Working at the KLCC area basically dictates that I usually frequent Wisma Sentral for lunch. Afterall, it breaks the bank to satisfy the stomach at the KLCC food courts and restaurants otherwise. Hence it was a delight to find out there was a new establishment in the building busiest around lunch time, the Ikan Bakar Portugis (Portuguese style BBQ fish).
a pretty small establishment just next to the main elevator area
I went to the place on friday after 1pm, the best time as our muslim brothers are at the mosque and thus the place is not too packed. Then again, it is Puasa month now, so that might not be a factor at all anyway (in fact, I’m not sure if the place is open for business at regular hour during Puasa month. update – open for regular business during puasa month)
The menu is simple enough, starting from RM 4.50 to RM 6.50 for seafood and rice. There are sting ray, tilapia, squid, lala, prawn, and other combinations such as sotong with petai, sting ray with lala, and so forth. I ordered the string ray with petai (twisted cluster bean) and a glass of sea coconut drink.
string ray with petai, yumm
Since every dish is freshly cooked, I had to wait for some 10 minutes before lunch is served. The smell that attacked my nose was first indication that lunch was going to be good. Fish + sambal + petai can never go wrong for me. The string ray and petai were very well cooked, with plenty of excellent sambal on top. For a Malay dish, the ikan bakar was not overly spicy. The rice was of nice and soft texture and goes down well mixing with the fish and sambal. It was a very good lunch.
here is how to get to wisma sentral
My lunch combination and drink cost me RM 7.50. Slightly high for Wisma Sentral standard, but definately worth it. Still a lot cheaper a plate of mixed rice with 3 items at the food court anyway. Give it a try if you are around KLCC.
GPS: 3.158728, 101.714473
The news on the tragic end of the Croc Hunter Steve Irwin came pretty shocking to many of us. To pay tribute to the fun and whacky celebrity conservationist, I’ve decided to head to Chow Yang for a meal of Stingray ikan bakar. I think I’m not the only one who did this.
are you hungry for some ikan bakar?
I went over to the stall and picked up a slab of stingray and top it with some okra (ladies finger). Other types of vege you can choose to accompany your fish are long bean, petai, onion, and kacang botol (winged bean). You can also choose to have all of those veges as the side as well.
Although it’s called ikan bakar, the fish is not exactly grilled over fire. Instead, the guy pan fry the fish with a piece of banana leaf in between while applying the sambal paste on top. About half way through, a wok cover is used to blanket the fish while some water is squirted on just next to the fish, creating a steam. I believe this is how the fish is kept from being too dry while getting it cooked thoroughly. This cooking method is different from the Malay style ikan bakar I had near KLCC.
so tender you can just chew down the cartilage with the meat
The result was a fully cooked and very tender stingray meat with plenty of flavor from the sambal paste. The okra on top has a different texture and taste to serve as a very great compliment to the fish. Some sourish and spicey sauce with onion accompany the dish as well. The stuff is so delicious even the mat salleh loves it.
Chow Yang at SS2, just behind KAYU
The dish costs me RM 13, pretty fair price. While Chow Yang opens 24 hours daily, this stall operates at night only.
Address:
Jalan SS 2/6
Petaling Jaya, Selangor
GPS: 3.116862, 101.617377
Following the entry on Cheap and Good Chinese Food near KLCC, as promised, here’s the installation for the Malay variety. So for our Muslim brothers, there’s cheap lunch available at the golden triangle, too. However, please wait till after this fasting month, hehe.
bet you didn’t know this kinda places exist just a stone’s throw away from KLCC
This Malay “food court” is referred to simply as the BSN food place. It is a collection of Malay hawkers located at the parking lot that is right across KLCC tower 1, and in front of the BSN building. There are over half a dozen stalls there selling everything from Mee Soto to Nasi Kandar, and Roti Canai to Sotong Kangkung.
best or not?
One of my favorites is the Ikan Bakar (bbq fish.) A piece of what you see in the picture only costs RM 3.00. That’s mighty economical, don’t you think? Other than sting ray, there serve another two types of fish, and they always come with two different sauce for your just-in-time seasoning. A salty and sourish lime based sauce with diced onion and chilli padi, and a soya sauce based sauce, and again, with diced onion and chilli padi. However, they varied in taste.
This meal, with the generous sized water melon juice and rice with some ulam (fresh raw vegetable) and curry gravy costs me a grand total of only RM 6.00, that’s counting the fish. At the KLCC food court, you can probably get a plate of plain noodle and some ice water for the same price, and it’ll probably suck too.
The particular stall that I got this serving is the 1st of the second stretch of stalls. I heard that the place is serving pretty good buka puasa dinner this month.
GPS: 3.157496, 101.710503
