Javaplate @ Selayang, Selangor

This morning I happened to be in Selayang for an early meeting and by 9.30 am, the meeting was over. That was when I came into Selayang Mall in search of a place to have breakfast. You may be wondering why the mall since there are so many stalls out there. To be honest, I have tried most of the places and for the sake of trying something new, I ventured into this mall. 

Javaplate Located On The Lower Ground Floor

This mall used to be a very happening place in the 90's. Sadly, with all those new malls that have been coming up, this mall sort off lost it's glory. It was in recent years that they had refurbished this place and given it a new look. Still, the old glamour isn't there anymore. Javaplate is an Indo-Malay Warung Concept Stall that is located on the Lower Ground Floor of this mall. In fact, they have taken up a relatively large space. I was here when the mall just opened and the staffs were seen preparing everything.Despite that, they did have a few walks in's who did takeaways. 

The Menu

The Menu

They didn't have too many dishes and I was told that only a handful of their signature dishes were offered at this outlet. Even then, at this hour, only Nasi Lemak was available. So I ordered that along with a coffee. It's all self service here so you place your orders at the cashier, pay for them, and once they are ready, collect the dishes and move to your table. 

Nasi Lemak Ayam @ RM 5.50

Their Nasi Lemak was typically the Nasi Lemak Bungkus which is laid on a plate and served. One could go with the Fried Chicken or choose to just have the Nasi Lemak on it's own. I wouldn't complain about the prices as this is a mall and the entire place is air-conditioned. As for me, comfort justifies the price. 

Spicy Sambal

The Nasi Lemak was really good. Lot's of anchovies, a quarter of a hard boiled egg and the sambal was really spicy which was to my liking. The rice too was aromatic and had that starchy flavour to it. This is definitely a good plate of Nasi Lemak and I would rate this at 8/10. 

Fried Chicken

The Fried Chicken however was horrible. I assume that it must have been fried yesterday evening. The meat was stiff, it lacked flavours and it tasted very cold so much so I left the majority of it as it was a put off. Nope, I would not recommend their Fried Chicken. Perhaps, they may fry new ones later. I do not know as I am just assuming. But this one was definitely left overs. If I were to rate their Fried Chicken, I would give this a 3/10. 

Local Coffee @ RM 2.50

The Coffee was good. In fact, for one that was fixed by an Indonesian girl, it was really good and very close in taste to the ones that we get in Indian Muslim restaurants. I would definitely give this a 8/10 as well. 

Based on what I had tried this morning, their Nasi Lemak is one that I would recommend but please skip the Fried Chicken. That one was horrible. If I get a chance, I would definitely love to taste their other signature dishes that is available for lunch.

Address: Lot LG 03, Selayang Mall Shopping Centre, Jalan SU 9, Taman Selayang Utama,

                68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 1000 - 2200 Daily

Restoran De' Daun @ Selayang, Selangor

It was by chance that I stumbled upon this restaurant while looking for a place to have breakfast in Selayang and I am so glad that I did. Before talking through more about my experience here, let me first give an introduction to this place. Restoran De' Daun is located in Taman Paragon Utama, not too far away from the junction that turns into FRIM. If you are driving on the inside road, you can't miss this place as it is clearly visible from the road. They start as early as 8 am and business goes on till around 10.30 pm. Throughout the day, the menu changes. 

The Restaurant Along Jalan Paragon Utama 1

Lovely Designs

The restaurant was beautifully designed and it looked more like a banquet than a day to day restaurant. Breakfast isn't their main business and therefore there wasn't much of a crowd then. The main business starts with lunch where they have a variety of Malay and Kelantanese dishes and then it slows down again for tea and picks up again for dinner. For dinner, they offer both Malay and Western cuisine. I was there around 10 am and as mentioned earlier, it was for breakfast. They only had a handful of dishes like Nasi Lemak, Mee Goreng, Lontong etc and being a fan of Nasi Lemak, I just couldn't resist. The dishes were stacked on the shelves along with some curries. On the side table, as and when the lunch dishes were ready, they too were being placed there and they looked extremely good as well. The staffs were very friendly as if they had known you for years. It seemed more like a usual neighbourhood restaurant as all the customers were joking around and being chatty with the staffs as if they are there daily. That atmosphere was so lively.  

Coffee @ RM 1.80

After having collected my Nasi Lemak and add on, I returned to one of the tables and ordered my drink and in about 1 minute, my coffee was served. There weren't many customers and the staffs were very efficient as well and that made my dining experience a pleasurable one. Coffee was good and the pricing was quite standard. In fact, I must say that it was quite a bold drink and not one that was too sweet. My rating for this shall be 8/10. 

