PETALING JAYA, Dec 30 — For those who grew up in Petaling Jaya in the 1990s, you will remember 6 to 10 Grill & Nasi Lemak at Happy Mansion.
Back in those days, that spot at Section 17 was a popular hangout for many. You either dined on their grilled Western meals or the nasi lemak.
The highlight of their nasi lemak were the pork dishes like rendang or the dry shrimp minced pork. It was a family business that saw it being passed down from father to son, Erik Lim. About five years ago, they shuttered the business.
Back in October this year, Erik opened his own food stall at Restoran Station 8, under "The Real Nasi Lemak" name. We were tipped off by Alex Lye, a Malay Mail reader, who was also a loyal customer of 6 to 10 Grill & Nasi Lemak.
You start with the basic nasi lemak for RM4.50. To this, add a variety of dishes. There's a choice of ayam goreng, pork rendang (they also offer a chicken version), dry shrimp minced pork or sambal sotong. Prices start from RM8 for one dish, to RM14 for three dishes.
The nasi lemak biasa is pretty good on its own. As this is nasi lemak Chinese style, you get rice with a delicate coconut milk fragrance. This is paired with a not overly spicy sambal loaded with sliced onions to give it a nice, natural sweetness. Enjoy it with the crisp fried ikan bilis and peanuts.
Their ayam goreng is interesting as it has a thin batter. It's half fried ahead and upon order, they refry it to serve it hot. Bite into the piece and you will be rewarded with juicy meat under the slightly crispy batter.
Zoom in on their pork rendang for an unusual pairing with your nasi lemak. The meat is served in fork-tender chunks. The mildly spicy gravy is creamy with a nice fragrance of kaffir lime leaves and spices.
For something a little spicier, go for their dry shrimp minced pork. A squeeze of calamansi lime gives it a slight tangy flavour that cuts through the rich-tasting mince. Both dishes taste incredibly homemade, pairing well with the rice.
If you prefer the more usual nasi lemak accompaniments, their sambal sotong has a spicy kick with tender pieces of the cuttlefish.
The Real Nasi Lemak, Restoran Station 8, No 2. Jalan SS2/10, Petaling Jaya. Tel: 012-2118838. Open: 7am to 2pm. Days off not fixed.
