A Decade Later: Revisiting Cibiuk Kajang

Ten years ago, I walked into Cibiuk Kajang and left with tears streaming down my face—not from sadness, but from the fiery sambal that made this place unforgettable. It was a culinary experience that etched itself into memory. But after a long hiatus, especially post-Covid lockdowns, my recent visit felt like a shadow of its former self.

Atmosphere & Service

The once-vibrant ambiance now feels dim and subdued. While service was fair and the QR ordering system worked efficiently, the energy that used to define this outlet seems to have faded.

The Sambal Station: A Diminished Legacy

Previously the crown jewel of the restaurant, the Sambal Station now offers just four small bowls—none of which packed the heat or complexity I remembered. The blanched vegetables (carrots, long beans, bitter gourd) lacked freshness and crunch, making the experience feel underwhelming.

What We Ate

Nasi Liwet with Ayam Bakar
The shallot-infused rice was still fragrant and satisfying. The chicken, though smaller, retained its sweet-spicy glaze. Sides of cucumber, salad leaf, fried tofu, and tempeh were decent. A tomato sambal was provided, but again, it lacked the fiery punch.

Nasi with Lele Goreng (Ikan Keli)

Similar sides as the Nasi Liwet. The fish was small but acceptable. The tofu stood out—crispy outside, soft inside. The tempeh, however, didn’t impress.

Avocado Blend
A creamy, cooling drink that helped balance the mild sambal heat. Recommended.

Final Thoughts

This visit was tinged with nostalgia and a bit of disappointment. The food wasn’t bad, but compared to the early days, the spark has dimmed. Prices have risen, and quality has slipped. For longtime fans, it’s hard not to measure today’s experience against the golden past.

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.

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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

 

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!

Rumah Makan Cibiuk

Kajang is honored to be the location of the first Rumah Makan Cibiuk franchise restaurant in Malaysia. Originally from the Cibiuk district in the Garut region of Java, the restaurant has expanded to over 40 franchise restaurants all over Indonesia. From their website, the story goes that  the Malaysian entrepreneur who opened the restaurant in Kajang, first ate at Cibiuk's Bandung outlet during a shopping trip there and was so enamored by the food, inspiring the set-up of the franchise here in Malaysia.

Cibiuk has the tagline "Rajanya Sambal" which can be translated as The King of Sambal or The Sambal is King (you decide). And the sambal literally takes center stage, placed on a pedestal in the middle of the restaurant, where you can help yourself to a variety of sambal and fresh salad (lalapan or ulam). Be warned that some of the sambal really pack a punch - think tongue numbing pungency and profuse sweating; you get the picture.

Varieties of sambal with some fresh salad

Various rice sets are available for single diners, two or four persons. There are also a-la carte options which we have not explored yet. First up was the Nasi Liwet Kastrol (for 2 persons). The menu really could do with a translation of the unfamiliar Indonesian terms in English or Malay as I had no idea what Nasi Liwet or Kastrol was when I first ordered this. Nasi Liwet turned out to be rice cooked in chicken stock and coconut milk and topped with fried shallots, cili padi (birds eye chilli) and some fresh basil leaves. It may be close cousin to our own nasi lemak and the rice was tasty enough to be eaten on its own. Kastrol is actually the pot in which the rice is served in.

The nasi liwet served in a kastrol

The set came with fried chicken, tempe, tauhu, salted fish (although the tempe was missing in our set), lalapan and more sambal. The fried chicken is done perfectly in true Indonesian style, piping hot and crispy on the outside and moist and juicy inside. The chicken is not the broiler variety and has a nice texture and bite, possibly a kampong (free range) variety. This was a great choice for us to begin your journey into Cibiuk's Sundanese cuisine and is highly recommended.

The nasi liwet set for 2 persons

On another visit, we had the Nasi Bakar Pulen Komplit set. The nasi bakar is actually cooked rice rolled in a banana leaf  wrap and then grilled. The grilling imparts the aroma of the banana leaf into the rice. The rice was nice and tasty too, almost like the tasty nasi liwet we had before. The grilled chicken had a nice caramelized outer skin, partly due to a sweetish sauce the chicken had apparently been dipped in. The tempe, tauhoo and lalapan made an appearance here too. This too is a good set which we highly recommend.

The nasi timbel ayam bakar set

Another rice set that we have tried is the Nasi Timbel Komplit Lele Goreng. I was told that nasi timbel means rice wrapped into a packet. And that was just what it was, plain white rice wrapped into a packet with banana leaf. Lele goreng is the ubiquitous Indonesian favorite ikan keli  deep fried until crispy. Accompanied again by the tempe, tauhoo and lalapan. It was good but not particularly outstanding.

Nasi timbel komplit lele goreng

If you like some soup to accompany your meal, you could try the Sop Buntut literally translated as Backside Soup. Don't worry though, it is actually a flavorful Oxtail Soup served with several thick slices of fried emping floating on the top. Good but not outstanding.

