Firstly, let me clarify that this post is not about the Old Man Restaurant which used to be on the Kajangfood Top 10 list of best restaurants. This is actually the original Old Man Restaurant which has been around for over 30 years. I think has been handed down from father (the real old man) to son.
This is not a fancy restaurant with fancy dishes. They stick to the tried and tested and the food is pretty consistent and good. We tend to go here quite often but with no single outstanding dish to differentiate from other restaurants, it's more a place we go when we want some simple home-style food.
Top on the list of our favorite dishes here is the cheong cheng style steamed tilapia fish. A spicy and tangy sauce tops the perfectly steamed fish.
The sweet sour pork comes with chunky pieces of pork, cucumber, tomato, onions and pineapple. Crispy outside and juicy inside with good balance of sweet, sour and salty. Thumbs up.Perhaps one of the best versions in Kajang even.
A good choice for a taufoo (soy bean curd) dish here is the Japanese taufoo on hot plate which can be served with minced meat or with small prawns.
Brinjals with minced meat is simple and tasty.
Green vegetables are served with garlic, oyster sauce or sambal belacan and usually arrive crispy and crunchy.
Other good dishes here include their noodles (Cantonese style or Hokkien style), fried spring roll and pai kuat wong (King's spare ribs).
The lady boss (her husband is the cook) is a nurse by day. She speaks very good English and is usually able to suggest some good dishes. She will also adjust the order according to the number of persons so there is no wastage.
Location : Gerai Makan Tepi Medan Letak Kereta, Pasar Kajang, Off Jalan Bukit, Kajang.
Open from about 6.00 p.m. to about 10.30 p.m. and closed on Wednesdays. Ample parking.
Haven't been there in ages (couple of years, I think). It's because of waiting for the food. Maybe we shouldn't go at the peak hours...only 1 cook. But the food, it's real comfort style cooking and prices are very reasonable.
ReplyDeleteTomtom
Steamed fish was fresh and good. Recommended. The sweet n sour pork was very nice. I normally order the spring rolls here, one of the better ones in town. Cantonese noodles is very good here, if you don't mind the dried sotong in it. Decent food, good price and 'kurang aji/kurang garam'. You never get thirsty after a meal here. Warning though, if too many people waiting for food, you are better off elsewhere. They also have 'call in take-away', very popular with the regulars. Just drive by and collect your 'take-away'. A real small town restaurant that has survived the test of time.
ReplyDeleteThe restaurant has changed hand not so long ago?.. new operator? I have not been there for quite a while.
ReplyDeleteSimon, there are a few Old Man Restaurants in Kajang town. The first one and most famous is the one by the river next to Kajang Market, only at night. This article is about that Old Man Restaurant. I doubt this changed hands in recent years. I believe, it is father to son business here.
ReplyDeleteThen there is this one, next to the Bintang Supermarket (now Giant) in Sg. Chua, at the ground floor of the flats near by. They are 'related to the market-side business by blood, but not by money'. This one has moved further inside to a new 2-lot, double story building closer to Sek.7 Bangi. They have grown. The former place has new tenants but I was told, maintains a-related business.
Last but not least, there is the Old Man Restaurant at the junction of Lee Yen Kee Garden, Sg. Chua. So when you say Old Man, it is quite confusing.
update dec 2012 : the restaurant has been affected by river widening project by JPS.the restaurant has been closed and demolished by the JPs..any idea where they have relocated???
ReplyDeleteAnother update Dec'12: Old Man Restaurant have moved to a shop lot next to Crystal Oriental Hotel, behind AmBank and next to the Convent Kajang along Jalan Bukit - it is about 300m from where they were last located at. :-)
DeleteGood news and bad news. The good news is that Old Man Restaurant has reopened (after a short break) at the new location opposite the Oriental Crystal Hotel in town (near the Kajang Convent). The bad news is that the new location is pretty good so much so that the restaurant is always full until about 9.30 p.m. Average waiting time is between 30 minutes to an hour because they only have 1 cook. So be patient and prepared to wait if you want to taste the food here. Sigh!
ReplyDelete