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

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.

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!

The best Nasi Lemak in Kajang ?

Gd wrote about this place previously and it gets my vote as the best nasi lemak in Kajang (at the moment anyway). It doesn't have a proper sign-board but I found out the owner is Kak Maznah who also does catering services. Here's what the place looks like from the outside.
The beef rendang is well cooked and has that 'breaks-in-your-mouth' consistency which is the consistency that a rendang should have. Spicy with a tinge of sweetness, the coconut gravy is an almost perfect complement for the nasi lemak. RM3.00 for nasi lemak rendang daging.

If beef is not your cup of tea, go for the sotong. Kak Maznah (no, she's too young to be a Makcik lah) is pretty generous with the sotong. But ask her to pack it separately as she tends to dump a lot of gravy with the sotong, which makes the rice a little soggy. RM3.00 for nasi lemak sotong.

Best go before 9.30 a.m. as the rendang and sotong runs out quickly on weekends. It's usual to see customers packing 10 to 15 packets at one go! It really is value for money!

We're open open for feedback if you can suggest any place with better nasi lemak in Kajang :-)

Location : No. 112, Jalan 5, Section 5, Taman West Country (Langat Jaya?), Jalan Reko, Kajang
Telephone : 012-682 3063 (Maznah)

GPS coordinates : 2.964027,101.790132

Restoran Nasi Ulam (halal)

Thanks to a tip from TomTom, I ventured to Bandar Baru Bangi in search of a good nasi kerabu (or nasi ulam). Situated beside the old Pro-Jet petrol station (near the Warta shopping centre) are a block of shop houses. Look for a Ramly Burger retail outlet and a few doors away is Restoran Nasi Ulam. Having a name that indicates that it specialises in nasi ulam, my expectations were actually pretty high. I packed one nasi ulam and one nasi dagang, just to sample the fare. Nasi ulam with ayam percik and nasi dagang with ikan tongkol (?) and a piece of ayam goreng berempah. I must say that at RM12.50, it was pretty steep for a breakfast. The verdict ?



The nasi ulam was tasty but certainly not the best in town. Sadly it would not make my top 3 in Kajang.




The nasi dagang was not up to mark. The fish gravy lacked flavour and there were no pickled cucumbers to accompany. Thumbs down. The ayam goreng berempah however gets the thumbs up.