Dreamy Supper

While many were sleeping, party people from the now defunct 11 L.A. Disco used to cross the river for this dream supper at 4 am. It was the original and the best “Roti Banjir Special” (Flooded Indian Pancake) in the business

Two soft-boiled eggs hovering gently over a shredded piece of roti canai (flour pancake) flooded with dahl (lentil bean stew) and topped off with a dash of spicy sambal (chilli condiment).

Always consistent, the eggs were perfect with the smooth whites tasting like custard and the runny yolk was delicately encased until you spill it to fuse with the rest. Heavenly!

The cooks I used to know have retired and gone back to India. The stall is still there though, popular as ever. They still serve the same Roti Banjir Special. Give it a try when you are shopping at the Midnight Pasar Ramadan in that area.

Mansion Tea House is at Selangor Mansion Flats, Jalan Bunus, off Jalan Masjid India.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f1.4, 1/80 sec.

Dreamy Supper - Roti Banjir Special

Bull Drink

I was strolling around the Ramadan food bazaar when a Red Bull sign at a drink stall caught my eye. I said “Betul ke?” (Really?). The smiling hawker quickly scooped me a cup to try. He said “no charge” as I was examining the charging bulls logo. Inside my mind, I was thinking ‘bull’ but he is such a nice guy and the drink tasted quite good.

With his permission, I started photographing the ‘energy drink’ from inside the giant tumbler. He asked if I was worried the camera may slip and fall into the liquid. I said no as the camera is water-resistant. He replied he is not worried too, as his cost is quite low. Aha!  Confession time. He uses an imitation cordial that comes in a big bottle. Try it at Stall 65, Pasar Ramadan Section 14, Petaling Jaya.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f8, 1/60 sec.

Bull Drink

Capital Nasi Dagang Kelantan

Of late, Malay restaurants serving Chinese cuisine are getting popular in the Klang Valley. However,  the reverse is less common. Thus, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon a Chinese shop selling authentic Malay food.

Nasi Dagang Kelantan Capital is run by a Chinese family from Kota Bharu. They have been operating in Kelantan for 9 years and opened in Petaling Jaya a month ago. I conversed with the owner, a Mr Foo, in Kelantanese Hokkien (Fujian dialect). The other option was to speak with him in Kelantanese Malay which sounded like Double Dutch to me.

Served in waxed paper, this East Coast speciality originated from Southern Thailand. The rice is cooked with coconut milk, shallot, lemongrass and fenugreek. For the ‘lauk’, you have a choice of tasty beef rendang, curry chicken, prawn, squid or ikan tongkol (mackerel tuna).

I tried the chicken with rice soaked in gravy (photographed here) and found the combo very delicious. The condiments include a slice of boiled egg, a big piece of anchovy, salad and sambal. For buka puasa (breaking of fast), you need to takeaway before 7pm as the shop closes by that time.

Capital Restaurant is at 29 Jalan 21/1A, Damansara Utama (Uptown).

Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f5, 1/60 sec.

Capital Nasi Dagang Kelantan