The best places to eat in Kajang for 2012

As we come to the end of 2012, we would like to list our favorite restaurants. These are the places that we keep returning to. These are listed in no order of priority. Click on the links to take you back to our earlier reviews.

Chinese Restaurants
1. Wan Fatt behind Jalan Mendaling, Kajang -they are scheduled to move from their current location soon as the premises will make way for the MRT project. We will keep you posted on their new location.
2. Sing Kee at Bandar Teknologi, Jalan Semenyih
3. Min Kee at Broga – our regular family gathering place, great for the braised eight treasure duck
4. Fook Loy in Sg Chua
5. Sin Tai Mah in Semenyih, famous for their ‘lai sar yee’

Indian Restaurants
Unfortunately, we are still looking – please send us your feedback if you have found any worth mentioning.

Malay Restaurants
1. Satay Haji Samuri, the flag bearer for Kajang satay
2. Satay UK in Bandar Baru Bangi, good not only for satay but also for their signature Urat Ketin (UK) soup and Malay dishes.

Thai Restaurants
Only one worth mentioning - A’Wet Thai at Sg Chua

Indonesian Restaurants
These are sprouting up everywhere now, mostly selling Ayam Penyet. But our pick is Rumah Makan Cibiuk at Taman Putra, Sg Chua – possibly our best new find of 2012.

Japanese Restaurants
Koya Japanese Restaurant in Bandar Mahkota, Cheras. Pretty decent Japanese food at reasonable prices.

Happy eating and do keep the suggestions coming. Happy New Year!

BROGA Recreational Fishing Park

 It started out as a lazy Saturday morning to the Rabbit Farm at Broga with cousin & her kids, but then what after the farm? Eat Rabbit meat? Nah! It had to be something exciting and untested in Broga - that small town in the 'jungle' famous for its food. Quickly scanned the blogs and located this one fishing farm cum restaurant that does 'ikan bakar' of a different sort.

After the fun filled morning at the Rabbit Farm, drove into Broga town, and proceeded to drive past the Shi Na Tok temple in Broga (at the end of the road into Broga), there is a small lane at the side of the temple, just follow the route, it will lead you to this pond/farm/restaurant.. The restaurant overlooks the farm and you can see the Middle Range mountains in the horizon - and you can certainly smell the fresh air - perfect for 'makan angin'. Very scenic.

Everything goes into a foil and placed on the charcoal

Interestingly, all the food here are 'baked in silver foils'. The marinade is pre-prepared and kept in the fridge in air tight container. As customer come and order, the marinade is mixed with the fish/meat/vegetables and packed into the silver foil

Baking is the word

The fresh Talapia is from their own pond, how much fresher can it get?

We didn't expect this - mutton!

Talapia - the 'Hot Preperation'

A milder version of Talapia with some ladies fingers

Ginger Duck

Ladies finger, Brinjal, Petai & Onions = tasty

Everything here is basic, nothing fancy. The taste too was very basic, nothing fancy - no MSG. In fact, it was disappointing at first. Nothing stood out.

However as we kept sieving through the dishes, it became apparent that food prepared in such a manner kept all the 'goodness' within the silver foil packing - i.e. the gravy was fantastic! Fish preparation was so-so, but the freshness of the fish made up for the lack of cooking style. We clawed through the carcass of the fish and 'fished out' the goodness - it was satisfying.

I particularly enjoyed the vegetables and the two fish dishes prepared in two different styles. The mutton and duck was not that great. I believe chicken would have been better, especially if they offer kampung chicken.

Will I return? Yes, for the ambiance and the freshness of the fish. It is a good place to take a guest for a meal, will leave a lasting impression - the countryside and the fish pond and fresh vegetables - sure winners.

Couple that with a walk up Bukit Broga or the park next to the temple or just a late morning drive and you have a well spend day at the country-side. The children will love it.

BROGA Recreational Fishing Park:

Day off: Thursday

Open on Public Hols & Weekend

11am to 7pm.

GPS: N 02 55.834'

E 101 55.735'

Min Kee Restaurant, Revisited 2011 (CLOSED)

UPDATE AS AT JUNE 2014 - CLOSED.
Chef Loo has decided to call it quits. It was good while it lasted. Will live in our memories. Yum.
 
It's been more than a year since we first posted about Min Kee and we are glad to report after a recent visit thatChef Loo is still producing top class food. A testament to the quality of their food is the popularity of this establishment with many local market traders. Most market traders are particular about freshness of produce and 'clean' taste of the food. Min Kee scores pretty high on both counts. On most visits here, we've seen various market traders having their dinner here and also celebrating special occasions. During our last visit, we met a family of traders from the Kajang wet market who had brought their own terrapin to be cooked by Chef Loo. The wafting aroma of the terrapin cooked in a claypot with ginger (and some rice wine?) was enticing enough for us to enquire with the operator about the dish. A pity that terrapin is not easily available in Broga these days.

In our last post, we did not include their signature dish (which requires prior booking). The braised eight treasure duck alone is worth the 20 odd kilometer drive from Kajang to Broga. The duck is cooked until tender and almost melts in the mouth.

 Stuffed with nuts (lotus and gingko), mushrooms, carrots and some other nutritious goodies, the stuffings add more depth of flavor to the dish. I ended up literally licking off all the goodness from the bones! Highly recommended and still a steal at RM48 for a bird.

Another must have that we did write about previously is the crispy butter fried tilapia. The fish is filleted, sliced and deep fried with butter. Lip smacking and finger lickingly good to the last bone.

