Nasi Lemak Depan Taman Bina @ Tanjung Malim, Perak

Here I am all set to try out another Nasi Lemak place in Tanjung Malim. Initially I was thinking of taking a drive somewhere towards the Ulu Bernam side of town but as I was returning from my morning walk heading home, right in front of Taman Bina, there was another stall selling the same. It seemed quite empty, in the sense that there were no customers at all. This is quite strange at this hour as most of the Nasi Lemak places that I have seen would at least have a couple of customers waiting in line to pack something back. Feeling sorry for this guy, I decided to give him some business and try out his Nasi Lemak.

The Stall Located In Front Of Taman Bina

Seemed Like An Indonesian

Not A Great Selection But Still Good

Located Right In Front Of These Houses

Seeing me walk up to his stall, he emanated a very wide and thankful smile which was so touching. The man seemed like an Indonesian, definitely not Malaysian and he was warm and very welcoming. Selection wasn't too great but good for someone who is looking for some quick breakfast. There were Nasi Lemak, Noodles and a handful of Malay cakes. Having checked out what was available, I decided to just go for the basic Nasi Lemak with an Omelette. The add on's didn't look too good and as such, I decided to just give them a skip. I was busy taking some photographs and before I realised, he had finished packing. Having paid him, I then collected my Nasi Lemak and continued walking home.

Nasi Lemak @ RM 2.00

Nasi Lemak @ RM 2.00

My breakfast cost me RM 2.00 which seemed quite reasonable bearing in mind that I had added an omelette. The good thing was that he had provided a plastic spoon. The weird thing was that the packaging itself looked very oddly shaped. Hoping for the best, I opened it up and was taken by shock. The presentation was completely off and it looked like someone had dumped a number of things inside and just wrapped it up hoping that it stays in place. There was nothing much that I could individually identify except for the rice and omelette. Seems that he's a novice in this business. Now, I'm praying that this tastes good!

Coconut Milk Rice

Okay.....this was not as bad as it seemed and it was decent. Edible I should say. If given a choice, I would surely not go for this as other stalls out there do serve way better ones. I would say that this deserves a rating of 4/10.

Cucumber

After careful examination, I managed to pick out the two thinly sliced cucumbers and they seemed like they were at least one week old. Definitely not fresh and too thin they were. Not good! The colour should speak for itself!

Omelette

The Omelette was decent but the yolk was not runny. I always prefer my eggs to be runny at the yolk whenever I have Nasi Lemak and so far, all the places that I have tried sell just that with the exception of this one stall. I would rate this at 5/10 only.

Sambal & Peanuts

Sambal & Peanuts

The Sambal was way too watery and this was what I could capture. There were no Anchovies or even diced onions in them and it was way too sweet. At one point, it felt like I was eating some sweet dish when it should be one that's spicy. The signature flavour was completely missing from this dish. The Fried Peanuts, that was a shame. Soft they were and easily they would have been at least a week old. I would rate this Sambal at 2/10 and I think that that's quite a kind rating for this preparation.

Now I know why there were no patrons here. He's quite a nice man but the food was just not up to the mark. In fact, it was sub standard I would say. I do hope that he improves on the preparation otherwise he would definitely end up losing money soon, if he has not already. A disappointment it was!

Address: Taman Bina, 35900 Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 0645 - 1100 (Closed on Mondays) 

WTC Cafe @ Rawang, Selangor

WTC Cafe is located in the heart of Rawang Town, just along Jalan Bandar Rawang 1. It has been ages since I entered Rawang town, usually I would just visit the Indian restaurants located along Jalan Welman and then head back into the highway. Since we were in town today, my father who is more familiar with this place, suggested for us to have dinner at this place called WTC. He was strongly recommending this place and mentioned that the food here is very good. He hardly gives out such recommendations and whenever he does, it always turns out to be correct and so, I decided to just tag along. 

The Older WTC

The Newer WTC

Visible From Afar

Parking can be difficult in this area and it is advisable to park slightly further, usually around 100 meters away from this restaurant. As we walked towards the restaurant, I could see a huge food court on both sides of the road. On the left was the old WTC which easily had about 20 stalls and on the right, the new WTC which is called WTC2 which again had quite a large population of stalls. Both places seemed crowded. Looking at the crowd, it just reinforced my conviction that the food here must indeed be good. Seating wise, WTC looked a little more cramped and crowded and so we decided to find a place to sit in the newer WTC 2.

A More Modern Look Compared To WTC

Indoor & Outdoor Spaces

Chinese Tea @ RM 0.50 per Glass

If we had been slightly late, it would have been impossible to find a place to sit. Once we took our seats, we ordered the drinks and it was sent over to the table within minutes. Then, we took turns to walk around and check out the stalls and placed our orders individually. The newer WTC was more modern in design and seemed more cosy and comfortable. Ventilation and lighting too was way better here.

