Kedai Makan Pok Nik @ Sg Ramal

A random link on Facebook lead me to Kedai Makan Pok Nik in Sg Ramal. I read a few good reviews about the place as well and decided to give it a try during the CNY holidays recently. The food was packed for take-away so my  apologies as appearance is not so appealing. 

Nasi Dagang Ikan Tongkol - RM6.50

First up, the Nasi Dagang. Brown rice - check; thick kuah ikan tongkol - check; pickled cucumber - nope; salted egg - nope; solok lada - nope. Instead, there was a red chilli, half a hard-boiled egg and some spicy brinjal. Overall the taste was good. I would recommend the Nasi Dagang here. 

Nasi Kerabu Daging Bakar - RM6.00

Next up, the Nasi Kerabu. I decided to have it with the Daging Bakar (Grilled Beef). Blue rice - nope; raw vegetables - check (albeit very stingy with this); kerisik and sauces - check (but not really sufficient); daging bakar - check (but too tough and stringy). There was also a packet of gravy included which added some taste to the otherwise bland rice (due mainly to lack of ingredients). If only they were more generous with the ingredients......

Nasi Lemak (RM3.00)

I also packed a Nasi Lemak which was packed in a styrofoam box. The sambal had a real chilli kick. On a scale of 1 to 5, I'd give this a 4.5 on the heat scale. However overall taste-wise, it was not particularly outstanding. 

Lompat Tikam (RM4.00)

Kelantanese kuih such as Lompat Tikam were available although I did not have any. I understand that more kuih are available on normal days but their kuih maker was on leave ? 

The Breakfast menu

Overall I would only recommend the Nasi Dagang. I would return for that and also to try the Laksam. It's close to the highway, so if you're travelling south and need a convenient place for breakfast near the highway, give this a try.
 
Location : Jalan Ramal 2, Taman Ramal Indah, Sg Ramal, 43000 Kajang
Contact : 012-501 5194
Facebook Link :  https://www.facebook.com/KedaiMakanPokNik?fref=ts

 

Narak Tomyam aka Kak Su Nasi Kerabu dan Nasi Berlauk @ Batu 12 Jalan Cheras

I'm  always in search of good nasi kerabu and I chanced upon a spot in Batu 12 Cheras when I was there recently to fit new tyres for my car. Batu 12 Cheras is a rather quiet kampung area after the SILK highway bypassed this stretch of road and it is dominated by used car dealers. Narak Tomyam is situated between used car dealers and is rather difficult to spot initially. Look out for the Perodua dealership and service centre and this outlet is located somewhere on the opposite side of the road.

I

The frontage of Narak Tomyam

I had to try their signature nasi kerabu (rice with shredded herbs) and chose to have it with another East Coast favorite, ayam percik (barbecued chicken coated in a spicy sauce). The nasi kerabu had sufficient amounts of herbs but maybe too much bean sprouts (taugeh) for my liking. There was enough gravy, sambal and budu (fish sauce) as well. Only thing missing was some crispy keropok (fish crackers). I should have asked for some as they did have it in sealed plastic bags.

The best nasi kerabu in Kajang?

The ayam percik was tender and tasty. Thumbs up. 

Grilled fish, sambals (on the left side) and lots of dishes on display

There's a wide array of lauk (dishes) including ikan bakar (grilled fish), ulam (raw vegetables) and curries.

The ikan and ayam percik

Various ulam (raw vegetables)

This is a great breakfast and lunch place for some authentic Kelantanese fare. They open early but some dishes may only be available closer to lunch. Possibly the best nasi kerabu in Kajang. Do give it a try and leave a comment about what you think.

Location : Narak Tomyam, JC80 Lot 717, Batu 12 Jalan Cheras, 43200 Kajang
Contact : 016-2752070

 

Hajah Restaurant @ Sg. Ramal Luar

Here's one for all of you working or living around Sg Ramal, Sg Chua, Serdang or even Putrajaya. If you're looking for authentic and simple Malay food, look no further than Hajah Restaurant.

