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Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kam's Nasi Lemak: Go-to nasi lemak spot for bouncy assam prawns & spicy sambal with crazy queues
It's not entirely unusual for my food hunts to land me in an office building, but what is unusual is that it's happened twice now. The first time was for my long-awaited Penang CKT fix at The Kopi Pot. The second? A little adventure to Kam's Nasi Lemak at G Tower — just a breezy 4-minute stroll from the aforementioned kopitiam. Gotta love Ampang Park, right? Lately, I've found myself just a tad envious of the office crowd and their access to such tasty lunch spots. Then again, I'm not exactly jealous of the daily price tags that come with them. My dining partner and I were lucky enough to order without much fuss, but by the time we were halfway through our plates, a queue had already snaked its way in front of Kam's Nasi Lemak, leaving the other stalls in the quiet little food court looking a bit… lonely. If that's not a sign of a crowd-favourite, I don't know what is. (And to the office folks who already struggle to score a seat during lunch — my deepest apologies if this post gains traction. Truly. Oops.) The menu here is refreshingly simple. Two main staples — nasi lemak and mee hoon — with a variety of side dishes to pair with. I started with the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Berempah (RM14.50). Now, remember what I said about the price point for office lunches? Yeah… at RM14.50, it does feel a bit steep for a daily meal. That said, the chicken portion was generous, so there's that. Surprisingly, even with no additional service or tax charges, the food was brought to our table. One bite into the warm, fluffy rice had my mouth watering. Some clumps made me pause, but it turned out they were just too fluffy for their own good — almost reminiscent of nasi dagang, with its subtle stickiness resembling the signature mix of regular and short-grain rice. The santan richness was full-on, though the usual aromatics like ginger were a little shy in the background. Butter Kaya Kopitiam: Chinatown's must-visit coffee shop for pandan kaya lava toast, buttermilk clam noodles & jumbo rojak rolls The sambal, striking in its deep red hue, was finely ground but still left a few chilli bits clinging to my teeth. It delivered an assertive heat and a punch of shrimp paste, mellowed out by a sugar-induced sweetness. It seems the lack of onions was masked with extra sugar, which left a caramelised bitterness lingering at the end. The ikan bilis and roasted peanuts, despite being cooked without oil, held their crispness beautifully — light and satisfying. Now, about the chicken — while it appeared juicy, the inside told a different story. Slightly dry, likely from being pre-cooked and reheated. The seasoning was balanced but nothing particularly memorable. I did wish for more of that kerak crunch though — it was a little too sparse. On to my 2nd plate: Nasi Lemak Assam Prawn (RM14.50). Assam isn't something I get to try often, so this was a bit of a treat. The gravy leaned on the drier side, coating the prawns and long beans just enough to mix well with the rice. To my surprise, it ended up being the star of the show — tangy, aromatic, and absolutely addictive. I found myself spooning up the sauce all on its own. The prawns struck a delicate balance between bouncy and just a touch too soft, though they held their shape and colour nicely. Some were completely deshelled, while others came with their tails intact — variety, I suppose. Every bite was full of flavour, though. The nasi lemak at Kam's Nasi Lemak was, to me, just average — not forgettable, but not exactly memorable either. None of the components were outright disappointing; they just felt like they needed a little more finesse. Still, I completely get why the office crowd flocks here — it ticks enough boxes for a quick, satisfying lunch. Expected damage: RM9.80 – RM14.50 per pax Arimau Nasi Lemak: Fragrant basmati pandan rice with tender beef rendang even tigers would weep for The post Kam's Nasi Lemak: Go-to nasi lemak spot for bouncy assam prawns & spicy sambal with crazy queues appeared first on
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Kopi Pot: Serves the best Penang char kway teow I've ever had & nasi lemak kerabu with giant fried chicken