Sop Buntut

A really good antidote after all the fiery sambals is the Jus Alpukat which is Avocado Juice. This is dependent on the availability of avocado which I was told is shipped in regularly from Indonesia. Do check if it is available as the creamy avocado really soothes the burning tongue after the pungency of the sambal takes effect.

Jus Alpukat

Prices are pretty reasonable and Teh-O is served gratis (free). The new restaurant is open sided and is thus airy, cool  and comfortable at dinner time. Low tables are available for those who prefer to sit on the floor (on a raised platform) for a more authentic kampong feel. 

Overall, this is one of our best finds for 2012 and I'm sure it's a place we will be returning to more often in 2013, especially to try their a-la carte menu. 

Location : No 1G Kajang Putra, Jalan Putra 6, 43000 Kajang (it is located near the Sg Ramal Toll booth off the Silk Highway. Easiest way to get here is via the Silk Highway from Jalan Bukit, Jalan Reko or Sg Chua heading towards Putrajaya, exit just before the Sg Ramal Toll and the restaurant is just on the left side of the highway).
Contact : 012-4570061 / 012-3617348
Website : http://cibiuk.my/
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/RumahMakanCibiukMalaysia

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

Arabian House Restaurant

I’d noticed a new Middle Eastern restaurant at Taman Putra, Kajang about a month now. It’s located near the SILK Highway Sg Chua toll plaza. Take the last exit on the left just before the toll plaza heading towards Putrajaya and the restaurant is just on the left side of the exit. It’s brightly lit but does not have much in terms of Middle Eastern décor. 

The waiters are mostly Middle Eastern too and there’s some communication problem when ordering. Best to indicate the numbers on the menu once you’ve made your selection. Asking for explanations of the menu items is not advisable unless you speak Arabic. On our maiden visit, we decided to have a rice and chicken dish and some barbeque meats / mixed grill. Blame it on a menu that is not very clear but both dishes came served with rice.

The ‘Kapsa’ chicken (RM12) was described as ‘tender chicken meat stewed with fragrant rice’. Sounds a bit like briyani? The chicken was truly cooked till tender and practically dropping off the bone. The rice was imbued with the flavors of the chicken and was tasty and flavorful. No gravy was necessary although id did seem rather dry by Asian standards. Highly recommended.

The Mix Grill (RM15) consisted of kebabs and barbeque meats. The lamb kebab was probably the tastiest lamb I’ve ever eaten. Slowly cooked and moist inside, the lamb had also been nicely marinated. Highly recommended. The chicken pieces had a spicy marinade and was similarly moist inside. Highly recommended too. There was a third kebab which was quite pale in color which I assumed was minced chicken. This too was moist inside but lacked the flavors of the lamb and chicken pieces. Overall a great introduction to Middle Eastern grilled kebabs and meats. Served with long grain rice and a sauce on the side, it was good to the last grain. Very good.

The lemon juice with mint drink (RM6) was just the right drink for the hot weather and to end a great meal for Ros. 

I had the Turkish coffee (RM4). If you’ve never had Turkish coffee, be warned that the coffee grains are not strained out. It also has a bitter aftertaste. But I’m a coffee addict so I’ll take my coffee in any style or form. 

We spotted three Middle Eastern cooks in the kitchen. A rotating grill for the grilled chicken and a barbeque pit for the grilled kebabs could be seen too. Overall very authentic and tasty Middle Eastern food. We’ll be returning to try more from their extensive menu. Now, if only we could speak Arabic……..

Location : 1G Jalan Putra Kajang 5, Taman Putra Kajang, 43000 Kajang, Selangor
Contact : 03-87343476

Sahara Tent at Alamanda, Putrajaya

It was Chinese New Year season as Ros and I were celebrating our wedding anniversary recently. We were pretty much sick of Chinese food so I gave Ros a choice of Western, Japanese or Middle Eastern. She chose the latter - but the 'Middle Eastern' places around Kajang are generally pretty basic and functional, not exactly conducive for a special celebration. So we decided to venture a little further to Putrajaya.

Located within the Alamanda shopping complex in Putrajaya is Sahara Tent, an award winning Middle Eastern restaurant which gained fame in Malaysia at its flagship outlet located at the Fortuna Hotel, off Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. The entire area was later turned into Ain Arabia or Arab Quarter by DBKL. Sahara Tent's flagship outlet recently moved out to the main Jalan Sultan Ismail thoroughfare, near the old Finnegan's pub. In terms of décor, Sahara Tent @ Alamanda scores very high – fabrics and tapestries decorate the walls, Arabian carpets and artifacts are strewn around the outlet and even the lighting uses Arabian colored glass light fittings. Several group dining areas resemble a desert tent – very appropriate for a restaurant that takes its name from a desert tent. Service too was great – I think the wait staff were mainly Filipino and spoke pretty good English – a real plus point in this day and age of foreign workers.

