Nasi Lemak Panas Yati & Suri - The Tale of Two Colours, Selera Jaya 223 Petaling Jaya

From croissants in Quebec, I'm gonna get back to something dear to most Malaysians' hearts, Nasi Lemak!  I've been going to Selera Jaya 223 at Jalan 223, Petaling Jaya for quite awhile whenever I need a Nasi Lemak panas (hot as in temperature hot!) fix and I bring my friends there whenever they are desperately seeking susan Nasi Lemak panas too. I think the place is open 24 hours (stalls open at different hours though).

However, I have to psych myself up before I head over there everytime.  No, not because I want to down 5 packets of nasi lemak (my personal best was a max of 3 packets) but the barrage of "food recommendations" from the vendors/helpers and "advice" on where to seat! They would greet you enthusiastically, giving you names like, "Mee goreng...Nasi Lemak...Roti Canai...Murtabak....Tom Yam...Ayam Goreng...etc etc....  Excuse me, but my name isn't Murtabak, okay? LOL!  They would also call out to you, "Kawan, duduk sini (Friend, sit here)", "Mari duduk sini, ada kipas (Come sit here, there's a fan)", "Duduk sini, semua sedap! (Sit here, all delicious!").  That's because each vendor has a demarcated area where they can serve, so income is dependent on where customers choose to sit.

I normally just make my way straight through, without looking left or right with NO eye contact and just zoom in on my favourite area which is around the middle (it's further away from the crowd in front area which is usually more concentrated.

Nasi Lemak Panas Yati.  Packets of Nasi Lemak panas, wrapped in banana leaves and plain paper are placed before you on a plate and are usually snapped up fast (if not by you, by other patrons around you).  They are never cold but warm and sometimes still hot as it's freshly packed on the spot.  At times, demand exceeds supply and we have to wait for the helpers to pack them.

Nasi Lemak Panas Suri (I wonder if Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes know that somewhere in Malaysia, Suri is also famous for dishing out yummy Nasi Lemak?)

When I opened this packet on one occasion, I was mesmerised for a second to see this clean and smooth egg (half a egg, that is).  The Red's sambal is spicier than The Blue's.  The rice has a slight hint of coconut milk and is lightly salted. The rice can be a tad soft but it comes piping hot. Hot food (when it should be hot) it's just good!

The Blue's sambal looks like it has a more solid element to it but is actually more liquid than The Red's.  It just has a better appearance/presentation.  The rice grain fares better as it's not as soft .  So that's 1 point for The Blue but then The Red pulls 1 point for a draw as I prefer their spicier sambal compared to the sweeter sambal of The Blue's.

So, what do I do? I would have one from Yati's and one from Suri's, though at times I would favour a second round of Yati's.  It might have looked like a huge serving from the earlier pics above, but as you can see here ... Next to the essential drink (a must have when eating Nasi Lemak panas is the Teh Tarik), it's just a little rice hill :o).

 

The friendly drink vendor is mighty proud of his skills and I say he has every right to be.   Here he is showing me how it's done! Now, that's what I call a REAL Teh Tarik (Pulled Tea).

The last time I was here in Selera Jaya 223, a packet of Nasi Lemak panas costs RM1.20 (USD 0.40).  I come here with a RM1.20 expectation, and that expectation is always met.  It's not the best Nasi Lemak that I've eaten but it's good due to other reasons - it's piping hot, it's reasonably priced for that little hill, the joy of eating this with some seriously good Teh Tarik and with friends and last but not least, it's just a Malaysian thing!  Talking about sambal and being Malaysian, I love Digi's "sambal" message for Malaysia Day last year. Let's look at it again ...

So, another year has come and gone ... but the message still holds true come September 16, 2011

HAPPY MALAYSIA DAY!