 

Don't be fooled by the dilapidated shack looks - the spread of good food here will be enough to entice you.

 

 At noon time, you can have rice with various lauk (dishes) and some fresh ulam (raw vegetables).  

 

 Make a bee-line for the fried kampung (free-range) chicken or...

 

....ikan bakar (grilled fish). 

Rice with pajeri nenas and lauk ayam kampung

Nice vegetable salad with peanut sauce a-la gado-gado

    

Don't forget the cecah for the ikan bakar. The fish goes well with the dark soy sauce with cili padi or sambal belacan. The latter is not for the faint hearted as it really packs a punch. Keep the tissues close at hand.

The damage for everything including 2 iced lime drinks was only RM13.00. Good food and good price too. Two thumbs up for Hajah Restaurant.

Location : Lot 9406, Jalan Persiaran Sg Chua, Sg Ramal Luar, 43000 Kajang, Selangor.

Restoran ZZ Mee Rebus Tulang @ Johor Bahru

A colleague of mine told me of a place in Johor Bahru that I 'die-die also must try' when i was there recently. Armed with my Waze, I ended up spending a good 20 minutes circling a residential area looking for the elusive restaurant. When I finally found it, it was a nondescript shack in between some trees with cabana like sheds scattered around in a random fashion. Very kampung-esque.

Putting aside the setting, I went straight for the main course - mee rebus tulang. Two large beef bones with bone marrow inside were heaped onto a serving of tasty mee rebus. The mee rebus was good - not overly sweet or thick and with just the right amount of spices. Topped with some green chillies, the mee rebus alone would be worth a visit here. The tulang (bone) was a little bit of a let down. Maybe because of the hype about it, my expectations were set very high. It turned out to be just OK. I ended up spooning the mee rebus gravy into the bone when sucking out the marrow to give it the extra taste boost. They serve the dish with a straw to facilitate the extraction of the marrow from the bone (brought to mind a phrase from the Dead Poet's Society about sucking out the marrow from life).

The ubiquitous otak-otak (this is the Johor version, served grilled in nipah leaves) was available. This turned out to be just OK, bordering on the bland.

The area is dark and the parking lot nearby is littered with glass fragments from shattered vehicle window glasses. Doesn't give you a sense of security, especially when the owners of the restaurant have also posted up prominent signs at the entrance stating that vehicles are parked at owners' own risk. It wouldn't hurt them to have some security personnel stationed there.

So in conclusions I can say to my colleague Danny, I would go here again if I was in JB - but only with a local and I think I could still live happily even without returning here again.

Location: Off Jalan Petrie, Johor Bahru, Johor
Contact : 012 7227209 / 013 7492671

CLOSED-O'baroi @ Taman D'Alpinia, Puchong

O'baroi is basically a Thai restaurant, with some local and Western dishes thrown in. Chef Mei who helms the kitchen is a 10 year veteran of a resort in Pulau Perhentian. He dishes out good Western and local dishes but hailing from Kelantan, he excels at Thai dishes.Here's what we tried during our recent visit:-

Serai drink and ice lemon tea - both were nice and refreshing.

Seafood tomyam. What can I say? I was impressed! For a Malaysian cook, this may be one of the best tomyam soups that I have had around Kajang. The chef got the balance of tangy, sweet, sour and pungent just right.

We were recommended the deep fried siakap with mango salad but asked for the fish to be steamed with a lemon sauce instead. I think we should have stuck with the recommended preparation as this turned out rather disappointing with the lemon sauce being rather watery and not sufficiently sour.

Sambal squid (with green peppers) was suitably spicy and the squid cooked just right to retain its crunchiness.

Kangkung belacan (ala PM Najib - hahahaha). Done nicely.

'Obaroi' fried rice - tasty and comforting though a tad expensive at RM12.90.

The star of the evening was a dish called 'Thai Style Chicken'. It had pieces of deep fried chicken which were nice and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. This was topped with a simple sweet and tangy 'kerabu' of carrot, cucumber and onions. I would return to Obaroi just for this dish. Highly recommended.

