Saturday, September 02, 2006

Nasi Lemak, SS2 - Makcik Yan & Pakcik Wahab

While I was waiting in UMMC recently for my monthly eye check up, I sat next to a makcik and we both started chatting. Turns out that she, Makcik Yan, sells nasi lemak in my area, SS2 and she has been doing it for the past 30 years! She and her husband, Pakcik Wahab drops by the stall over the weekends which is usually operated daily by their 3 boys. She told me that her stall has quite a lot of customers and the best time to drop by was about 9am (opens from 7am till 10 plus am, close on Sundays). I was surprised as I didn't know of the stall and promised to try out her nasi lemak.

Arriving there on a Saturday, I was greeted with a long queue at her stall. It's located at the lane between BHP petrol station and the police station, at the end of the row of stalls (there are several nasi lemak stalls there. If in doubt, just look for the one with the long queue! Ha ha ha...)
This is not your restaurant type of eatery but one with zinc roof, cement rendered floor with plastic tables and chairs. Eating here reminded me of my childhood days when I used to follow mom and my dear ol' dad and eat at the old Bukit Bintang market which has made way for KL Plaza/Lot 10 donkey years ago. To further remind me of that, there is also a drink stall here operated by a Chinese auntie and an elderly man (he's around 80 years old, I think). He will take and deliver drink orders in his slow but orderly manner. Not that many drink stalls such as this type are operated by Chinese nowadays. Maybe they have been around for 30 years too. So, yeah, I felt like a kid again!
Makcik Yan was not around but Pakcik Wahab and his boys were expecting me to my surprise. Wonder what Makcik Yan told them! Well, the rice is scooped from the wooden container (a plus point for me - Makcik Yan had earlier told me that it costs about RM300) and the customers tell the boys what they would like from the array of deep tray dishes.
Well, apart from the fried chicken, almost everything else was spicy! I asked for sambal petai ("smelly" green beans with chilli) and sotong (cuttlefish). Lyn, who went with me, had beef rendang. Even if one is eating there, the food is served on the brown paper. Makcik Yan had told me that she had once tried changing to plates after starting out that way earlier. However, customers complained that it wasn't as nice and chicken pieces flew out easily from the small plate. Ha ha ha....So, they will hand you the rice in a cone shaped brown wrapper with a fork and spoon "planted" into it!
I tried to unwrap it gently to take a nice photo but messed up the presentation when I failed! Ha ha ha...But nevertheless, it tasted good.
I must say I do like the nasi lemak here. The sambal and rice is nice (not soft, but separate grains) and the beef rendang was tender (thanks Lyn for letting me steal some beef!). The sotong was good and easy to bite (not the rubbery type if you know what I mean). Our two packs came to RM8.80; didn't get a breakdown. Well, I now know where to look for good nasi lemak in PJ (I eat at Tang Lin's when I'm in KL). As a matter of fact, I had already gone back to eat again with my other friends.

My friends and I call nasi lemak "fatty rice" but that has never stopped me from eating it! - wmw

8 comments:

boo_licious said...

I've heard abt this place before but yet to try it out. Thanks for the tip!

Anonymous said...

we now have another place to eat when we are back though Zahara will need some convincing to eat there. Worst case scenario, we will just have to leave her at home :) hhe! hee! hee! . I love the rice in the wooden barrel.. that is how nasi lemak should be cooked.

btw: your "I don't feel like dancing" SO SO SO make me wanna boogie!!!!!

talk to you soon!!

wmw said...

boo-licious - No worries. Mmm...hope you find it good.

mrs. pitt - looking forward to your next visit here. When? Hee hee...

Anonymous said...

if not for pending NY issues, i will be planning another trip soon but alas... have to put on hold for now... but my mind is constantly thinking of another trip every time i look at all the food pics!!!

backStreetGluttons said...

best nasi lemak should be the triangular newspaper prepacked ones ( by the local makchik ) and sold for 70cts at a Mamak teh tarik stall(s) near u ,

2 b eaten 2gether with the fried kembong fish and fried drumsticks separately bought from the other shop at the other corner...

near Tmn Megah dunno the name !

enjoy !

wmw said...

mrs. pitt - Hah! I now know a way of getting you to visit Malaysia more often! More foodie pics for you!

tonixe - There are 2 categories, hot or cold nasi lemak. For the cold ones, the prepacked ones are good, I get the ones from Projet in Taman SEA. For hot ones, Pakcik Wahab's or Tang Lin will be my pick.

Anonymous said...

aiyoyo. sedapnya picture tu. One of these days must go to KL to find this place and eat all I want!!!

thanks for the tip.

wmw said...

keropok man : If you are ever here, contact me and I'll point you to the right direction...this place is in PJ.