Believe it or not, I'd been meaning to visit The Kopi Pot at Big Three Food Square for nearly 2 years. I remembered how my friends used to rave about their supposedly 'super good' char kway teow, promising to take me there since it was conveniently close to their parents' offices. Then, as things go, it completely slipped my mind — until 2 years later, when I finally found myself standing at Menara Binjai, ready to see what the fuss was all about. Big Three Food Square is a cosy, enclosed dining space with a food court vibe, home to 3 different eateries — The Kopi Pot being one of them. When I arrived, most tables had already been claimed by office workers with foresight (and reservations), but luck was on my side: I managed to snag a seat right in the centre. While I originally came for their char kway teow, my eyes naturally wandered to the nasi lemak section on the menu. I'd already tried 3 different nasi lemak spots in the past 2 weeks, so I was meaning to skip it — until my friend casually mentioned, 'Oh, theirs is good too.' With a sigh and a hint of FOMO, I added it to the order. The regular nasi lemak was, unfortunately, unavailable, so I went with the Nasi Lemak Kerabu Fried Chicken (RM17.80). The only thing 'kerabu' about it was the gentle blue hue of the coconut rice — courtesy of blue pea flower — but that wasn't the first thing that caught my eye when the plate arrived. It was the enormous chicken. For a second, I wondered if I'd been served something… I wasn't supposed to eat. But no — just a massive cut of fried chicken. More on that soon. First, the rice. To put it bluntly: it was a letdown. The grains were dry and slightly tough, with none of that creamy richness you'd expect from santan-infused rice. A real shame, because the aromatics were beautifully balanced, made even more fragrant with the blue pea flower. Could the sambal save the day? The sambal had that nostalgic, old-school belacan kick — not my vibe, but my friend was into it. It wasn't spicy, but there was a nice sweetness from the onions. Still, paired with the underwhelming rice, it just didn't work. With nasi lemak, the rice is the soul of the dish — and here, it just didn't sing. 100 Years Nasi Lemak: Exquisite nasi lemak & juicy fried chicken in century-old building with Merdeka 118 view The ikan bilis, though of a larger variety, were light and crispy. The sunny-side-up egg was alright, though I would've preferred the yolk to be more runny. Cucumber slices and roasted peanuts were decent — nothing to rave about. Now, back to that beast of a chicken. Okay, maybe not Godzilla-sized, but the leg was chopped into 3, and each piece was as big as a standalone portion. Wild. The batter was airy and crisp, and the chicken inside was tender, juicy, and satisfying to bite into. It had all the makings of a classic fried chicken — though if they eased up on the salt just a tad, it would've been perfect. Now onto the star of the show: the Penang Char Kway Teow (RM16.80). At first glance, the portion looked small for the price. But appearances can be deceiving — I couldn't even finish it. They used a thinner noodle variety (my favourite!), not quite as delicate as Thai noodles, but definitely lighter than the usual fare. From the first bite, I was hit with that glorious wok hei — you could even see it, charred slightly onto the noodles. The flavour hit a beautiful balance between sweet soy, salty soy, smokiness, and a touch of heat from red chilli paste. Ingredient-wise, it was generous. The chicken chunks were big and tender, the shrimps and cockles plump and bouncy. That said, some of the shrimps hadn't been deveined (yikes), and while the cockles had great texture, a few tasted slightly fishy. A side of chopped pickled chillies added a nice tangy zing — though sadly, no heat. Still, that hit of acidity really elevated the dish and tied everything together. Despite the disappointing coconut rice that dragged down the nasi lemak experience, my overall visit exceeded expectations. The portion was generous, and those juicy, oversized pieces of fried chicken more than made up for it. As for the char kway teow — easily one of the best I've had of its kind (though the mamak-style still holds a special place in my heart). That's no small praise coming from someone who's been eating CKT at least twice a week for over 19 years. It's easy to see why office workers flock here for lunch — but if I came here every day? Let's just say my wallet would be in serious trouble. Expected damage: RM16.80 – RM17.80 per pax KOPIHUT: KL Gangster actor's kopitiam with crispy chicken nasi lemak, superb curry mee & cute ice bear drinks The post The Kopi Pot: Serves the best Penang char kway teow I've ever had & nasi lemak kerabu with giant fried chicken appeared first on