The braised pork dishes here tend to be good. We had the char yoke the last time and this time we had the pork and yam. The pork was melt in your mouth tender and had well absorbed the five spice flavored sauce. Thumbs up.

Green vegetables are grown around Broga so you can be assured of fresh and crunchy vegetables here. The yau mak was cooked with fermented bean curd (and some intensely hot chilli padi). Thumbs up, but be warned about the chilli padi!

The fern shoots (pakis) cooked with sambal belacan packed a punch too. I guess they like their vegetables with a kick here ? I found it very good actually.

It was a very satisfying visit to Min Kee and we can confirm that this is a place that will remain on our Top 10 list for some time to come. Do give it a try, but make sure you call in advance and book the braised duck.

Location : Lot 2788, Kg Baru Broga, Pekan Broga, 71750 Lenggeng, Negri Sembilan (it's a few kilometers after the Nottingham University campus)
Contact : 016-381 8038

Top 10 Restaurants in the Kajang area - updated 2010

We first posted our Top 10 Restaurants in October last year and there really has not been much change, with the exception of a newly found restaurant in Sri Kembangan, which replaces that old favourite, Soon Lee (which still has the best roast lamb I have ever tasted in my life). These are proper restaurants (excluding hawkers or places with just one specialty) all in the Kajang and surrounding vicinity which extends to Serdang, Sri Kembangan, Semenyih and Broga - anything within a 30 minute radius from Kajang. We are still looking for that elusive Indian restaurant to put on our list, but maybe we have very high standards in this respect.

Listed as before in no order of preference:-

1. Old Man Restaurant, Sg Chua, Kajang
2. Kedai Makanan Wan Fatt, Kajang town
3. Bukit Mewah Restaurant, Jalan Semenyih, Kajang
4. Restoran Min Kee, Broga, Lenggeng, Negri Sembilan
5. Restoran 52, Semenyih
6. Fook Loy Restaurant, Sg Chua, Kajang
7. Restoran Soong Kee (NEW) - Seri Kembangan
   
8. Restoran Huat Kee, Semenyih
9. Restoran Malaysia, Kajang town (Halal)
10. Haji Samuri Satay, Kajang town (Halal)
    

The last 2 places on the list are our favourite satay restaurants in Kajang. Look out for the review of Soong Kee soon.

MIN KEE RESTAURANT (CLOSED)

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UPDATE AS AT JUNE 2014 - CLOSED

 

This is a recent visit to one of our Top 10 places to eat. It was an impromptu visit so we did not pre-order their specialty (the stuffed eight-treasure duck)

The atmosphere at the restaurant is very laid-back. The village folk are usually hanging-around having their meals here, and there always seems to be a table of old folks drinking tea and chatting. You can walk into the kitchen, have a chat with the Chef (Loo) and check what’s fresh or any specials available. Gd ventured into the kitchen and spotted a pot of ‘char yoke’ which he just had to try. Here’s what we had:-

1. “Char yoke” Braised pork belly with black fungus

This is a dish that is best pre-cooked and left for the fried pork pieces to infuse the gravy. This dish did not disappoint – full of flavor and with crunchy black fungus.

Verdict : Very good

2. Butter style deep fried fish

This style of preparation is usually done with prawns but we had it with deep fried tilapia fish here. This is one of their signature dishes as well. There are many fish ponds around Broga so you can be assured of the freshest and best tasting fish here. The butter bits were scrummy and every morsel was polished off.

Verdict : Excellent

A picture paints a thousands words, so from the photo of the fish bones picked clean, you can gather what we thought of this dish !

3. “Taufoo” soup

It was a cold rainy day and we wanted to have some soup. The Chef suggested we try this soup which he described as being similar to the sharks fin soup without the sharks fin. We found it rather bland as the other ingredients such as crab meat and chicken shreds had also been omitted.

Verdict : OK

4. Fresh green vegetables

Vegetables here are sourced from the vegetable farms around Broga. Fresh, crunchy and well executed.

Verdict : Good

It’s easy to spot Chef Loo. He’s the guy with a earring!

Location : 2795 Jalan Tokong, Pekan Broga, 71750 Seremban, Negri Sembilan

Contact : 016 381 8038 (Loo Thian Sing)

Top 10 Restaurants in the Kajang area

Top 10 Restaurants in the Kajang area

These are our current favourites in the Kajang area (with a few from Serdang, Sri Kembangan, Semenyih and Broga - anything within a 30 minute radius from Kajang). These are mainly Chinese restaurants (we are still looking for Indian, Malay or other restaurants that that are worth including in our top 10). In no order of preference:-

1. Old Man Restaurant, Sg Chua, Kajang
2. Kedai Makanan Wan Fatt, Kajang town
3. Bukit Mewah Restaurant, Jalan Semenyih, Kajang
4. Restoran Min Kee, Broga, Lenggeng, Negri Sembilan
5. Restoran 52, Semenyih
6. Fook Loy Restaurant, Sg Chua, Kajang
7. Kopitiam Soon Lee, Seri Kembangan
8. Restoran Huat Kee, Semenyih
9. Restoran Malaysia, Kajang town
10. Haji Samuri Satay, Kajang town
    

Being from the Kajang, we can not exclude what has made Kajang famous – satay. So the last 2 places on the list are our favourite satay restaurants in Kajang.

Look out for more reviews of our top 10 places in future posts. Do let us have your comments on our selection and whether there are any other places you think are worth including.