Nasi Lemak Bungkus @ RM 2.00 per packet

It's just the standard Nasi Lemak Bungkus that is on offer here and it's priced at RM 2.00 per packet but it was so good so much so I had three packs. Nothing extraordinary ingredients wise. Just the usual Sambal, peanuts, cucumber and egg but the Sambal was extremely good and spicy. I think, this is surely one of the best Nasi Lemak Bungkus that I have tasted. Just amazing and one that I would highly recommend. My rating for this would be a 9/10. 

Egg Sambal @ RM 1.00 each

They had the usual fried eggs and this Egg Sambal and I chose the latter as one of my add on's. The egg was good and non greasy. This sambal however tasted different to the one found in the Nasi Lemak and taste wise, it contrasted and blended in so well with the other sambal. Again, very impressed and would give this a perfect 10/10.

Even after my breakfast, I sat for almost an hour watching the Malay drama on ASTRO and the staffs had no issues with that. In fact, they even served me some free iced water. I am already falling in love with this place. The food is good, the staffs are amazing and the ambiance is excellent. I don't even mind working from this restaurant. That was how cosy it felt. If you are around Selayang, please do give this restaurant a try and I hope that you'd enjoy the place as much as I did this morning. 

Address: No. 16, Jalan Paragon Utama 1, Taman Paragon Utama,  Selayang,

                68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 0800 - 2230 Daily

Nasi Lemak Lontong Stall in Restoran Bamboo Bak Kut Teh @ Taman Daya, Kuala Lumpur

I was in Selayang this morning looking for a place to have breakfast and landed here in Taman Daya. Well, geographically this place comes under Kepong but in reality it can be quite confusing. It is not too far from FRIM (Forest Research Institute of Malaysia) and is directly facing the Middle Ring Road. So, I guess it is better to say that it is near Selayang. Anyway, Taman Daya is a very familiar place for me as I used to come here often for dinner. As I was driving around looking for any new restaurants that might have opened recently, I discovered this Bak Kut Teh Restaurant that had just commenced business in May this year. Parking can be a little crazy here and after doing a couple of rounds, finally got a bay behind the market. 

The Restaurant In Taman Daya, Kuala Lumpur

The twist here is that this restaurant serves Bak Kut Teh only for dinner and for breakfast till lunch, there is an Indonesian girl selling Nasi Lemak Lontong and another Chinese stall selling Roasted Chicken Rice. Being a huge fan of Indonesian style Nasi Lemak, I decided to give that a try. 

Local Coffee @ RM 1.50

Drinks are sold by the landlords which is a common practice at most Chinese restaurants in Malaysia. This cup of local coffee was priced at RM 1.50 which is a standard price in the Klang Valley. The coffee was good and not too sweet, just the way that my ideal cup of coffee should be. I would rate this drink at 8/10 .

Nasi Lemak @ RM 3.50

They had a number of add on's to choose from right from Rendang to Lontong and I went for the Sambal Kerang (Cockles Sambal) which is one of my favourites in addition to the usual spicy Sambal Ikan Bilis (Anchovies Sambal). For the price of RM 3.50, it's surely a good deal. 

Super Spicy Sambal Ikan Bilis (Anchovies Sambal)

Firstly, let me talk about the rice. The rice was delicious and the aroma was so good. Great that they weren't stingy with the coconut milk. As for the rice, I would rate it at 9/10 . The fried peanuts and fried anchovies too were fresh and crispy. Again, that was excellent as I have come across many places that serve these items which would be at least three to four days old, sometimes even a week old and they would taste so horrible. The Sambal Ikan Bilis was superb. It was extra spicy, way beyond the usual level of spiciness that you commonly get and I was in love with it. It has been so long that I tasted a sambal that was this spicy. Spicy food lovers would have a gala time having this Nasi Lemak. I would rate their Sambal at 10/10. 

Sambal Kerang (Cockles Sambal)

The Sambal Kerang was also good. Though you can see lots chili seeds in the photograph, it wasn't spicy at all and the blend of tastes that you get from the earlier sambal and this was excellent. As for this, I would rate it at 8/10 .

If you are one of those who loves Nasi Lemak and especially those spicy ones, then this would be a place that you have got to try. Just a humble stall but excellent food at very reasonable prices. I am surely coming back for more.

