Pocket-pleasing meals

The Star

6 days ago

Patrons choosing their proteins and vegetables. — Photos: Low Lay Phon/The Star
LUNCHTIME sees a steady stream of workers, students and retirees queuing at a Malay food stall in Petaling Jaya.
They are drawn by the promise of affordable dishes that taste like they are home-cooked.
While the sales and service tax has nudged prices up across the city, the stall here has stayed true to its promise, keeping portions generous and prices low.
It is like a small act of kindness in a city where every ringgit counts.
Just past noon, the line at Gerai Kak Sofie, a nasi campur stall, stretches well past the faded stall located in Kompleks Pasar dan Medan Selera PJ, Section 14.
Inside, bubbling pots of ayam masak merah, ayam goreng berempah, fried ikan bilis sambal, refreshing local salads (kerabu) and savoury gulai tempt the senses, reminding visitors of village kitchens from yesteryear.
I have frequented this stall for the last 10 years and I can vouch that the food is always good and fresh and most importantly, affordable.
Gerai Kak Sofie at the Section 14 food court has a steady stream of loyal customers comprising mostly office workers.
From Monday to Friday, stall owner Sofie Othman, 53, starts her day at the stall at 6.30am selling breakfast items, namely nasi lemak, fried mee hoon, fried rice and fried koay teow.
At the same time, she is busy preparing over 40 dishes for the lunch crowd.
She has diligently run this food business since 1994.
'We have managed to not increase prices of our dishes for a long time.
'The number of dishes we cook varies every day,' she said.
The long line of mostly office workers from the Section 14 commercial area is a clear indication of the value for money offered by Gerai Kak Sofie.
At the stall, the queue starts at a corner where each diner gets a plate of rice before going on to pick from hot dishes like asam fish, fish curry, masak lemak, ayam goreng berempah, ayam goreng ala KFC, ikan keli goreng, paru goreng, and sweet and sour fish, to name a few.
The customer then joins the line towards another row of tantalising dishes comprising kerabu daun selom, salted fish, mango salad, fried tempeh, and condiments like air asam and sambal belacan to top it off.
Standing at the end of the line is Sofie, who handles the till while juggling delivery orders.
My plate of ayam goreng berempah, kerabu daun selom, cucumber-pineapple salad, fried ikan bilis and ladles of mixed lauk came up to an affordable RM11.
My colleague had something similar and was pleasantly delighted too at the price of her lunch.
Gerai Kak Sofie opens from 6.30am to about 4pm.
It is located at Stall P17, Kompleks Pasar dan Medan Selera PJ, Jalan 14/20, Petaling Jaya.