Its a small restaurant in a quiet part of Puchong near the SKVE. I must try to get the GPS coordinates and post it here later as its a little difficult to locate. Its wort the journey there for the tomyam and Thai Style Chicken. Give it a try.

Location : 10, Jalan D'Alpinia 10, Taman D'Alpinia, 47120 Puchong
Contact : 012-533 2996

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!

Sup Power Ali

Sup Power Ali has been around for some time now, located along the Jalan Semenyih road near the interchange with the Silk Highway.

This is the place we go to for some local "comfort" food, steaming bowls of hot thick and spicy Mamak style soup with your choice of meat - chicken, beef, mutton, oxtail or various types of innards including tendons, tripe, 'torpedo' and bones. It's served with bread cubes, the perfect accompaniment to mop us the tasty soup.

There's also a stall selling nasi lemak with dishes but it's really not worth mentioning. The soup however is worth the drive there. Give it a try on cold rainy night (like today) and you'll not regret it. Be warned however that it's not for the faint hearted - the soup really packs the chilli and spices. Also be warned that picking too many meats may burn your pockets. We usually just order chicken, beef or oxtail separately. You tend to get more value for money that way ;-)

Location : 7-A, Jalan 1, Taman Maju 2, Jalan Semenyih, Kajang

Restoran Sup Ketin UK @Section 7, Bandar Baru Bangi (BBB)

I find it rather strange, writing about this place as it happend by chance, that I found it. I was hungry, driving around in Bandar Baru Bangi Section 7 (closer to Sg. Chua) when I noticed the crowd in this shop - so I went to investigate. My first experience was a ta'pau - after choosing from the spread layed out. I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of that packed soup and swore to go back for more.

Delicious! Notice the ox-tail in the soup

My 2nd and 3rd outing here was with friends and they too gave thumbs up to the beef soup here. The use of celery gives the soup a very nice flavour, different from other offerings. This is how it works, you go up to their counter - select the various 'parts' available, they mix it up in a bowl and add the brewed soup and some chillies if you want it spicy and serve it to you. It goes with rice.

The selection counter - a good spread

I would have prefered some sliced french loafs to go with this soup, it would have made an excellant offering. I must suggest to them next time I am there.

Simply Delicious!

No doubt, the soup is simply delicious - you just have to try it. I had two friends who were hesitant to try it on the first time, but ended up giving it a thumbs up after trying it.

The other interesting thing here is the number of satay they sell. We just had to try it - chicken and beef. Chicken was ok, but the beef was exceptionally good. Well marinated and tender, much like Malaysia Restaurant (in our shoot-out). No wonder they were selling in large volume - and they acquired another shop across the street to cater for the satay lovers in Bangi.

Now according to another blog I read, the owner used to sell watches in Chow Kit area, before embarking in this business. Originally from Terangganu - he brought with him the east-coast taste to the offering. Each bowl of goodness cost RM6 - RM8 depending on what goes in. It is said to be a very Kelantanese type of cooking. Somehow, the Kelantanese always get food right, I have noticed.

Kajangfood’s Top 10 Best Restaurants in South Klang Valley

It's the First Anniversary of our Kajangfood blog. It's been a year of exploring (burp!) and documenting (burp!) some of the best food in South Klang Valley. From Cheras to Broga, from Puchong to Dengkil, we've scoured the countryside for the best eating places we have heard about. Thanks to our readers and friends for all the suggestions and feedback. In return, we'd like to share with you our updated Top 10 list of best restaurants in this part of the world. Our criteria for selection is pretty simple; consistent good food, reasonable prices and popular with the locals. With the exception of the satay and bak kut teh (pork rib soup) places, the rest are restaurants with a full a-la carte menu.
 

1. Satay Kajang Haji Samuri

Haji Samuri topped our Ultimate Best Kajang Satay Shoot-Out. With a pretty good chicken satay and a decent beef satay, it's easy to understand why they have been so successful not only in Kajang, but also expanding nationwide. Their peanut sauce sets them apart from the others – their well balanced (spicy and flavorful) is one of the best.
 