Address: No. 11, Jalan Daya 14, Taman Daya, 52100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 0800 - 1400 Daily

Mila + Madi Corner @ Selayang, Selangor

Nasi Lemak is one dish that most Malaysians love and it is common practice for Malaysians to have either Nasi Lemak or Roti Canai for breakfast and I am no exception either. Having heard of this good Nasi Lemak place in Bandar Baru Selayang, I made it a point to visit them this morning. Since I had some errands in this locality, it just made things even more convenient for me. Food first and work next.

The Stall Located in Medan Selera MPS, on the Right Wing

Stall No.20

Price List

This stall is famously known as Nasi Lemak Stadium as it is located opposite the stadium in Bandar Baru Selayang. inside the Medan Selera MPS complex. Many a time, I have come across some great eateries in simple places like this. The last time I was here, I was introduced to a fantastic Tempoyak Patin Sangkar and Patin Goreng which could easily score as the best one that I have tried outside of Pahang. This time around, I've been told of this Nasi Lemak place and I was surprised to find that they were both neighbours. I wonder how I had missed them the last trip here. Just like any other Medan Selera, the place is simple yet comfortable. The prices were clearly displayed and so, there's absolutely no room for any kind of disagreement later on. Service was basic. Just walk over to the counter, order your dishes and back to the table and they would serve you in a matter of minutes. The crowd was very encouraging. In fact, though there were a number of stalls selling Nasi Lemak, this was the  most crowded. In fact, the rest looked somewhat deserted. That was surely an encouraging indication as it shows that the place is as good as it was recommended. Despite being busy, the girls were very fast and they served with a smile. Lovely to see that!

Coffee @ RM 1.50

Drinks were served first and the above Coffee was priced at RM 1.50 . Pretty standard pricing for these Medan Selera stalls. The Coffee was good. Milk and the sweetness was just perfect. I would rate this at 9/10 .

Nasi Lemak + Sambal Sotong @ RM 3.50

In a matter of minutes, my Nasi Lemak set was served. They had a variety of sides to choose from. Sambal Sotong, Sambal Kerang, Ayam Masak Merah, Fried Chicken, Sotong Goreng Kunyit and some Beef dishes. Sambal Sotong being one of my favourites, I went for that and in total, it was priced at RM 3.50 . For Rice, Sambal, Fried Egg, Fried Anchovies & Peanuts and Sambal Sotong, RM 3.50 was an excellent deal. 

Fragrant Rice

Wow!!! The rice was just awesome. In all honesty, I have never tasted one that is as good as this. It was just so creamy that I would not mind having the rice alone with no sambal or sides to go with it. Perfection it was. One look at it and I knew that it was going to be awesome. The aroma was seducing my taste buds and the taste...... wah!!! I just can't express my joy of coming here this morning. It just made my day. Just excellent and it would be unfair to rate this anything less than a perfect 10/10. 

Spicy Sambal

Just look at that Sambal. Even as I write this, I am salivating. The memory of it's taste remains so vividly in my mind. A strong bodied, spicy sambal that's so authentically 'kampung' like. The combination of having some creamy rice along with this sambal was just heavenly. Another winner and I would rate this at 9.5/10 . 

Sambal Sotong

Their Sambal Sotong was no exception and it tasted great. Perfectly done cuttlefish was cooked with some mildly spicy sambal and it was a delight. Not the best that I have tried, nevertheless still good. Maybe it's just my preference. I always prefer my Sambal Sotong to be a tad spicier and this just wasn't there. Otherwise, still better than most places. Based on my taste buds, I would rate this at 8.5/10 .

In summary, the Nasi Lemak was just awesome and the Sambal Sotong was good. If you are a Nasi Lemak fan, then this is one place that I would strongly recommend. Excellent food, lovely people and reasonable prices. Personally. am definitely looking forward to a second trip.

Address: Stall No. 20, Medan Selera MPS, Persiaran 2, Bandar Baru Selayang,

                68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 0630 - 1400

Kedai Makanan & Minuman 163 @ Selayang, Selangor

I was looking for a place to have lunch with my Dad in Selayang Baru. This is an area that I am rather unfamiliar with and it's going to be pretty much trial and error. Of course, I have come across some great eateries in this very area which I have blogged about in the past, and those too were discovered simply by walking into unknown and unfamiliar restaurants. Feeling rather bold to experiment new eateries, we walked into this restaurant called Kedai Makanan & Minuman 163 which was located along Jalan Len Omnibus. 

