PETALING JAYA, Nov 12 — One door may be closed but for popular Ikan Jaket Terangkat, another door or opportunity opened up in the form of a new space in a bigger food court.

For 50 years or so, this stall, famous for its ikan sumbat cencaru cooked in a style found in Kedah, has been trading at a food court located along a stretch of Jalan 51/217 in PJ Old Town. 

Since the council tore down the food court to rebuild it, they decided to relocate to Medan Selera Jalan Othman in October this year.

The layout of the place is different as cooking is done inside the cramped space of the lot. 

Outside in the common area, you will find their spread of nasi campur that also includes other choices for fish and chicken if you don’t want to wait for the ikan sumbat cencaru, while drinks can be ordered from another stall further down. 

The first thing to do when you arrive here is to hit up the stall straightaway to place your order for the fish, as it requires time to prepare. 

You will be given a number and told how long it may roughly take, based on the number of orders ahead of yours. 

Diligent diners can also call ahead to order the coveted fish.

I had expected a long wait but this time it took only 10 minutes or so. 

The fish, darkened by the high heat and covered with black bits of sambal, was just as good as I remembered... I wished I had ordered two portions. 

It packs a fiery taste that lingers on the tongue but the caramelised bits are something one cannot stop eating.

Pair it with rice, your choice of vegetables or protein for a substantial meal guaranteed to put you into an after-lunch snoozefest.  

Known as “ikan jaket”, the fish is covered with a thick skin you pull back to enjoy the fish stuffed with that super burning hot spice paste.

Prices have gone up since I last had it three years ago as a piece of fish is now RM10, making you think twice before ordering a second piece. 

Perhaps one should put aside that craving for a second piece of fish and order an ais kacang for RM5 from either of the two popular stalls at the Chinese side of the food court. 

Both stalls are operated by two separate ladies, one is Peggy and another is Jessie, both serving their own riff on ais kacang. 

At Aunty Peggy’s stall Weng Kee, the ice is finely shaved and loosely packed high like a tall mountain in a small bowl. 

It’s flavoured with gula Melaka syrup and evaporated milk; the ice is extremely fine on the tongue and melts straight away.

Inside the bowl, find jelly, red beans and green cendol strands to enjoy with the melted flavoured ice. 

Jessie’s Special ABC stall’s version also sports shaved ice packed in a bowl albeit a plastic throwaway one now. 

Here the shaved ice is molded firmly with a layer of coconut milk and for its special glow-up, drizzled with a thick, fragrant gula Melaka syrup that seems to wink at you to try it. 

Chip away with your spoon to enjoy the ice on its own or let it drop to the bottom of the bowl to mingle with toasted peanuts, red beans, jelly and cendol.

Both ais kacang are definitely far and above the average versions found elsewhere. 

You can enjoy the ais kacang at the seats nearer to the Ikan Jaket stall as both stalls deliver to that area. 

Or if you prefer, just walk over to either of the two ais kacang stalls after your meal of ikan sumbat cencaru to cool your tongue for that final sweet flourish.

Ikan Jaket Terangkat,

Lot No. 8, Medan Selera Jalan Othman,

Jalan Othman, Petaling Jaya Old Town.

Open: 12pm to 3pm. Closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Tel:017-5525560

Facebook: @CencaruSumbatPJ

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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