Sulaiman's Famous Cendol and Rojak

My mother is heavyset. (Admittedly, I'm built like my mother). And she knows exactly where to go shopping for her clothes and all. On this occasion, she wanted to visit her favourite stall where she can stock up on her "loose fit" home dresses in Pudu Market!  

She was very persuasive. I had to drive her there.

So together with my mother and family, we made our way to Pudu, where the wet market is. And while she was busy choosing her new pyjamas, I had to snoop around the area to see if I can find something, anything, that's exciting.

This is when I came across the Sulaiman's Famous Cendol and Rojak stall.

Sulaiman's Famous Cendol Dan Rojak stall

When you use the word "Famous" on the signage of your stall or a restaurant, naturally you'll attract significantly higher expectations. But the man behind the ice shaving machine seems totally cool, calm and collected. He spoke pretty good Cantonese, and probably other Chinese dialects too.

I invited my mother and family over. They found a vacant table and waited for their cendols.

This is how the stall looks like from the side.

There were about five tables placed in a row across the unused walkway.

Cars conveniently stopped next to the stall and packed cendols and rojaks.

Then our bowls of cendols arrived. The coconut milk and Gula Melaka (palm sugar) based dessert, with kidney beans and corn was not extraordinarily delicious. But the "green stuff" that we know as "cendol" was better than average as they do not harden as they get cold from sitting on the shaved ice in the bowl. (I'd have to add that there are people who actually told me they prefer their "cendol" to harden, but never got around to explain why). The coconut milk was freshly fragrant too. So no complaints there.

The prices... Cendol Biasa (no added condiments except for the "cendol") – RM1.20 (drink there and then) RM1.50 (takeaway). With Kacang, Pulut (sticky glutinous rice) or Corn, RM1.30/RM1.60. Special (with the lot) – RM1.50/RM1.80. Rojak Biasa (no sotong/squid) – RM3.50. Rojak + Sotong/Squid – RM4.00. And the list goes on.

For those truly affordable prices, you'd have to bear with the lack of amenities. Though we were glad that they have a basin to wash up after.

As I turned around for a final look at Sulaiman's, a thought ran through my head, well... sometimes you're famous for the dish you serve, and sometimes it's for that little extra experience that makes it absolutely memorable. 

Triple Farewell Bash at Kanna Curry House.

What do you do when you have a big group of hungry friends – some who do not eat pork; some who'd rather not have anything to do with beef but would fancy a piece or two of curry-laced fried Tenggiri fish; some who'd prefer a plate of Deep Fried Chicken, Mutton Masala, Deep Fried Fish Roe or Chili Prawns; some who haven't had deep fried battered squid for some time but would really love some immediately – and who all are crazy for different kinds of curries to go with eat-all-you-want steamed white rice and a variety of vegetables, some papadums, and maybe with a cup of fresh yogurt too, served on a banana leaf?

Kanna Curry House. Jalan 17/45, PJ. 603-7958 4814. On top a hill behind Lisa de Inn, a building that's shaped like a lavishly decorated birthday cake. You won't miss the outlandish landmark.

Footnote: Good luck to Aliff, Casey and Mandy. May the pastures you're leaving M&C Saatchi Malaysia for be as green as banana leaves.

Sentul Curry House, Jalan Ipoh.

Yes, it's Southern Indian cuisine. It's rich like crazy, and tasty as hell.

Getting there can be a breeze if you know Jalan Ipoh, on the way to the Sentul police station, almost across the road from Dynasty Hotel where the famous Bak Kut Teh restaurant is.

The address: Lot 239, Section 8, Batu 2, Jalan Ipoh, KL. 03-4044 0563/4.

When you're here, you'd have to work your way along the food line – first the rice, yogurt salad, then move on to the curries, the vegetables, the fried this and thats, and then some more...

The Curry Lamb Shank, good for its tender meat and tasty marrow, is a must. Share a plate if necessary...
The appetising Curry Fish Head is also a must-have. Now, if you're still not sharing your food, you must be darn hungry.

And there's plenty to go around, the Curry Fish Head, as you can clearly see from the size of their woks. The lady says she cooks 3 to 4 wok-ful a day, depending on the number of walk-in customers.

Last but not least, the refreshing Mooru. It's like you must drink Chinese tea when you're eating Bak Kut Teh, you need this cooling yogurt drink that's loaded with slices of onion and chili, plus fresh spices and what nots; or face massive heartburn.

Sun Fatt Kee.

On a day when we couldn't decide on where to go for our one2two, we dropped by S.E.A. Park, PJ, for various options of rice and noodles dishes.

Base on a tip by a friend who lives in the neighbourhood, we headed over to Sun Fatt Kee of Jalan 21/11B, located just behind Maybank for some Curry Laksa and a mixed bowl of beef brisket and tripe soup.

The top prize goes to the fabulous Curry Laksa, a coconut milk-based curry soup noodles, served with boneless chicken strips, fried beancurd puffs, long beans, beansprouts, and raw cockles that sit on top but cooks easily in the hot curry soup.

Most Curry Laksa you get elsewhere lacks the 'zing' that this bowl provides. It was a totally memorable meal.

But if you think that was it, you're wrong... for a 2nd round of one2two, we walked across the road to the T junction where the famous Hasan's Rojak truck is always parked.

The Mamak (Indian Muslim) who runs the business has 2 more brothers with similar trucks (one in SS2, not sure where the other one is) that carry the Hasan's name, which is their father who started the business over a decade ago in the northern state of Penang.

Now Mr. Hasan has passed on, but his legacy of Passembor Rojak with the crispy grated coconut fritters, crunchy prawn fritters, prawn crackers, fried taufoo (beancurd), grated strips of cucumber and turnip, and unique, thick, sweet sauce that is poured over the cut pieces – lives on.

The Kampung Attap Indian Rice Place.

They call this place all sorts of names, like Bawah Pokok, which means 'Under A Tree'. But this can be rather confusing because it's a very generic description of countless outdoor restaurants or eating stalls across Malaysia.

Some call this place The Indian Stall Behind The Chinese Assembly Hall, which is very precise and a very useful description for first-timers as the Chinese Assembly Hall is a very prominent landmark in Kuala Lumpur.

For me, I'd just call it The Kampung Attap Indian Rice Place. Simply because they have the best selection of fresh meat, curry and vegetable dishes around that neighbourhood.

The combination of Fish Curry, Chicken Curry, Fried Chicken, Mutton Massala, Batter-fried Cauliflower, Yogurt Vegetable Salad and Thairu (appetising fresh yogurt) served on steamed white rice was my choice of the day.

What's missing from the plate is the curry powder marinated fried Tenggiri fish, the Batter-fried Squid, the Onion Omelette, the Batter-fried Bittergourd and probably some Papadums (a thin crispy wafer or flatbread).

Now that's what I call a complete 'knockout' meal. It'll knock you out the rest of the day, for sure.