Popiah Stall Located in the Older WTC

Crispy Popiah @ RM 2.00

Crispy Popiah @ RM 2.00

Loved The Filling

The Popiah stall is located on the older WTC side and the preparation is done by an Indonesian lady. Priced at RM 2.00 per roll, it was very good. The skin was soft and the filling was so delicious. It was crunchy, creamy and the lavish amount of chili sauce added a zing to it. The crunchy taste came from ground peanuts and it added an unexpected twist to it. Very impressed! I would rate this at 9.7/10 .

Char Kuey Teow Stall

Char Kuey Teow @ RM 4.50 per plate

Char Kuey Teow @ RM 4.50 per plate

Char Kuey Teow @ RM 4.50 per plate

Chilies

This stall too was located on the older WTC side, facing the street. The Char Kuey Teow was a heavenly delight! It was super good. The flavours were all perfect, just the way a plate of excellent Char Kuey Teow should be. Filled with loads of cockles, shrimps, egg and bean sprouts, it was just too good! Never expected to discover such delicious CKT in Rawang. I would rate this at 9.7/10 . Only setback would be the stingy portion of bird eye chilies.

Fried Chicken on the New WTC Side

Prices Are Steep

Per Piece Of Fried Chicken @ RM 4.00

Per Piece Of Fried Chicken @ RM 4.00

Looks Like Some Cheap Chili Sauce

This Fried Chicken Stall is located on the newer WTC side or perhaps I should just say on WTC 2 side. Prices were very steep, in fact it would not be wrong if I said that these guys are even more expensive than KFC. The Fried Chicken however tasted nice but not one that I would fancy to have often. More bones then meat but the flavours were good. I would rate this Fried Chicken at 7/10 . The setback here was the Chili Sauce. It was not up to the mark and it's so clear that it is one from those cheaper brands. 

Chicken Satay @ RM 0.80 per Skewer

Chicken Satay @ RM 0.80 per Skewer

Chicken Satay @ RM 0.80 per Skewer

This Chicken Satay stall is on the WTC 2 side and is owned and run by an Indonesian couple. They had Chicken, Beef and Mutton Satay and they were priced at 80 cents, 70 cents and 90 cents per skewer respectively. What I liked most about this Satay was the lean meat with completely no traces of fat. The marination too was good. Neither too sweet nor spicy. I would rate this at 8/10 . This also came with a decent amount of chopped cucumbers and onions on the sides and they too were very fresh. Loved them!

Peanut Sauce

Peanut Sauce

The Peanut Sauce tasted more Indonesian than Malaysian. Definitely an Indonesian recipe made to look like the Malaysian one. It had more spices added to it and the peanuts were very finely ground. I am not sure if this would be preferred by the majority of Malaysians but it was okay for me as I am used to Indonesian food as well. As far as the ratings, I would give this a 7/10 .

Overall, I am very happy with this place and indeed glad that my dad introduced me to this restaurant. Every single dish that we tried was delicious. Not a single dish which I could side out and say....hey this was so so only. A place that I would recommend and I am definitely coming again soon to try out the other dishes available here. 

Address: Along Jalan Bandar Rawang 1, Pusat Bandar Rawang,

                48000 Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 1800 - 0000 Daily

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wtc-Cafe/194681353904290?rf=125969930811670

Nasi Lemak Depan Taman Universiti @ Tanjung Malim, Perak

During the fasting month, all the Nasi Lemak hawkers are closed and I had been craving to have some good Nasi Lemak for over a month now. With the Raya season being over, business is back to normal. This stall is located right at the entrance to Taman Universiti in Tanjung Malim.

This Lady Manages The Stall Herself

Decent Selection of Cakes

Located Right At The Entrance

Opposite This Row Of Shops

She is open daily at the very same spot from 6.45 am till approximately 11 am. This is the first time that I am giving this stall a try. Well, you would never know how good a place is unless one actually tries the food and as far as that is concerned, I'm quite adventurous. She had quite a good spread of Nasi Lemak, Mee Hoon, some sides and cakes. Typical of most stalls, there were no seating available and it was purely takeaways. Likewise, I did the same too.

Modern Packaging

My Breakfast @ RM 3.50

The basic Nasi Lemak set is priced at RM 1.50 and since I added some Squid Sambal, that was an additional RM 2.00 and thus the total of RM 3.50 . I also loved the fact that she had used such a packaging as it is more convenient but obviously it's not environmental friendly. 

Coconut Milk Rice

The Rice was good. Cooked with some coconut milk, it tasted just like it should be. Some places serve some grainy tasting rice which is one that I hate but this was not the case here. Not so great, but good and I would rate the rice at 7/10 .

Anchovies & Fried Peanuts

Cucumber's Too

She definitely was quite stingy with the Fried Anchovies, Fried Peanuts and Cucumber slices and they were not fresh and crunchy as they should be. Must be at least one that was fried two days back. As for these, I would only rate them at 4/10 .

Half A Hard Boiled Egg

She also does have Fried Omelettes but that's different pricing altogether. I just decided to stick with the basic set as I didn't want to go for an overload of Protein in the morning. 

Onion & Anchovies Sambal

This Sambal was very good! Spicy and just perfect for the creamy rice. Enjoyed it thoroughly. The portion may seem small but it was surely potent and sufficient. Loved it! I would rate her Sambal at 9.5/10 .

