When comes to nasi lemak, everyone has their own preferences. It doesn’t matter where you are from and this also applies to those living in the Klang Valley area. Among the best (yeah, some might say overrated) nasi lemak places you can get includes the popular Village Park Restaurant located in Damansara Uptown. In our article, we will focus on 10 places to enjoy nasi lemak besides Village Park Restaurant in Klang Valley.
1) Say Yes Cafe
A few blocks away from the popular Village Park Restaurant, Say Yes Cafe would probably have you “saying yes” to their signature nasi lemak. Or more specifically, Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Rerempah. They get all things right with their nasi lemak itself: aromatic rice cooked with coconut milk, palatable sambal, hard-boiled egg, crunchy peanuts and anchovies. But the star of the show has to be their golden-brown ayam berempah. The spiced, oh-so-good crunchy bites on its deep-fried chicken skin along with the tasty white meat. Taste-wise, it certainly hits the spot and is a perfect companion with the appetising nasi lemak.
Address: 97, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
2) Serunai Nasi Lemak
This corner-lot restaurant of Serunai Nasi Lemak boasts a clean and spacious interior. And the nasi lemak itself? Well, their regular version (Nasi Lemak Biasa) is a winning combo of fragrant coconut rice with spicy-sweet sambal and all the usual suspects. And yes, they serve their nasi lemak steaming hot as it should be enjoyed. Remember to top up your nasi lemak with some of their delectable add-ons, namely the juicy fried chicken and the crunchy tempeh.
Address: 43, Jalan SS 23/15, Taman Sea, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
3) Nasi Lemak Shop
The name of the shop is exactly what you expect. They specialise in nasi lemak and they sure know how to whip up a good one too. The plain version is satisfying enough: aromatic coconut rice with sambal that is neither too sweet nor too spicy; just nice. The nasi lemak complements well with the usual peanuts, anchovies and hard-boiled egg. But the real deal here has to be its best-selling Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng. The fried chicken is moist and juicy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, making it a must-order for every nasi lemak lover. If possible, leave some room to cool down with a bowl of Korean bingsu (their Mango, Coconut or Calamansi comes highly recommended).
Address: G10, Oasis Business Centre BU4, Changkat Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
4) Nasi Lemak Kak Sanah
Nasi Lemak Kak Sanah, which operates only in the morning, has been around for decades. They serve from plain nasi lemak to nasi lemak berlauk (with dishes). For starters, their deep-fried chicken is all crispy and succulent to the bite with a hint of spice. Their beef rendang is just as good and so does the spicy-licious sambal sotong. A word of warning, though: their nasi lemak sambal can be too spicy for those who have low-to-mild spice tolerance. It’s best to come as early as possible to avoid disappointment and interestingly, Nasi Lemak Kak Sanah deserves praise for its take-a-number system to manage crowd control.
Address: Jalan SS 22/19, Damansara Jaya, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
5) Wow Wow Nasi Lemak
Located in Sunwaymas Commercial Centre, this homey vegetarian restaurant serves reasonably-priced vegetarian meals. One of their best dishes? Nasi Lemak with Mutton Curry. Each plate comes with fluffy fragrant rice with delicious sambal that isn’t overly spicy. The usual add-ons — hard-boiled egg, peanuts, anchovies and sliced cucumbers — round up this nasi lemak with the mock mutton curry.
Address: 17-1, Jalan PJU 1/3B, Sunwaymas Commercial Centre, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
6) Nasi Lemak Leman’jah The Boss
This 46-year-old Nasi Lemak Leman’jah The Boss certainly knows its sambal. This is especially true if you like the sambal spicier and not on the sweet side. As for the rest, their signature nasi lemak tastes all homey. You can have it plain or order add-ons such as telur goreng (fried egg), kerang (cockles) and sotong (squid). Keep in mind that Nasi Lemak Leman’jah The Boss only serve in the morning for the breakfast crowd from 6 am to 11 am except on Sundays.
Address: Jalan Raja Abdullah, Kampung Baru, 50300 Kuala Lumpur.
7) Nyonya Tingkat
Words like “fragrant” and “tasty” are best described for Nyonya Tingkat’s nasi lemak dishes. Go simple with their classic Nasi Lemak Bungkus or Nasi Lemak Telur Bungkus. Or indulge in some of their signature nasi lemak, covering the likes of the succulent Ayam Rendang and Kari Kapitan Ayam. Vegans, in the meantime, can look forward to Nasi Lemak Vege Mutton. The good thing about Nyonya Tingkat? They don’t skimp on the flavours and ingredients as any good Nyonya restaurant should be.
Address:
(The Sphere, Bangsar South) The Sphere, Unit UG-3A, Level UG, Avenue 1 Bangsar South City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.
(Menara UOA, Bangsar Utama) 5, Jalan Bangsar Utama 1, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur.
(Nu Sentral) Lot L5.12, Nu Sentral Shopping Centre, 201, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur.
8) Nasi Lemak Beratur 7E, Taman Maluri
By now, you probably heard about this Nasi Lemak Beratur 7E located at Taman Maluri. They open at 4 am (yes, there are many people willing to wake up this early and start queuing, hence the name). But if you think that’s insanely early, don’t be surprised to find the queue already started from around 3 am onwards. So, how’s the nasi lemak? You get fluffy rice with a subtle hint of lemongrass and the sambal has a mix of spicy and sweet taste. Some of the side dishes available include chicken rendang, paru goreng (fried beef lung) and ayam goreng (fried chicken).
Address: 211, Jalan Perkasa 1, Maluri, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.
9) Nasi Lemak Angah
A favourite among many locals, particularly for Sentul folks. The reason? Nasi Lemak Angah serves good-tasting nasi lemak bungkus wrapped in banana leaf and brown paper. Once you unwrap it, you’ll be greeted with fragrant rice infused not only with coconut milk but also assorted aromatics, namely lemongrass and pandan. The nasi lemak comes with a topping of sambal that has the right balance of spiciness and sweetness. Each packet includes the usual hard-boiled egg, peanuts, anchovies and sliced cucumbers. You can enjoy it plain or pair your nasi lemak with some of its mouthwatering side dishes such as ayam berempah, ayam merah and daging rendang.
Address: Pasar Batu 2 1/2 Ipoh, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Sentul, 51200 Kuala Lumpur.
10) Warung Nasi Lemak Pak Ayob
This Shah Alam mainstay knows a thing or two about serving good nasi lemak. Many regulars frequent here for its signature nasi lemak, all harmoniously put together. The rice has a nice fluff to it while the sambal doesn’t taste overpowering. In other words, it’s more on the spicy-sweet side. As for the side dishes, Warung Nasi Lemak Pak Ayob serves the usual suspects from deep-fried chicken to daging rendang and sambal udang petai.
Address: 31, Jalan Singa G 20/G, Seksyen 20, 40300 Shah Alam, Selangor.
