and named the business Sabar Menanti, which means “wait patiently” in Bahasa Indonesia. Isz’s mum, Maryulis Marlian, and her siblings took over the reins after their parents passed away in the ’80s.
In 1994, Madam Maryulis branched out with her own eatery, Sabar Menanti 2, at a shophouse along North Bridge Road, where the nasi padang institution remained until 2022. By then, the restaurant – which had dropped the “2” from its name (the original outlet had closed due to a lack of successor) – had to relocate when their lease ended.
MULTIPLE RELOCATIONS, SKY-HIGH RENT MOTIVATED SON TO TAKE OVER BUSINESS
The restaurant moved a few units away on the same street – from 747 to 737 North Bridge Road. However, within the same year, Isz learned that their landlord was selling the shop. “The new landlord wanted to increase our rent by another 100 per cent,” he shared. “I told my mum that if I can’t find a suitable space to move to, I’ll have to go back to shipping.”
Fortunately, government agencies supported the heritage business, helping Isz locate a new space for the restaurant. With the assistance of Warees Investments, the property arm of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), Isz secured their current location. Last October, the restaurant finally settled into its largest space so far – a three-storey shophouse, also along North Bridge Road. 
Renovating the new shop was a huge undertaking. “The building was collapsing internally; nobody wanted to work on the unit. It was a big risk for me, I didn’t know whether it would work,” he admitted, declining to reveal the costs involved.
“My mum loved this building lah. That’s what drove me to make it happen. My kids as well, telling me ‘you can do it pa’,” he said, smiling. Since the move, business has been good, but Isz notes that he “can’t just rely on walk-ins”. Unlike his mum, who used to manage the catering on her own, he is now placing a greater focus on expanding their catering services to ensure Sabar Menanti’s continued success.
NEW SPACE MORE COMFORTABLE AND CHARMING THAN EVER
We’re glad the move worked out – Sabar Menanti’s new space is a far more comfortable spot to tuck into spicy rendang without sweating through your clothes. The quaint black and white shophouse offers two levels for dining, including an air-conditioned second floor, with 100 seats in total (compared with 40 before).
Isz has also energised the space with modern touches. A display cabinet showcasing the shop’s heritage sits in front of the eatery, while the staff don uniform tees with humorous slogans like “Longing For Lontong” and “Nasi Padang 4 Life” – most of which are coined by Isz’s uncle, who works at the shop.
‘EVERYONE, INCLUDING ME, WAS AND STILL IS SCARED OF HER,’ SAYS ISZ OF MUM 
So, how does Isz’s management style differ from his mother’s? “All I can say is that my staff loves me!” he quips. Madam Maryulis, now 70, had ruled Sabar Menanti with an iron fist. “Everyone, including me, was and still is scared of her,” he shared.
Growing up, Isz says his mother had never pressured him to be her successor. “She was actually against it when I was younger, because she knows how labour-intensive it is,” he explained.
Despite disagreement over some of his new business decisions – like a staff retreat to Bangkok – she now grudgingly accepts his choices with a resigned “you’re the boss”. Though the media-shy Madam Maryulis declined to speak with us on record, Isz believes that she is genuinely relieved that he stepped up, as “closing the shop would have broken her heart”.
Currently, Isz manages the day-to-day operations of the restaurant, with experienced cooks preparing the food to his mother’s high standards. Madam Maryulis still shows up daily to man the cashier and taste the dishes, ensuring the joint runs smoothly. In future, Isz hopes to step away from daily operations to focus on expanding the brand and exploring overseas opportunities.
12-YEAR-OLD TWINS POISED TO BE FOURTH-GENERATION OWNERS OF BUSINESS
At just 12 years old, Isz’s twins are already providing a lively preview of the family restaurant’s future. He says his daughter Isabella, or Izzie, “has a bit of matriarchal nature” that mirrors her grandmother’s and is “very controlling when dealing with her brother”.
“I will be the fourth-generation owner [of Sabar Menanti]. He’ll just be my minion,” proclaimed the precocious tween, referring to her brother Luca who is smiling sheepishly beside her.
“I want to open at more locations. He’s going to be my chef and I’ll make him work 24 hours a day,” she deadpanned, with a mischievous glint in her eye. Luca, ever the good-natured sport and currently more interested in rugby than selling nasi padang, just shakes his head and grins, perhaps already resigned to his sister’s ambitious plans.
NASI PADANG WITH BEEF RENDANG, S$10
According to Isz, Sabar Menanti’s beef rendang is of a drier style. While this rendition may lack the saucy richness found in other variations, the beef is tender and boasts a depth of flavour from a warm spice blend made from scratch at the restaurant every other day. The rice set comes with two sides – we especially enjoyed the chewy, lemak tapioca leaves. A dab of fiery house-made sambal adds a delightful kick. Overall, this is an above-average plate of nasi padang thanks to the excellent rendang, which takes about four hours to cook with continuously stirring.
CHICKEN OPOR, S$6
Drenched in a rich, coconutty Indonesian sauce known as opor, the subtle smokiness of the charcoal-grilled chicken pairs well with the slightly sweet gravy. The chicken is mostly succulent, though some parts were a little dry. Each bite delivered a lovely blend of fragrant spices and velvety richness.
SAMBAL GORENG, S$2
We’re often underwhelmed by the sambal goreng at most nasi padang joints. Here, however, the humble side is cooked to perfection. The long beans retain a vibrant crunch, while the chunkier-than-average tau kwa and tempeh offer a satisfying, tender bite. We’ll add this to our nasi padang order next time.
TELUR BALADO, S$2
Hard-boiled eggs served with a generous dollop of house-made balado, a spicy and tangy Indonesian sambal. A simple yet vibrant addition to your meal.
LONTONG, S$6
Large, moist and chewy rice cakes are served with the restaurant’s popular sayur lodeh, brimming with veggies and tau kwa. The fragrant, comforting gravy is a standout. Topped with painstakingly cooked serundeng (spiced  sauteed grated coconut), this is a hearty dish offering delightful textures and flavours.
BOTTOM LINE
Sabar Menanti lives up to its reputation with good nasi padang. While some diners have noted that the prices are steep, we found them pretty reasonable considering its comfortable new digs and attention to detail in the food. We like how new generation owner Isz is committed to preserving the flavours of his family’s original recipes (with mum around for quality control). Drop by on weekends – after the PSLE season – if you wanna say hi to his adorable twins, who may one day take over the business when dad retires. 
Sabar Menanti is at 719 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 198687. Open daily except Mon, 7.30am to 5pm. More info via Facebook & Instagram.
This story was originally published in 8Days. 
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