Nasi Lemak @ Nasi Lemak Burung Hantu, TTDI, Petaling Jaya

 

When one speaks of Malaysian food, there are a few things that come to mind. And one of the few dishes that epitomises what Malaysian food stand for, is the humble, but well celebrated nasi lemak. It has been a while since I had a decent one. As such, I was very fortunate my cousin was able to introduce to me one of the newer players in town, Nasi Lemak Burung Hantu. It may have been around for about a year, but it has become a viral hit. Considering there are other bastions like Village Park and Mamalee around this vicinity, it is pretty telling on how this place can match up with its peers. 

Fancy for a nasi lemak place. 

The approach is relatively simple. Like most nasi lemak places, you pick various sides for your coconut spiked rice and then be on your merry way. As the chicken version seems to be the most popular one, I and my cousin got ourselves one each. A plate stood at RM13.35 a plate. Although the game has been played many times by other players, the plate was still something to behold

Oh baby!

. Everything was on point and I have to say it has been a while since I have seen a nasi lemak plate that has been armed to the tooth like this. Then again, it may be my nostalgia talking as I did not have one in years. The only way I can truly judge it is via a proper taste test. Speaking of which, everything was pretty on point too. The rice was creamy and yet has a granular feel to it. Each grain of rice has an individualistic texture, as you an feel each grain being its own singular unit. But at the same time, as the grains are so soft, they seem to meld like a singular entity, giving this a slightly delicate mouthfeel. This texture I like.

What a close up

 The chicken is decent too. It is the classic spiced ayam rempah you get from a traditional warung. The outer part is a bit dry, but it is still tasty. I have tasted better, but at the same time, I have no complaints. Honestly, I did enjoy it somewhat. Of course, the heart and soul of the plate is the sambal, which I enjoyed a lot. It was sweet, spicy, velvety, but still slightly chunky. It was hot enough to give me a kick, but gentle enough that  I did not start to sweat buckets. Honestly, the sambal was the serious star of the show, and every condiment just tasted better if you lace them with this spicy paste. The other elements like the nuts, vegetables and egg was part of the course. They are average but provided the right counterbalance to make complete this meal. 

Spoonful of glory

This was pretty standard fare, but under such circumstances this is a good thing. The wheel was not reinvented. Rather, classic fundamentals were executed right and that is what you need from nasi lemak. Good honest flavours to fill the gullet and not frills and fireworks.

Front of the house. 

Although I did enjoy this meal very much, there are other places out there that could provide serious competition. It just depends on what you feel like on any given day, since each establishment has its own spin on things. Having said that, if you just feel like having a good plate of coconut rice and all the trimmings, the Nasi Lemak Burung Hantu is a good place to be. So if this has tickled your fancy, then the address is as follows: 

19, Lorong Rahim Kajai 13, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur