PappaRich’s Curry Koay Teow with Fish Cake Fu Chok. The restaurant chain has an extensive menu and this dish is one of my favourites there. Fragrant, tasty santan soup you want to slurp 🙂 They also have curry mee (noodles) and laksa.
Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f3.5, 1/30 sec.
Happiness is Beriani with Rose Syrup.
Nasi Beriani Gam Johor in Bangi (Putrajaya) is out of the way but it is a treat always. Tucked away in kampung-like surroundings, the famous stall is consistently good but a little expensive for casual lunch. The Kambing Kuzi (lamb) rice is RM 23.
Biryani originated from the Mughal Empire and it remains popular cuisine in many parts of the Indian sub-continent today. The local Johor version derives its name from the gum-like sticky gravy.
The ultra-wide angle lens is not the usual choice for a food shot but I used it here for a reason. Its exaggerated perspective made the bicycle (that was parked too close) appear further. It also allowed a split view of the table and customers walking in.
Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f4, 1/250 sec.
Sakura Cafe, one of the first 24-hour coffee houses in KL, pioneered the ‘upmarket’ nasi lemak in the early 1980s. Their version of the local delicacy served with chicken floss and pickle launched a fad.
Nasi Lemak soon made it into the after-party menu of 5-star hotels in the city. It took the midnight buffet of the 1990s to knock the super supper off its porcelain perch.
Some three decades later, Sakura Cafe in Jalan Imbi is still going strong. I am not sure if Sakura (and newer sister-restaurant Madam Kwan’s) still belong to the same family though. On an impromptu visit last night, I was pleasantly surprised to see the original signature dish.
Tasty curry chicken, chunky sambal, chicken floss and achar over fragrant santan rice with a slice of egg to go. It must have been a luxury at RM 4 in the 80s. It is RM 15 for a plate of legend today.
Pork-free Sakura Cafe is at 163 to 169 Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03 2148 4315.
Olympus OM-D, ISO 400, f3.5, 1/30 sec.
