Nasi Ayam Kampung @Restoran A. Hassan, Kompleks Rehat dan Rawat Awan Besar, KESAS Highway

When talking about Malay food ... in Kuala Lumpur the most popular is the Kelantanese Malay food. Within 5 km radius from my KL apartment there  is one Kelantanese restaurant famous for their Nasi Ayam Kampung (Free Range Chicken Rice).

I found out about the R&R Awan Besar branch from Precious Pea blog few years back. Usually, I frequented the restaurant branch in Medan Selera Kampung Baru, in the heart of KL as well opposite the Cheras Velodrome. Like the other 2 branches ... their fried free range chicken are also selling like hot cakes during lunches.

The new signboard.

The downside is the restaurant is located after the toll station so customers had to pay toll.

Exact location is at the R&R Awan Besar.

Emel ... all excited to satisfy her cravings for ayam kampung. Last month, I brought my mum.

Anyway, after many years of the so-called "11 herbs and spices" fried chickens ... it's great to be able to go back in time and savour "kampung style" fried chicken, with hot plain steam rice, which a blogger described it best ... "Just turmeric and salt, perhaps a bit of spices fried golden brown in sizzling oil". Furthermore, free range chicken or ayam kampung tastes better and leaner than commercially grown chicken.

It is best to visit the restaurant between 11.30 am to 12.30 pm as the food are still hot from the kitchen and there are not many customers yet. To be honest, if not because of the Nasi Ayam Kampung, the R&R Complex can be quite deserted.

Array of Kelantanese dishes for customers to choose from.

The star dish. Fried Free Range Chicken ... just turmeric and salt and fry!

Lala (clamps) in yellow coconut gravy.

Mix vegetable with squid tentacles.

Shrimp paste sambal ... to be eaten with the chicken.

Another popular sauce from Kelantan ... the fermented anchovies sauce in chillies and lime. My favourite. Supposed to be like a dipping sauce for the "ulam" (local salad) ... but I love eating with rice.

  Additional photos from previous visits...

Stir fried fern tips ...

I usually take  their deep fried cow lung. However during that particular trip ... I was saving my stomach space for Lot Hutong eating spree later.

Actually the food price there is not that cheap but comparatively it is still very affordable.Well nothing is cheap in KL nowadays.

Address:
Restoran A. Hassan Sdn. Bhd.
Cawangan Kompleks Rawat dan Rehat Awan Besar
Lebuhraya Shah Alam
(Close on Fridays)

Chicken Rice @ Restoran Lesung Batu Besar, Parit Buntar, Perak

Right after Chinese New Year I had to attend a meeting in Mallacca, so I had no choice but to schedule my appointment with the coordinator of Homestay Sungai Setar, Kak Shidah, right after I arrived in Penang. I am putting Homestay program top priority in my list this year as I think Penang Homestay need new rebranding and total makeover to make it more attractive, competitive and sustainable.

Insiders information - I noticed that many of the Penang homestay participants are great cooks! As suspected, Kak Shidah is involve in the food business. Kak Shidah own a restaurant called Restoran Lesung Batu Besar (translated Big Pestle and Mortar) in Parit Buntar town. Although Sungai Setar is in the state of Penang, but the nearest town is Parit Buntar, Perak.So after meeting with homestay participants in Sungai Setar, we went to her restaurant to have a late lunch. It was already late afternoon when we reached  there and I saw a number of people still eating in her restaurant.The food must be good here, considering it is located in a small town.

Kak Shidah recommended us to try the Nasi Ayam Berempah (translated Spicy Chicken Rice). Talking about Ayam Rempah or Ayam Goreng Berempah, once I forced my officemate to travel all the way from Damansara to Jalan Genting-Klang braving the heavy traffic just to buy a packet of Steam Nasi Lemak with Ayam Goreng Berempah (he blackmailed me anyway -I had to stay back to help him with a very important report). Nyummmmmmm.... Look at the menu, cheap, simple and definitely nice. Very kampung style.

Being a great hostess, she didn't only treat us to her Spicy Chicken Rice ... in fact she even asked us to try the Honey Chicken, Promfret Fish Curry and selection of sauces - chilli, honey glaze and air assam (sour sauce).

Honey-glaze Chicken

Promfret Fish Curry

From top : Air assam, chilli and honey-glaze.

The chicken rice was really delicious ... and no wonder it was a hit among the locals. Especially when it  was eaten hot. Although I was quite full, there was one thing that I had been craving for many years (seriously). A good Meehoon Sup Utara (Northern Style Meehoon Soup).

Another must try ... Northern Style Meehon Soup

The verdict: Tidak mengecewakan!