We ordered the Meze Platter. Now I had ordered the same item at their flagship outlet in KL and the six items were served on several small platters – hummus, murtabel, chef's special eggplant, tabouleh, fattoush and waraq-enab. Here, the items were served on a single platter – but I should say, with sufficient portions to be shared by two. No complaints in that sense.

The hummus or mashed chickpea with olive oil was smooth and creamy with a tinge of bitterness. Scooped up with some bread, this is a dish synonymous with Middle eastern food for me. Murtabel on the other hand is mashed eggplant. I could not identify the seasoning but it was served with olive oil an olive on top. We liked the hummus better.

Tabbouleh is one of the 2 salads served on the platter and is a salad served with bulgur (a type of wheat). It has a slight bitter taste which may have come from parsley in the salad and sourness from lemon. Fattoush is the other salad on the platter. This had diced cucumber, tomato, onion and crispy bread pieces in a tangy salad dressing. Very appetizing.

Another inclusion on the platter was described as Chef's Special. From what I could make out, it was grilled eggplant with onion and chilli, tomato and capsicum. It had a tangy taste as well, and we both liked this. There were also two pieces of vine wrapped rice parcel (or waraq-enab). Vine leaves are a little bitter, so be warned.

 

For our main, we had the Chicken Briyani – nice long grained rice full of flavor topped with a moist and tender piece of chicken. Excellent in terms of taste. The accompanying tomato gravy was bland and tasteless – strictly for those who must moisten their rice with some gravy !

To complete the meal, we ordered some sweet dessert - baklava. This was supposed to be freshly made with crispy and crumbly pastry and sweet syrup. Here it was pre-made and refrigerated so the filo pastry had gone hard. My advice - avoid ordering this.

Overall, the food was pretty good (excluding the dessert), ambiance was great and prices were moderate. We'll return to explore the menu further.

Location : Sahara Tent Restaurant at the Ground Floor of Alamanda, Putrajaya located near the fountain area on the outside of the complex.

Warong Afgan, Paksitani Food!

Blue Roof - Afgan's Warong, glamour-less Pakistani food

Thanks to Thomas and his heads-up from The Star some months ago, I was introduced to this nameless warong by the roadside leading to Batu 9, Cheras (Suntex/Masterskills University). The writer of that Star newspaper article on this warong wrote about the authenticity of the food served here, and I have to agree - I have not seen or tasted anything like that here in Malaysia, right down to the dressing of the men who cook and serve you these food!

The freshly baked bread, long beans and teh tarik

Perhaps, this is the most authentic Pakistani simpleton food available here in Malaysia. There is not much to select from, the bread (more like naan) is just perfect. There is an art in making good bread. From the mixing and the roughing up of the dough, to the time it is left to set in and the final preparation of the dough before it is baked (I noted the use of the fingers to make that holes on the bread that makes the bread a little crisp when baked), its all part and parcel of perfect bread - this is what Afgan's (Afgan is his name, but he is from Pakistan) warong has to offer. Each perfectly crafted bread is priced at RM1.50 and to me, its a full meal for an adult.

Before you run out to Afgan's warong, let me warn you - the food choice here is limited and its aimed at the working class, nothing fancy. On the menu, bread (freshly baked in his clay oven), 'kebab' and 2-3 types of gravy - I was lucky to have long beans dry curry today, it complemented the bread - very nice. Kebab is kinda different - its made of minced beef and vegetables, made to a burger like patty, then fried in a shallow wok.

Closeup of the kebab - it is like beef burger patty, with some egg tossed on it before serving

Towards the end of the preperation, Afgan breaks an egg and gently pours it over the cooked patty, flips it over and the rest of the egg goes on it - its was interesting to watch him doing this. The final 'kebab' was black in colour, kind of burnt-out but tasted kinda nice - there was no burnt-out taste at all. Thus, don't judge a book by its cover - taste it first! The kebab is normally served with mint sauce and the bread - a full meal. My long beans curry was extra. All in - RM8.50 - including 'teh tarik' to wash it down. I must say, the tea was very nice too.

The Kebab (lime to taste) served with mint sauce

If you are looking for 'authentic simpleton Pakistani food', this is the place to be. Don't expect spicy southern Indian or mamak type of food, it is different. I recommend the 'kebab', the freshly baked bread and a side dish - check his displayed pre-cooked offerings for the day, could be interesting. Don't forget the teh tarik to wash it down.

Located along the road leading to Bt.9, from Taman Murni/Grand Saga Cheras Highway interchange

How to get there? Exit off the Cheras Highway at the Taman Murni Interchange and head back towards Bt.9 town, i.e. go left as you exit the Cheras highway. It is about 200 meter from the highway, can't miss it. Look out for that blue roof warong.