2. Restoran Wan Fatt

There's no change with Wan Fatt, they're still churning out good food at reasonable prices. Their signature steamed fish and lor mee are worth special mention. Well worthy of their mention in the Ho Chak TV show.

3. Restoran Sing Kee (New Entry)

If you've been following our blog, this new entry to the Top 10 would come as no surprise. We've been singing their praises since we found them in Bandar Teknologi (after they moved there from Semenyih). Their ginger steamed wan yee (fresh water fish) is about the best we have had, and their pork with yam is also outstanding.

4. Fook Loy Restaurant
One of our regular eating spots. We keep returning for their claypot braised dishes (chicken, duck and even terrapin occasionally). Also worthy of mention is their signature dish of tomyam style prawn served in a coconut. 

5. Restoran 52

Our favorite restaurant in Semenyih, their signature dish – Guinness pork ribs - is a sweet and sticky success. I particularly like their spinach soup with century egg and fish finger slices. 

6. Seatown Seafood Restaurant (New Entry)

A rather obscure and little known restaurant on Jalan Reko, we keep going back for their shark curry. The curry beats most Indian restaurants flat – which is the greatest compliment for a Chinese chef. They are also generous with their petai. Just try the stir fried petai with prawns. A new entry to the Top 10, we're still exploring their offerings.
 

7. Ming Kee Restaurant

Another of our regular eating spots. A must-have here is the best braised eight treasure duck which has to be pre-ordered. Not many restaurants still have this hard to prepare dish. Also good here is the butter fried tilapia fish – crunchy to the last bone !
 

8. Balakong BKT & steam fish (New Entry)

This is actually a bak kut teh restaurant and a limited a-la carte menu. However it serves what in our opinion is the best steamed fish head in the Klang Valley – even better than the famous Chan Sow Lin restaurants. The pork leg is another must have here. The bak kut teh is not particularly outstanding though. I just realised we have not

9. Bukit Mewah Restaurant

This is another Kajang restaurant that's been featured on the Ho Chak TV show. Their signature dish is the lotus leaf wrapped fried tilapia and fish head curry. We haven't tried the curry as it did not look too interesting but the lotus leaf wrapped fish is a must-have here. Prices are pretty reasonable too.
 

10. Restoran Soong Kee

A popular restaurant in Kg Baru Sri Kembangan, we haven't got down to doing a proper review of this place yet. Their signature boneless fish and steamed kampong chicken are the draws here. Look out for a review soon.

So there you have it. Some places have dropped out of the Top 10 due to dwindling standards or rising prices. That's the nature of the food business, whats up this year may be down next year. So do keep visiting our blog for the latest updates. We'll try our best to keep you updated (Buuuurrrpppppp!!!).


 

The best satay in Kajang ?

For those of you who have been following kajangfood.blogspot regularly would be waiting in anticipation for the results of our "Best Satay in Kajang shoot-out" held on 30^th August. The article was posted earlier, but for some unknown reason, seems to have been deleted. So here we go again.

Firstly, let's introduce the 4 shortlisted finalists who made it to the shoot-out:-

Frontage - Restoran Malaysia

The Satay Man

The Service Team

1. Malaysia Restaurant a.k.a. Nyok Lan Satay
   This is one of the most popular satay shops in Kajang and the only one that is Chinese owned. They've been around since we were kids and our parents actually knew Nyok Lan herself!
   
   
   
   The landmark Haji Samuri outlet at Bangunan Dato Nazir
2. Haji Samuri
   Arguably the most popular in Kajang, they have outlets at the 2 Medan Satay in Kajang (one along Jalan Sulaiman opposite the KFC and the other behind the Town Hall). They also operate at the landmark Bangunan Dato Nazir building and have become almost synonymous with Kajang satay.
   