Squid Sambal

For RM 2.00, the portion was justified. The Squid Sambal was simply divine. Wickedly spicy and mildly salty, it was just the perfect mix of ingredients. Even as I write now, I am salivating thinking of the taste. Heavenly it was! I would rate this at 10/10 .

Overall, I feel that she does some good Nasi Lemak and Sambal's. Both the Anchovies & Onion combination as well as the Squid Sambal was a true winner. Would be good if she improves on the quantity of the Fried Anchovies and Friend Peanuts. Nevertheless, one that I would recommend simply for her Sambals!

Address: Taman Universiti, 35900 Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 0645 - 1100 Daily 

Thiyagu's Stall @ Hulu Bernam, Selangor

This is a stall that had been around for at least two decades now and is located at the entrance to Kampung Kilang Papan, a residential area that is located on the Ulu Bernam side of town, not too far from the Tanjung Malim exit that links to the North South Highway. For many years, it was run by a lady called Malika and recently, some years ago, it was taken over by a guy called Thiyagu who had apparently studied together with my brother in school. Despite having passed this place many times over, I had not visited them before. Today, out of curiosity, I decided on dropping by to check out the food scene here. 

The Humble Stall

At The Entrance To Kampung Kilang Papan

Simple But Very Clean

A Place Where The Locals Come To Relax While Having A Tea

Love The View

That's Thiyagu

The place is nothing but a very humble set up, very much like the stalls that you find in 'Kampungs'. Having been married recently, the stall is now manned by Thiyagu and his wife. Both of them manage end to end, right from cooking to taking orders and even cleaning up. Very hardworking couple indeed. As I walked in, he definitely did not recognise me and I preferred for it to remain such. Having not had my lunch, I checked with him to see what was available. The options were quite simple. They had some noodles and they also prepare Roti Canai upon request. These two seem to be the main sellers here. I guess that's quite sufficient for a stall like this. After all, big eateries aren't located too far away and so it does not make sense for him to have a huge variety. From my observation, most people come here just to have a quick snack and there are some who come to simply relax, reading the daily papers while sipping a glass of tea. That is the kind of crowd that comes here. Having understood what they had to offer, I ordered myself a glass of Teh Tarik, one Roti Canai and a plate of Mee Goreng. Well, that gives me an opportunity to try all their offerings. Once done, I found myself a quiet corner and just waited for the food to be served.

Teh Tarik @ RM 1.20

Thiyagu fixed the tea himself and this was priced at RM 1.20 per glass. Cheaper than the rest by 10 cents and I would say very reasonable for an outlet of this size. These are the small things that would attract the 'locals' to such establishments and he has understood the business well.The Tea was good! Honestly, I did not expect much out of this place but I'm impressed. That would be the right word to use. I would rate their Teh Tarik at 9/10 .

Roti Canai with Sambar & Sambal @ RM 1.20 each

Roti Canai @ RM 1.20

Delicious, Creamy and Minimal Oil Used

It didn't take him too long to make the Roti Canai and he seemed quite skilled doing it. When the bread was served, I was once again impressed. Just look at the Roti Canai please. It had the perfect texture, looked amazingly good and with very minimal oil. It seemed as if no oil was used. It takes great skill to prepare something like this. The taste was simply excellent. It was creamy, delicious and I did not need any curry to go with it as it was amazing on it's own. One of the best 'healthy version' Roti Canai's that I have tried and I would rate this at 9.7/10 .

Sambar with Anchovies Sambal

Sambar with Anchovies Sambal

This comes complimentary with the Roti Canai and it was good too. The killer here was the Anchovies Sambal. Very spicy preparation and when mixed together with the Sambar, it was just delicious. I would rate this preparation at 8/10 .

Mee Goreng @ RM 1.50 per plate

Mee Goreng @ RM 1.50 per plate

Mee Goreng @ RM 1.50 per plate

You must be wondering if I had typed the price right and indeed I have. That's exactly what he had charged me for this delicious plate of noodles. Not the very dry version, slightly wet and it was served with some Sambal on the side. The Mee Goreng itself was tasty, not great, yet tasty and amazingly cheap. I would rate this at 7/10 .

Spicy Onion Sambal

Spicy Onion Sambal

This Sambal was different to the one served with the Roti Canai. This was prepared using onions and chili paste only. Nevertheless, it tasted very nice. Spicy, slightly salty and the onions gives it a crunchy feel. Loved it though and I would rate this at 8/10 .

Overall, I am very happy with the food here. The Mee Goreng was good but the winner today is definitely his Roti Canai. In all likelyhood, I might permanently switch to this place whenever I want to have some Roti Canai. After all, this place isn't too far from town and is a mere 5 minutes drive. Prices are very much wallet friendly and the service is indeed personal. Keep up the great work guys!

Address: Kampung Kilang Papan, Jalan Besar Ulu Bernam, 

                35900 Hulu Bernam, Selangor , Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 0700 - 1900 Daily 

                            Weekly Off Days Are Not Fixed