Nasi Lemak Kak Yah (Caveat Emptor)

(beside Jabatan Kimia)

Jalan Cherong Lanjut

20300 Kuala Terengganu

(Coordinates: E103° 8' 25.3" N5° 19' 12.0")

We’ve made plans to visit the state museum today. We thought to make sure we had a hearty breakfast before the long morning of walking ahead and what can be more hearty than some good old ¹Nasi Lemak, Terengganu style.

¹fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and screwpine leaves

no long queues this time around

We’ve been meaning to give this Nasi Lemak stall a try for some time now, but each time we come here the throngs of crowd that line up deter us. This time however, no large crowds were present and we plopped ourselves at the nearest available bench and proceeded to order.

garnered quite some interest

neat cosy interior

varied dishes to complement their nasi lemak

vast majority opt to take-away

Brendan had the Nasi Lemak with ²Ayam Rendang while both Cat and I tried the Nasi Lemak with ³Sotong Sambal.

²chicken slow cooked in rich and spicy coconut sauce with lime leaves and lemon grass

³fresh squid (calamari) cooked in a spicy robust sauce made with chillies, shallots, garlic, stewed tomatoes, tamarind paste and belachan (dried shrimp paste)

Brendan's nasi lemak with ayam rendang

while Cat and I opted for the...

... nasi lemak with sotong sambal

the bill soon wiped away her smile

The verdict? We found ourselves wondering why a large crowd forms in front of this stall most times we’re here. While we have nothing negative to say taste-wise, we were also of the opinion that there was nothing remarkable about the Nasi Lemak here. And the damage? This is the crucial question, since by any stretch of the imagination this stall’s prices are very steep. Together with a round of beverages (Brendan had Iced Tea, Cat had Iced Tea with condensed milk while I had a cup of hot Nescafe) it came to RM17, which by Kuala Terengganu standards is exorbitant.

Would we come here again? We’re afraid unremarkable Nasi Lemak plus unreasonable pricing always equals a pass in the future.

Warung Ikan Bakar Adiq Qies

G13 Medan Selera Tanjung

Dataran Syahbandar, Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin

20000 Kuala Terengganu

+60139124989

(Coordinates: E103° 8' 30.9" N5° 20' 18.9")

It being Christmas and all, we wanted to splurge on our dinner and decided to have some ‘Ikan Bakar’ for dinner. Medan Selera Tanjung has always been our default destination for all things concerning barbequed seafood. The quality and freshness is unrivalled, and you get to enjoy your meal right beside the mighty Terengganu River.

 

one of many such stalls here

 

fresh, fresh fish!

 

done in a variety of ways

The stalls here are pretty generic, and we ended up having dinner at Adiq Qies’ stall after being taken in with the ‘charms’ of its proprietor. After much deliberation we settled on a reasonably sized Ikan Pari (Stingray) and an Ikan Tuka (we have no idea what it called in English, but it looks remarkably like a Stingray) marinated and barbecued in the marvellous thick rich belachan-driven sauce only found in Terengganu; Cat chose a large Sotong (Cuttlefish) that weighed close to half a kilogram cooked in the traditional ‘Celup Tepung’ style (deep fried batter).

 

the Stingray

 

the Tuka fish

 

our beverages

 

sotong celup tepung!

 

the barbecued ikan pari (stingray)

 

the barbecued ikan tuka

 

time to put my camera away!

The verdict? This is something we’ve missed an awful long time since barbecued seafood in the West Coast does not hold a candle to this in our very biased opinion, so yes, it was infinitely divine. And the damage? With a round of freshly squeezed fruit juices it came to a pretty respectable RM55, and although outside the realms of the everyday food of the everyday person it was still way cheaper than if we had had the same dishes in the Klang Valley.

If you’re ever in Kuala Terengganu looking for some fresh seafood then key in the coordinates provided above, and enjoy!

