As a huge fan of Malaysia’s favourite rice dish, I usually explore many different places to try them. One of my latest encounters is the Nasi Lemak Bungkus Kedah at TTDI or Taman Tun Dr Ismail KL.
And you know, I dislike those so-called “famous” Nasi Lemak joints like Village Park and so on as they are just viral-famous. To me, Nasi Lemak has to be sold by the Mak Cik at a stall by the roadside.
So, if you are one of those critics who swear by Big Botak Nasi Lemak or Village Park Nasi Lemak, you are in the wrong food blog. Over here, I am pretty much very straightforward and blunt with my reviews. If it is not nice, I will say so without trying to lie. So, onwards with this review.
Nasi Lemak Bungkus Kedah at TTDI
The stall is pretty much new, probably started at the dawn of the Covid19 pandemic and judging from my talk with the Pak Cik, the area where they sell is authorised by the council or DBKL.
It is run by a Pak Cik and Mak Cik (Hubby and Wife) from Kedah, hence, the Nasi Lemak Kedah style with the fragrant yellow rice. The beauty of this stall is that they cook their side dishes daily and in small quantities.
Update 2022: After the MCO, the Nasi Lemak Stall now moves around from Pasar Malam to Pasar Malam. I just found out and spoke to the Pak Cik, and he told me his schedule, which is below;
- Monday – SS2 Pasar Malam
- Tuesday – Unsure
- Wednesday – Taman Connaught Pasar Malam
- Thursday – Unsure
- Friday – Taman Sri Sentosa Pasar Malam
- Saturday – Shah Alam Section 19 Pasar Malam
- Sunday – Taman Tun Pasar Malam
This means you need to go early to get a good choice of their northern-style dishes. Oh yeah, they only open from 4.00 or 4.30 PM till about 6.00 or 7.00 PM or when they sell out. Usually, I’m there to tapau at around 4.30 for my late tea.
On two occasions when I went there at 4.15 PM, they were late and just arrived to open shop. However, four other customers were waiting for them to open, so I joined the line.
For the record, if this is your first time finding out about this Malaysian dish, or for some reason a foreigner who found this food blog by change, please read Wikipedia to understand what is Nasi Lemak.
What Do They Serve?
Ok, let’s get to the real deal here. I am reviewing this dish because their Nasi Lemak taste is so different from your regular ones sold here and there. Their standard dishes alone are all priced at RM3.00 per packet.
A bit pricy? Nope, because each pack comes with two pieces of salted fish (ikan masin), half a boiled egg, kacang and ikan bilis and sambal. If you take any other standard side dish, it’s RM3.00.
But one of the highlights is the Udang Galah they serve as a special dish, which, my friends, is the bomb! Priced at an additional RM7.00 per prawn, it is such a deal. So, I ordered this with my regular RM3.00 pack and an extra fried egg at RM1.00. My total was RM11.00 with the Udang Galah.
They have an excellent selection of side dishes to choose from, and it includes;
- Ikan Masin Goreng or Fried Salted Fish
- Sambal Udang or Prawn Sambal
- Sambal Kerang or Cockle Sambal
- Udang Galah Cili or River Lobster fried with Chilli
The Nasi Lemak Sambal
This is very important for me, and I am sure, for many others who appreciate good sambal with their nasi lemak. Their sambal is a very northern type where it is not sweet but a tad spicy, which creates a balance that gives out a pleasant fragrance to it.
On many occasions, I have been recommended to Nasi Lemak stalls, but the sambal always disappoints. It’s either too sweet or just too spicy. They are usually just cooked for the sale of cooking sambal, so there is no love put into making the sambal.
So, this TTDI Nasi Lemak stall has done it right in my books. Sambal cooked with passion and full of flavour. And when combined with the yellow rice and other side dishes, it created one gastronomical wonderland.
Where is Nasi Lemak Bungkus Kedah at TTDI?
They are located just in front of Q Bistro Nasi Kandar Restaurant, by the roadside curbed walkway, among many other stalls; therefore, they are the third or fourth stall from the end. Anyway, it’s hard to miss them as you will see several Nasi Lemak Bungkus on the table with several customers lining up to take them away.
Their opening hours are from 4.00 or 4.30 PM till about 7.00 PM.
Off Days: I do not know when they close as I forgot to ask them.
Update: Please see above as the stall now moves around different pasar malam or night markets around the Klang Valley.
Conclusion
Over the last 30+ years of serious eating all over Malaysia, my conclusion is based on the old taste. What does this mean? It means my taste buds go back to the 80s and 90s when good food was easily found in many places.
Nowadays, with advancements and so on, many have changed, and food quality has changed. It’s hard to locate nice or good food in the Klang Valley. Most people have also become accustomed to their taste to the Klang Valley taste buds, which are poor.
My reviews can be crude and direct as I do not want to try too hard to impress with flowery words and bait others for sponsored food reviews. Food is a must; therefore, eating is always a challenge to find good food in PJ, KL or Malaysia.
To appreciate nice good food is no longer an easy task; hence, much exploration is needed nowadays. And by finding this Nasi Lemak Bungkus Kedah at TTDI, was a small victory for me. I suggest going and trying it for yourself when you have the time.
