My top 10 breakfast and lunch places in Bandar Mahkota Cheras

I've been frequenting the Bandar Mahkota Cheras (BMC) and Sg Long (SL) areas on Saturdays for the last few years and have had the opportunity to try various breakfast and lunch spots. BMC and SL are predominantly Chinese areas so the food outlets are primarily Chinese with some Western, Indian, Mamak (a unique Malaysian cuisine actually) with only a spattering of Malay stalls (no proper Malay restaurant I believe). 

There are many coffee shops and cafes , but most produce (with a few exceptions) average or mediocre food for the masses. I personally prefer the shops which specialise in particular dishes as they tend to make them well.

Here's my list of favorites in BMC in no particular order. Follow the links for location and other details on Google Maps.

1. Family Pho (Vietnamese)

Run by a Vietnamese family, this place has been around for some time. Besides the ubiquitous Pho, their Bahn Mi sandwich is worth trying too. Full meals with dishes are available too and what I've tried so far has been good.  

2. Yeng Kee Noodle House 2 

This is a branch of a noodles house from Taman Yulek Cheras. Their various fish head noodles are good and regulars even store their bottles of rice wine at the shop, to be added to the noodles for extra aroma and taste. My favourite here however are the Tendon Pork Noodles soup. The pork slices have an extraordinary texture and the broth is light and refreshing. Highly recommended.

3. Restoran Wa Bao Zai Claypot Chicken Rice 

This is a recent discovery and the Claypot Chicken Rice ticked all the right boxes - slightly burnt crust, tender well cooked chicken, pork sausages and add-on salted fish. Their Chicken Soup in Coconut was good and is recommended as well. The owner's wife is Vietnamese and she sells fresh Vietnamese tea and cashew nuts at the counter. 

4. SK Pork Noodles

A branch of the famous Seri Kembangan Pork Noodles, this is another regular go-to places for pork noodles in BMC.

5. Rojak Stall at 63 Food Station

A hard working Chinese guy runs this stall single-handedly and manages to serve a very good version of the Mamak style rojak. 

6. Beef Noodles at 63 Food Station

The chef at this stall is pretty old but his expertise shows in the flavourful beef noodle broth which has been boiled for hours. All the meat and innards are tender, and the slices of melon melt in your mouth. Highly recommended. 

7. Hock Kee Ulu Yam Loh Mee 

Their signature Ulu Yam Loh Mee is good. But my favorite here is their Hokkien Mee. Cooked with hand made thick noodles with generous amounts of pork lard, this noodle might be even better than the other famous speciality Hokkien noodles place down the road. Give it a try and tell me what you think.

8. Nasi Kandar Pokok Cheri 

The most authentic Nasi Kandar or Mamak restaurant in BMC. It will not earn any points for the dark and dingy interior but the food, especially the curries, bring me back to Penang. Have your favourite dishes and don't forget to tell them to "banjir" the rice with "kuah campur".

9. Woo Pin Fish Head Noodles

Another branch of a famous fish head noodle shop from Taman Desa, this place lives up to the reputation of its original shop. Good fish head noodles which are well executed.

10. Ah Teo Pan Mee & Zhu Ro Fen

There are a few pan mee shops around BMC, some with queues for tables. But I personally like the pan mee here. Both the sop and dry versions are good. Also good are their Pork Noodles and Curry Mee. 

Do give them a try and let me know in the comments if you have any other favourites that are not on this list.

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

 

Taste Gallery @ Bandar Mahkota

Here is a place that was listed in a Top 10 list of places to eat in Bandar Mahkota by an online portal recently. We decided to give it a try and here's what we thought:-

 

Drinks - passion fruit green tea was OK. Iced coffee - OK also. They have Illy coffee too but we did not try it this time.

 

Chef's signature Assam Laksa was OK. We would have preferred chunkier pieces of fish and more sour laksa gravy. And more prawn paste. 

 

We couldn't try their signature charcoal bun burgers on the the day we visited as they had run out of buns! So we settled for a Soft Shell Crab burger in a ciabatta bun. The soft shell crab was nice and crispy and tasty but they killed it with too much mayonaisse. There is much to be said about moderation with sauces. The fries that accompanied the burger were perfect - chunky in size, crispy on the outside and soft inside.   

 

The damage - RM44.75.  

 

First impression was rather average but we're undecided about this place. Needs more exploring of the menu. Give it a try and tell us what you think. 

Location : No 22, Jalan Temenggung 19/9, Bandar Mahkota Cheras, 43200  Cheras, Selangor

Contact : 03-90118016

Koya Japanese Restaurant, Bandar Mahkota Cheras

We finally found a Japanese place around the Kajang area worth writing about and one that we can recommend. It’s located at Bandar Mahkota Cheras near the Rotiman bakery (one of our favorite cake shops in South Klang Valley). 