The Restaurant Along Jalan Len Omnibus

This place was very much a food court concept and seemed to have a decent crowd. The restaurant had a number of stalls, all of which were selling a variety of Chinese dishes. It wasn't too crowded to the extent that it was impossible to find a place to sit. There were quite a number of tables that were still vacant and having secured a place, we took turns to discover the place and placed our orders at the respective stalls. To be honest, the variety was just okay, just those day to day hawker food and the number of stalls were approximately ten. 

Prawn Mee Stall

Penang Prawn Mee (Har Mee) @ RM 6.00

Penang Prawn Mee (Har Mee) @ RM 6.00

My Dad being a fan of Penang Prawn Mee ordered this dish from a stall that was located right at the end of the restaurant. Besides Prawn Mee, they also had Lam Mee and Loh Shi Fan. For the portion, RM 6.00 was definitely a tad too expensive. Anyway, if it was good, then it's fine by me. When the dish was served, I immediately realised that it was a mistake. It looked not so great and the usual aroma was missing. The dish came with some thinly sliced Fish Paste, two small (not so fresh) Shrimps, and noodles. Pretty much that's it. There weren't dried shrimps or even spinach added to the dish. Of course I am not expecting pork ribs (Pai Kuat) to be added like what is found in Penang but this surely was a let down. The broth was even worse. It was the diluted version and the prawn stalk was almost non traceable in it's taste. What was even more odd was the taste of MSG that was evident in the dish. A huge mistake ordering this and is surely nowhere to the Prawn Mee found in Penang. Perhaps, we should call this Singapore Prawn Mee..... that was how far it was to taste from the original. I would only rate this at 3/10 . Edible but not recommended!

Char Kuey Teow Stall

Duck Egg Char Kuey Teow @ RM 4.50

Duck Egg Char Kuey Teow @ RM 4.50

Duck Egg Char Kuey Teow @ RM 4.50

The Char Kuey Teow stall was located somewhere along the side entrance to the restaurant. The moment I saw that he had Duck Egg Char Kuey Teow, I was excited as I am a huge fan of this dish. This was the 'small' portion and it was priced at RM 4.50. Pricing wise, very reasonable if not cheap. One would be able to get Char Kuey Teow for that price but not Duck Egg Char Kuey Teow. I would say that it had all the essential ingredients.... eggs, fish paste, cockles, bean sprouts and shrimps. Taste wise, it was nice but surely there is great room for improvement. There was surely something lacking in this dish that did not deliver the intended taste despite having all the right ingredients in place. I would rate this at 7/10 . Not a dish that is worthy of the effort of driving all the way from the city. There are many other places in Kuala Lumpur that serve 'such excellent' quality but this surely isn't one of those. If you happen to already be in Selayang Baru, then no harm having this. Decent but not great!

In summary, the Duck Egg Char Kuey Teow was alright but the Har Mee was a huge let down. Would I return? Maybe....just maybe for the Char Kuey Teow and that too, only if I was in this area for some other errands. Otherwise not.

Address: Along Jalan Len Omnibus, Taman Selayang Baru, 

                68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 0800 - 1500 Daily

                            Off Days Aren't Fixed

                            Generally Most Stalls Open Around 10.30 am 

King Patin @ Selayang, Selangor

Fancy some delicious Tempoyak Patin Sangkar and Patin Goreng? Then, this would be a place that you must visit. I was introduced to this place by a close friend who loves Pahang cuisine and being a foodie himself, I had to take his word and check the place out. 

Stall No. 19 At Medan Selera MPS, Bandar Baru Selayang

The Stall Is Located On The Right Wing

Place Is Usually Crowded Come Lunch Hour

Testimony From The Food Editor of New Straits Times

Located at the Medan Selera MPS, it is just a little stall but with a burst of flavours to offer. Wan, the owner, is a second generation expert that hails from Janda Baik, Pahang. His family runs the famous Andak Place in Janda Baik which is a very famous destination among bikers, one that has been around for many years now. I happened to be here rather early, sometime around 9.45 am and Wan was still busy preparing his famous Tempoyak. His usual business hours are from 10.30 am till 3 pm. I peeped in and asked if his dishes were ready and he mentioned that he still needed some time. He then gracefully asked if I would like to try his Patin Sangkar Goreng first as he could prepare that specially for me. How could I say no to such a lovely offer. With that, I took a seat and waited for the dish to arrive,

Patin Sangkar Goreng @ RM 10.00

Lovely Dish

Tempoyak Paste

Thick And Delicious Tempoyak

One could choose the part of the fish and the price varies accordingly, of course the 'head' being the most expensive. This Patin Goreng set came with some rice, ulam, Tempoyak paste and a bowl filled with some delicious Tempoyak. This may seem like a simple dish but it was heavenly. The Patin was thoroughly cleaned and fried to perfection. Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The marination of spices was again lovely. Everything was just awesome, right from the fish to the gravy! I would rate this at 10/10.