   
3. Restoran Yus
   This is a relative newcomer and does not operate in Kajang town anymore. Their 2 outlets are located in Sungai Ramal Luar (just after Country Heights after coming off the PLUS highway) and at Bandar Baru Bangi. They have a good local following.
   
   
   
   The Medan Satay complex behind the Kajang Town Hall
4. Sate Emas
   Now the last finalist was supposed to be Haji Tasmin, one of the pioneers of satay in Kajang (established in 1917), who used to have a stall at the Medan Satay. Unfortunately we found their stall No 7 had now been taken over by Haji Samuri. So we had to proceed with our next choice, which was Sate Emas, which has it's own local following. They also have another outlet at the Cheras Highway rest area.
   

Serving from Satay A

Serving from Satay B

Serving from Satay C

Serving from Satay D

Next, the methodology of the shoot-out. We decided to restrict the comparison to only beef and chicken satay – arguably the most popular types of satay although mutton, rabbit, stomach (perut), fish and ostrich satay are found at many of the outlets. We packed the satay back home with just cucumber (and onion) and the kuah (sauce) packed and chilli sambal packed separately, if available. The 4 varieties of satay were then labeled A to D and the identities were known only to me and another helper (who did not participate in the judging). The kuah was served separately from the sambal so that the judges could add the sambal according to their personal preference. The satay was reheated on a grille (without fire) before serving. A form was also provided to the judges to jot down their observations on the appearance and taste of the satay and kuah. 

Judge in deep thought....

Judges in 'hot' discussion

'Junior Judge' gives a thumbs up!

A tickled judge.....

The satay was served in 3 batches – 1^st batch was just to satisfy everyone's hunger and get a basic idea about the 4 varieties. The 2^nd and 3^rd batches were the more critical and comparative rounds and the judges were seen trying the satay from one outlet with the sauce from other outlets too. Here's what the judges thought:-

1. Malaysia Restaurant a.k.a. Nyok Lan Satay
   This restaurant easily won the Best Beef Satay award. Their beef satay was lean and chunky, well marinated and most importantly, was juicy and tender. Their chicken satay too was chunky and lean, perhaps the largest in terms of size. But chicken meat needs some fat content for taste, so theirs was not too popular with the judges who felt it was rather flat and uninteresting. The judges found the sauce to be too thick and sweet. Starch or some thickening agent had been used and it made the sauce too thick, especially when cold. The sambal kuah was added to individual taste, but did not help to counter the overly sweet sauce. The kuah was rather a let-down for them. They did however get extra points for providing onions with the cucumber. None of the other places provided onions – maybe a sign of the times with high onion prices ?
   
   
2. Haji Samuri
   Haji Samuri had possibly the Best Chicken Satay in the shoot-out. The meat-fat-meat combination added more taste to the well marinated chicken satay. The fat also added some moisture whilst creating crispy charred bits, essential for a good stick of satay. Their beef satay was perhaps runner-up with well marinated meat, which remained quite juicy inside although not as tender as Malaysia Restaurant's. Their sauce was thick with sufficient ground peanuts, not overly sweet and with a fiery sambal to be added according to taste.
   
   
3. Restoran Yus
   This was the only place that did not provide the chilli sambal separately from the peanut sauce. That did not stop them from having perhaps the Best Kuah in the shoot-out. The thick peanut sauce was well balanced with chillies to provide a thick, tasty and flavorful sauce. Their chicken satay was a close second to Haji Samuri, being well marinated and well grilled. The beef too was evenly grilled but that could not help it from being too tough. One of the judges commented that the meat could possibly be buffalo meat (kerbau) and not beef ?
   
   
4. Sate Emas
   This last minute inclusion did not fare well against the competition. The meat was not evenly grilled causing one side to be charred and the other side not properly grilled. The meat was well marinated but had a strong lemongrass (serai) smell. Both the chicken and beef were rather dry with the beef being particularly tough. Gd commented that it was as tough as the sole of his shoe ?
   