We understand that the cook is Japanese. This was our first visit and we just tried a few items on the menu. First was the ‘tobiko sushi’(RM6), laden with flying fish roe, this had the usual crunchy and fishy taste. Good (sorry no photo as it came out blur).

Next was the soft shell crab and avocado roll (RM15). The soft shell crab was still hot and crunchy and this was balanced by the soft avocado. Bits of sesame seeds and tobiko gave the roll different textures whilst the Japanese mayonnaise gave it some sweetness and creaminess. Very good and recommended.

 Next was the ‘gyoza’ or Japanese dumpling (RM8). I think it was steamed and then finished on the grill. It was a little soft (compared to Chinese dumplings) but the fillings were tasty. Good.

We had the ‘unagi’ set (RM31) which at first look was a little disappointing in terms of the size of the grilled eel serving. However we could not fault the taste. The accompanying ‘chawan mushi’ (egg custard with meat) was soft and silken with a nice slight eggy fragrance. No fault with the ‘miso’ soup either but the rice was not the Japanese variety but a local long grain variety. 

They have quite an extensive menu with the usual Japanese items including sashimi (raw seafood items), agemono (deep fried), yakimono (grilled or pan fried), stewed dishes and noodles. No doubt, enough reasons for us to make return visits in future. Japanese sake is also available.   

Location : No 56, Jalan Temenggung 1/9, SCK 9, Bandar Mahkota Cheras, 43200 Kajang, Selangor
Contact : 03-90198260

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.

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!!!).


 

Loi Fatt Restaurant, Cheras

Last month we visited Loi Fatt Baru and promised to return and do a review of the other Loi Fatt, operated by the former's brother. Loi Fatt is actually the original restaurant and we were keen to learn if they were any better than the 'baru' place next door.

Strangely, the owner and chef was also on hand during our visit to take our order and make recommendations (just like the other place earlier). It was supposed to be a celebration for Ros' birthday and we wanted to have some crabs. Unfortunately we were told that they did not get their supply of crabs, so we were left crab-less! He did however recommend the steamed tilapia fish in a Nyonya style.

We were pleasantly surprised to find the dish loaded with vegetables like brinjals, ladies fingers, tomatoes, long beans and onions. It would have made an excellent one-dish meal. Considering that there were only 5 of us, they did give us a rather large fish and we found it difficult to finish the fish. The gravy was tasty but lacked the spiciness and sourness typical of a good Nyonya dish. RM35.00 for this dish.

The chef advised that they had fresh water prawns and suggested their speciality – prawns prepared in 2 styles. But we were not in the mood for too much prawns again so we opted for sang har meen. A type of sang meen was used which absorbed the prawn gravy very well. Some of the medium sized prawns had roe, which added another taste dimension and a pinkish tinge to the gravy. It was a pretty good dish but not quite as good as the Jalan Silang or Jalan Imbi sang har meen. RM60.00 for this dish with 4 medium sized prawns.

The chef suggested the Hakka char yoke for the meat dish. This was pre-cooked and reached or table pretty fast. It was a little starchy and was not really memorable. My mother in-law makes a better version.

The special taufoo with fish was very good. Crispy on the outside and soft and moist inside. It came with a tangy chilli sauce but was good enough to eat on it's own.

For our vegetable dish, we had sweet potato leaves with fermented bean-curd. There was not much fermented bean gravy in the dish. It was OK only.

Overall, we felt that the Baru's cooking and execution was slightly better than this place. But don't take our word for it. Try it yourselves and let us know what you think.

Location : 168, 9^th Mile Kg Baru Cheras, Kajang
Contact : 03-90758035

Restoran Loi Fatt Baru (New Loi Fatt Seafood)

I must confess that this is a restaurant that I have been planning to visit for about 15 years but have somehow never managed to make it previously. Located in the Batu 9 Cheras New Village, it is known to locals as a hidden gem, serving up good and fresh seafood. It is located just next door to Restoran Loi Fatt which may be a bit confusing at first. Both are popular and have their own set of regulars and fans. Loi Fatt has appeared on Taste with Jason (or at least Jason has visited the place as his photo is on the wall) whilst the Ho Chak crew had just filmed at Loi Fatt Baru the day before we visited. We learnt from the owner and cook at Loi Fatt Baru that he is the brother and was a former cook at Loi Fatt. He set up his own restaurant and has been cooking for the last 40 years.

The walls of the restaurant were plastered with articles and reviews from various newspapers and magazines. Photographs of their signature dishes on the wall were also a great help in deciding what to order. It was the eve of Hari Raya when we visited and we were the only patrons in the restaurant – I guess everyone was busy balik kampong. It was however good for us as the chef/owner himself came out to take our order and make recommendations.

The chef/owner showing us a large prawn!