Tempoyak Patin Sangkar @ RM 10.00

Excellent Preparation!

Tempoyak Kepala Baung @ RM 20.00

Having tried the fried version, I ordered the Tempoyak version instead. Occasionally, he does serve other fishes too and today, Baung was  on offer. Of course these are priced according to market prices which I felt was very reasonable. The Tempoyak Patin Sangkar as well as the Kepala Baung were both excellent. The gravy was much thicker compared to the style that we get in Temerloh and they were rich with spices. Now I know why the Food Editor of NST had given them a full rating. Truly deserved. This is simply the best Tempoyak Patin Sangkar that I have tried till date. And of course, it would not be justified if I rate these anything less than a perfect 10/10 .

Wan At His Kitchen

Amazing food, excellent hospitality and reasonable prices. Surely a place that I would return many times over. For those of you who have not tried Wan's preparation, please do pay him a visit and you would return extremely satisfied. Do come early as he has a huge crowd daily and on some days, food get's sold out by 2.00 pm.

Address: Stall No. 19, Medan Selera MPS, Persiaran 2, Bandar Baru Selayang,

                68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 1030 - 1500 Monday - Saturday

                            Closed On Sundays

Telephone: +6016 6611 548 

Restoran Soon Yuan @ Selayang, Selangor

Are you a fan of Loh Mee (Lor Mee)? If yes, this place that I discovered this morning would be of interest to you. All these years I have been going to Ulu Yam to get my Loh Mee fix and little did I know that there is another similar tasting preparation that's available in Taman Selayang Baru.

Restaurant Soon Yuan along Jalan Len Omnibus

Just A Simple Restaurant

Very Famous For Their Loh Mee

The Available Dishes (Disregard the prices as they are no longer relevant)

It was just by chance that I stumbled upon this place. I was driving around and sighted this restaurant with a picture of a bowl of Loh Mee on the signage. Feeling curious, I decided to explore the place and it was indeed a surprise. A simple coffee shop it was but each and every one of their customers that walked in, ordered the very same Loh Mee and that was a live testimony that needed no further backing. If you are familiar with the huge Selayang roundabout, once you get there you would need to take the exit to Jalan Len Omnibus and right after taking that turn, this restaurant would be visible on your left. Besides their Loh Mee, they also have some other dishes but it seems like this particular dish is everyone's favourite. For larger groups, you could also go for their Claypot Loh Mee but since I was a solo diner today, I went for the usual Loh Mee in a bowl. The Lady Boss is the chef herself and each dish is made to order, and that includes the broth too. For reference, you could check the last photo above for their list of dishes but please disregard the prices as they are no longer relevant. Must be a sign that had been put up some years ago. Business starts at 8 am and goes on till 5 pm. Off days are not fixed and they do take a day off, once a fortnight. 

Kopi O @ RM 1.50

I would usually go for Milk Coffee but I observed that the majority of them went for black, curious, I ordered the same. And yes, it was really good. It was those good old charcoal roasted beans that were perfectly brewed! An excellent cup of Black Coffee. I would rate this at 9/10 .

Loh Mee @ RM 6.00

Vinegar and Soy Sauce; To add to taste.

Delicious!

Eggy and Yummy!

A favourite among the Hokkien community, this bowl of Loh Mee was indeed good. Priced at RM 6.00 for a fairly large bowl, it came with generous amounts of ingredients. The noodles too were excellent. I wonder if they make them on their own. Didn't quite taste like those mass produced ones. And the thick, starchy broth.....that was the killer. It was so perfect that I left the bowl dry. The only difference between this one and the one available in Ulu Yam is the added lard. Here, they did not add lard to the dish but it didn't seem like a loss. The broth compensated equally well to that missing ingredient. Surely one that I would highly recommend. I would rate this at 9/10 .

If you love Loh Mee, then this would be a place that I would recommend for you to try. After all, it's within the Klang Valley and is just a few minutes drive from the city. 

Address: No. 7112, Jalan Len Omnibus, Taman Selayang, Baru, 

                68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 0800 - 1700 Daily

                           Off Days Are Not Fixed