RESTORAN AYAM PENYET

Restoran Ayam Penyet, the famous Indonesian franchise, has finally arrived in Bangi, or Seksyen 15 to be exact. If you're wondering what the name is all about, it's just that - smashed (penyek) fried chicken served with tempe, tauhu, kangkong and sambal. You can add steamed rice if you like. Also available are the beef, prawn and fish versions.

The picture above is the empal penyet or smashed beef. Don't let the looks fool you, it's actually very tender and tasty, though thesambal is quite spicy. Likewise is the signature ayam penyet, the meat is tender and fried to crispy-perfection.



To accompany your meal, we would suggest the Indonesian Milk Tea, which tastes different from our local brew. It is creamier and well, tea-ier. Also have the time (and stomach space) to try the Bubble drinks, and the picture shows the Cappucinno Bubble - not too bitter, not too sweet - just good.


Visit the Ayam Penyet for a quick yet delicious meal. Its simple setting and decor might not be much for the eye, but the food more than makes up for it. Indulge for a smash-ing good time And oh yeah, the restaurant's ordering system is quite unique - but I won't spoil the suprise - that's for you to find out.

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Kluang Station, Ikano

Khayra Wafiyah doing her routine at a restaurant - adding "decorations" on the table and floor.

If any of you are old enough, perhaps you've tried the very traditional hainanese chicken chop, mostly popular in Chinese Kopitiams or Chinese-Muslim shops. Fried to a crispy pefection and served with the thick hainan gravy, red beans, toasted bread and fries, an old-school Hainan Chicken Chop would taste much, much better than most grilled chops.

We saw a hainanese chicken chop on the menu of Ikano's Kluang Railway Station Cafe. It was rather good as the most important component of this dish, the gravy, complements the chicken superbly. The portion was quite small though. But it did bring back memories. The chicken was succulent and the skin crunchy and crispy.

For the record, I had the nasi lemak with lamb curry, which was okay, but the lamb curry was diced and chopped and looked like the inside (inti) of a karipap. Anyway, do try the Hainanese Chicken Chop whenever you have the chance to visit Kluang Station.




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D'Limau Nipis

Everybody loves a good snack. High among the favourites is the char kuey teow, a greasy but irresistible dish. Suitable day and night, the char kuey teow is easily found at roadsides, mamaks, and in simple and high-end restaurants.

Bandar Baru Bangi's D' Limau Nipis restaurant, located at Seksyen 8 (opposite PKNS Complex or better yet, 50m from our home), serves a delicious and yummy plate of this dish, which they label as Char Kuey Teow Sahabat, and available in biasa and special versions. Go for the special, full-works version, and treat your taste buds to a tasty plate with generous helpings of prawns (five of 'em) and cockles. The Sahabat isn't too greasy and salty, they've got the balance just right. The texture is smooth, almost sultry, and juicy, it practically slides in your mouth but the taste explodes.

Accompany your plate of the Sahabat with the premise's signature drink, the Air D' Limau Nipis, an attractive concoction which is basically an ice-blended limau nipis beverage. But when combined with vanilla ice-cream (again, generous helping) and laced with green jelly, you get an ultimate thirst-quencher. The ice-cream melts in your mouth and it perfectly compliments the soury taste of the limau nipis, which then leaves a lingering but pleasant after-taste.

Be warned though, the Sahabat is small in portion, so order two plates. Even if you do order one initially, a second helping is hard to resist. The aroma itself is enough to entice your senses. Now do you crave for a plate?

Disclaimer: This is a personal review, so my taste might differ from yours. And I'm not being paid by the premise to write this.

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