This restaurant is particularly famous for their udang galah (large river prawns) and we had to try some, despite the rather prohibitive RM98 per kilo price tag. The prawns were imported from Indonesia and were apparently just delivered the previous day. There were 5 us so we ordered 5 medium sized prawns which turned out to be 1 kg or 200g per prawn. Those are pretty big sized prawns, but we were told that the big ones go up to 600g per prawn! 

 

The special prawn dish 

The prawns were cooked in a thick black sauce, somewhat like the kam heong style but without chilies or curry leaves. The outer shell of the prawns were singed, which made us suspect they had been grilled before being stir-fried. However the cook later told us that it had only been wok-fried, which actually revealed the skill of the cook in creating the wok-hei (breath of the wok) for this dish. This was very good and is worthy to be their signature dish.

Another signature dish was described as curry shark 'mouth'. What arrived at the table though would be better described as assam shark instead of curry. Served with ladies finger, brinjals, tomatoes and onions in a slightly sweet assam sauce, the pieces of sharks 'mouth' were crunchy, somewhat like the pieces of squid or terrapin. It is quite tasteless on it's own and needed the slightly spicy assam sauce to lend it some flavor. A pretty unique dish especially for the texture of the shark 'mouth'. RM40.80 for a medium sized (600g) serving.

The chef recommended pork ribs cooked in a claypot with yam. The yam used was a good variety and had a nice yam fragrance. Cooked until soft, the ribs were coated in the yam gravy. The ribs were tender and soft and had an almost melt-in-your mouth texture. We would recommend this dish.

The chef also recommended their special taufoo. The soft taufoo pieces were served in a gravy with various types of mushrooms, baby corn, shallots and chicken meat. It was nice, but not particularly outstanding.

To complete the meal, we had kalian cooked in 2 styles – shredded and fried till crispy (like seaweed) and stir-fried with garlic. Again, nice but not particularly outstanding and we felt that places like Wan Fatt did this dish better.

Overall it was a memorable meal – especially since we were able to chat with the chef/owner. We were told that their crab dishes are very popuar too – we'll keep that for our next visit. I guess business will pick up after their appearance on Ho Chak. They certainly do deserve more recognition.


Location : No 168, 9^th Mile Cheras (just before the traffic light junction to Hulu Langat)
Contact : 9075 1853 or 017-356-6592
GPS Co-ordinates : E:101, 46'14.8" N:3, 4'10.6"

Restoran Lan Je (CLOSED)

UPDATE AS AT 2013 - CLOSED
They have branches in other locations but this Balakong branch is now closed.

My former class-mate, now a banker, Mr Kong recommended this place when we met at a recent reunion. He recommended the steamed tilapia which is supposed to be their specialty. The restaurant originated in Rawang and has another branch in Kota Damansara. It so happened that after Mr Kong's recommendation, I came across an advertisement in the latest issue of City Ad (that ad magazine they drop in your post box). And coincidentally, we were in the Balakong area after a visit to Jusco Cheras Selatan and were looking for a place for lunch. 

So here's what we had:-

Steamed black tilapia

This is their signature dish. Small black tilapia, perhaps about 300g each, are individually steamed with a ginger garlic topping. There are 3 heat levels available – Regular, Spicy and Extra Spicy. The difference I understand, is just the addition of extra cut chillies to the sauce. We ordered 2 fishes both Spicy and both were steamed to perfection. The flesh was firm and juicy. And the sauce was a perfect complement to the fish – the ginger to mask the muddy smell and the garlic for a nice flavor dimension. It was RM29 for the 2 fish i.e. RM14.50 per fish ?

"Malaysian" taufoo

The waitress was trying to explain that their taufoo was not the Japanese variety. She described it as "Malaysian" although I think she meant 'local'. The taufoo can be served with chicken or prawns and we chose the prawns. To describe the dish in one word, it was just tasteless. Don't bother with this dish – try something else. RM8.00 for this dish.

Cabbage with dried prawns

The cabbage was poorly cut – large chunks. This was interspersed with some carrots and stir fried with a big dollop of oyster sauce ? The result – a rather salty and unappetizing dish. RM7.00 for this dish.

Only the steamed fish stood out – everything else was below par. My suggestion, go here, order the fish, maybe some green veggies and try not to be too adventurous with the side dishes.

Location
Address: 10 & 12 Jalan Kasturi 3, Plaza Kasturi, Batu 11 Jalan Balakong, 43200 Cheras
Contact : 016-2482009

Hidden Treasure at Balakong New Village!

First up, we had a special guest with us, Snow White! It is not easy to get Snow White to smile for the camera, however I got this classic that  really fits nicely into this blog!

Snow White

We headed out to Batu 11, Cheras, also known as Balakong - the heartland of fussy folks, located right smack in the middle of the Chinese New Village, next to the make-shift market. Down here, if your food is not good, you don't survive - they chase you away!