Kak Midah Laksa & Laksam Terengganu (1st Round)

(within Restoran Hidayat)

Jalan Bukit Kechil

Kampung Bukit Kecil

21100 Kuala Terengganu

+60129654095

(Coordinates: E103° 8' 7.6" N5° 18' 56.4")

Laksa and especially ¹Laksam is a dish unique to the East Coast. Kelantan and Terengganu’s version are quite similar with shades of differences lying with the ‘ulam’ or side dishes used.

¹wheat or rice flours noodles, the gravy is made from fish meat which is boiled, pureed, and mixed with coconut milk

 

the stall is located within this restaurant

 

near Sabasun, JPJ

A good friend of ours introduced Kak Midah’s stall to us some time ago, and we’ve been coming here ever since. Anyone seeking to experience authentic Terengganu Laksam must make the effort to give this stall a try, believe us this is an experience not to be missed.

 

we really missed this!

 

Kak Midah in blue

 

they do catering services as well

 

our default Laksam destination

We ordered three plates of Laksam (Brendan and I refrained from bean sprouts, as usual) and enjoyed every spoonful.

 

mamma mia

 

another dish we've missed tremendously

 

I'm salivating again

 

let's dig in!

No prizes for guessing what the verdict is, right? Nothing short of marvellous, no less. And the damage? The Laksam costs RM2.50 (yes, you read it right) a plate, and together with an assortment of beverages the total came to only RM13.60, so do we need to say anymore?

Kak Midah Laksa & Laksam Terengganu is an experience not to be missed, especially for the uninitiated.

Intan Beach Resort

898-N Lorong Dato' Jaya

Lorong Haji Busu Batu Burok

20400 Kuala Terengganu

(Coordinates: E103° 9' 24.0" N5° 19' 9.6")

Our tummies filled, we made our way to Batu Buruk beach to check in to the budget beach resort that we will be calling home for the next five days.

Well worth the RM125 for the family room (ours came with a 1 single and 1 queen-sized bed configuration), this resort is highly recommended to anyone, especially families to spend a few days by the famous Batu Buruk beach, and just a stone’s throw away from food stalls, eateries and restaurants.

Here are some photographs of the resort for your viewing pleasure...

 

the rather diminuitive sign board along the main road

 

more pertinent details

 

the front staircase

  

the reception area

 

right beside Batu Buruk beach

 

view from the beach

 

view from the beach

 

view of the beach from the resort

 

view of the beach from the resort

With Intan Beach Resort you can't go far wrong, for sure!

Restoran Chuan Kee

Jalan Kota Lama

20300 Kuala Terengganu

(Coordinates: E103° 8' 4.6" N5° 19' 45.9")

Its Christmas!

As planned, we left Kuala Lumpur promptly at 6:00am this morning, and after a leisurely drive arrived in Kuala Terengganu 450 kilometres and 6½ hours later. Since it was not yet time for us to check in to our resort, we decided to have lunch at our old favourite Hainanese Chicken Rice shop here.

 

first thing we arrived in Kuala Terengganu...

 

... was to come here...

 

... now it really feels like we've come home :-)

 

the best chicken rice shop!

Restoran Chuan Kee was our default destination every Friday (Terengganu’s weekend) after Mass. It seemed like yesterday that we left Kuala Terengganu, not 11 years ago. Nothing much has changed, and the Taukeh (which literally means business owner) greeted us with his usual warm smile as if we never left Kuala Terengganu. The Taukeh-Soh (business owner’s wife) was excited to see us all these years, and she and Cat took some time catch up with each other.

 

some things never change

 

he's bashful

We ordered the usual platter of roasted chicken (serving for three persons) and Cat added a plate of Siew Pak Choy (small Chinese cabbages). The Taukeh remembered our preferences and threw in plenty extra chicken skin.

 

this is what we're talking about!

 

everything just right

 

I am salivating

 

tired after the long drive

 

behold the magnificent spread before us

 

the siew pak choy

 

happy to be back

 

catching up on old times

The verdict? After 11 long years the Hainanse Chicken Rice served here remains as excellent as ever, and it is still THE best chicken rice shop in Kuala Terengganu, bar none! And the damage? Together with a round of Coca-Cola for everyone the total came to an astonishing RM22.90, take that Chee Meng!