   

So after careful discussion and deliberation, our overall winner of the BEST SATAY IN KAJANG award would have to go to HAJI SAMURI ! They had the best chicken satay, a decent beef satay and a pretty good kuah. They pipped Malaysia Restaurant on the strength of their kuah and great chicken satay. The proliferation of Satay Kajang Haji Samuri restaurants not only in Kajang but to the all over the Klang Valley is testament to their popularity and consistent quality. They have also reportedly expanded operations to Seremban, Port Dickson, Ipoh and Kuching ? There's no doubt that they have carried the fame of Kajang satay all over Malaysia.

Malaysia Restaurant on the other hand get our vote for Best Beef Satay. Aside from the shoot-out, we also packed some Mutton Satay from here as they are undisputedly the best place for mutton satay in Kajang. No need for a shoot-out for this category – take our word for it. Like the beef, their mutton is well marinated, juicy and tender. There is also no gamey smell to their mutton.

Restoran Yus gets our recommendation as a good option on busy weekends when both Haji Samuri & Malaysia Restaurant tend to get very crowded. With their excellent kuah and well grilled satay, they are a serious contender for the crown in Kajang. If only they would upgrade from kerbau to lembu….

Don't take our word for it – try them yourselves. Feedback is most welcome.

Locations
1. Malaysia Restaurant – along Jalan Semenyih
2. Haji Samuri – their flagship restaurant is at Bangunan Dato Nazir, across the road from the Kajang Police Station and beside the Kajang Stadium
3. Restoran Yus – the Bandar Baru Bangi outlet is located along Persiaran Bangi connecting Jalan Reko with Banadar Baru Bangi
4. Sate Emas – their outlet is located at the Medan Satay behind the Kajang Town Hall

Odd Couple spotted on the garden swing!

Restoran Mee Bandung Muar a.k.a. D’Muar (CLOSED)

UPDATE AS AT JUNE 2014 - CLOSED
Unfortunately, they had to move due to the MRT construction work. We're trying to track where they have moved to.

Muar food has spread far and wide, including to Kajang. And not only are the Muar otak-otak and assam fish now famous and available nationwide, the Muar Mee Bandung seems to have gained popularity too, as evidenced by this stall located along Jalan Cheras near Kajang town. 

 The stall has been operating here for at least 10 years, and has been growing in popularity all the while. Not only are they popular for their Muar mee bandung but they have an extensive menu depending on the time of the day which includes:-

Breakfast : Mee rebus, nasi lemak, roti canai and lontong
Lunch : Rice with dishes, ikan bakar, mee bandung (only available lunch time onwards), chicken rice and Western food
Tea time : Cucur udang, kerang rebus, various kuih, mee bandung, rojak sotong etc
Dinner : Rice and dishes, tomyam, sup ekor, mee bandung, Western food etc

The mee rebus is tasty and thick.

The nasi lemak is decent enough but not exceptional. The sambal was on the sweetish side. 

The mee bandung is pretty good – slightly sweet (the good people of Bandung are apparently pretty liberal with sugar, very much like our Kelantanese). For RM4.00 you'll find both beef and chicken slices, prawn and squids and a soft-centre egg in the gravy. Topped with some crispy fried shallots for a nice aromatic finish.

The cucur udang here is very good. It would give Malek Tauhu of Semenyih a run for their money. The cucur are nice and fluffy and the chilli sauce is tangy, sweet and hot. Worth saving any excess in a bottle. RM1.00 will get you 3 pieces.

 The remnants of the ikan bakar after 2.00 p.m.

Ikan bakar – I haven't tried it so far but if you're there during lunch time, you can't help being enticed by the wafting aroma of fish slowly grilling on the griddle on a bed of banana leaves. The banana leaves impart a wonderful aroma to the fish. I must try it some day. 


Location : Stall along Jalan Cheras (opposite the KPJ Kajang Hospital)

Footnote from Jon : I packed some cucur udang back home and tested it using Malek's chili sauce (I'd saved some in a bottle from my last visit). The result - D'Muar wins hands down. But the cucur at Malek's is still better. D'Muar's cucur is smaller and oily - and no sign of the elusive udang too ?