No name corner house

 This particular shop was only a Bah Kut Teh shop about 25 years ago, as I remember it. It was located at a corner house under a big tree. It was frequented by old men every morning, sipping their Chinese tea and having their dose of bah kut teh under the tree. Most of them brought their own tea, fresh hot boiling water was always available at every corner - self service. It was about the best, around the Kajang/Semenyih/Cheras area that I can remember and having so many old folks made us believe this place was 'something special'. 

And special it really was, it has survived more then 25 years (that I can remember, perhaps more?) and it got better! Today, they also serve other dishes including the yummy 'pork leg' and 'steamed fish head'. These 2 are simply outstanding!

Pork Leg laced with sinfully good 'fat' that melts in your mouth

They have perfected the pork's leg, the big bone, sliced and braised to perfection - it literally melts in your mouth! This beats the better bah kut teh guys in Klang in terms of taste! Its is a MUST HAVE! If you observe, every table has one of this - its a ritual here.

bah kut teh

We ordered a small bah kut teh to go with it, I won't write home about it - passable. I guess, after eating the ones in Klang, this is just so-so. It's a nice soupy dish to have, if you're there.

Steamed Fish Sifoo

He was just a young helper when I first went there some 25 years ago, as you can see, he has aged and is  now the sifoo behind the steamed fish. They offer various steamed fish, all equally good - our choice was the Teow Chew styled steamed fish head. Fish was fresh, steamed to perfection and had the right texture to put to shame the famous Chan Sow Lin restaurants - and I mean both of them. 

Steamed Fish Head

Yes, this was far better! I am going to use this as the benchmark for all steamed fish heads in future, I kid you not. Just superb! 

Note to self: We have to consider this restaurant in our revised Top 10 list. It certainly has the marks to make it to the list.

What was left of it!

What is the big deal you ask? The picture above says it all - we devoured it! Maybe next time, we have to order 2 fish dishes? I think its a splendid idea here! (mind you, it was value for money too!).

Vegetable, we need the fiber too

And to close it off, we ordered some vegetables, not much choice, but it was done very well - fresh and tasty. Must have gotten it from the market across the road earlier. Proximity to market place do count, I guess.

There was 5 of us plus 2 kids and the bill came up to the 60s which I thought was very reasonable. A note of warning though, expect it to be crowded on weekends, however the crowd moves and you don't have to wait too long. Even with the crowd, it was very enjoyable. Must do!

Location: I'll try to describe what you need to do:-

As you enter Batu 11 from the Cheras Highway, turn right at the traffic lights - into the new village.

Immediatly turn left after the traffic lights, will take you alongside the basketball court.

At the end of the road, T-junction, turn right and you are there, 20 meters away on the right - before the make-shift market place located alongside the road. It is the corner house, with extended roofing and without a name.

If you are coming from Balakong Industrial Area (MINES), head towards Batu 11 town centre - after Jusco, keep left into the town and go on  to the traffic lights in front of RHB Bank, keep left and turn left into the basketball area after the traffic lights.

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.

Johnny's Resturant (Halal)

I like this place not because it bears my home-name (Johnny), but because it is a kind of poor man's version of the more upmarket Coca Thai chain of resturants. If you've been to Thailand, you would have come across a very popular local chain called MK Restaurant, which is the Thai poor man's version of Coca Thai. Coca Thai, if you are not aware, is an international chain of Thai restaurants which pioneered the 'Thai Suki' (an adaptation from the Japanese Sukiyaki?). This outlet is the nearest one to Kajang and is situated within the AEON Cheras Selatan shopping centre in Balakong.

They are famous for their steamboat ('Thai Suki') which is a hot pot with clear stock for you to cook your own choice of ingredients. These may include the basic seafood (prawns, fish, squid etc), meat (chicken paste, chicken slices, beef etc), vegetables, tofu, fisball and meatballs in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colours and some noodles and raw eggs to finish. After cooking all the fresh ingredients, the stocks becomes sweet an flavourful. You must save some ingredients to eat with the noodles and the delicious stock at the end. Slurpy goodness.

So what sets Johhny's apart from our local Ali, Ah Chong and Anand's steamboat places ? Once again - it's in the sauce ! The chilli sauce here, just like the sauce at Coca Thai, is a trade secret and is a true taste of Thailand - sweet, sour, hot and salty all at the same time. I can finish a whole bowl of the sauce on my own with the steamboat. But be prepared with tissue paper as it is suitably pungent, in true Thai tradition.

Also worth the trying are the side dishes of mango salad (watch out for the fiery hot chili padi inside!), chicken wings and pineapple fried rice. You will also need a sweet Thai dessert to cool your scorched tongue after all the chillies.

Check their website for a location near you :

http://www.johnnyrestaurant.com/index.htm

or if you want the upmarket version, look for Coca Thai:

http://www.coca.com/cocaglobal_eng.php