PETALING JAYA, Jan 20 — How do you know if it’s a good bowl of laksa?
Well, an empty bowl where every bit of the laksa has been consumed is the best evidence of that.
And at Kafe Lemak you get four types of excellent laksa.
Newly opened since mid-December last year, this cafe in the picturesque PJ Trade Centre has links to the famous Granny Q Lemak Laksa in Pulau Tikus, Penang.
Started in 2022, Granny Q Lemak Laksa is run by the Heng siblings who are carrying on their Thai grandmother, Granny Kew’s, legacy.
The laksa lemak recipe is a hybrid of the creamy Thai khanom jeen with assam laksa garnishes and noodles.
Currently the Penang outlet is run by Kok Hoe while his sisters, Chris and Esther operate this new place here.

The repertoire is much larger here, where one has a choice of laksa, noodles, rice dishes and breakfast staples like toast and half boiled eggs.
On almost every table is the Granny Q Famous Lemak Laksa (RM15.90). You cannot miss the distinctive orange hue of the creamy laksa with its fragrant mix of turmeric and lemongrass.
It’s garnished with sliced onions, cucumber, mint leaves, torch ginger flower and a sprinkle of Thai chilli powder.
There’s just a small piece of boneless tilapia fish inside the bowl.
But it’s not the highlight; one simply cannot stop drinking up that creamy laksa gravy until it’s all gone.
I had recruited a friend from Penang to come and try out the food and he just couldn’t get enough of it... so much so that we ended up ordering almost everything on the menu. Even another portion of the lemak laksa was taken home to be slowly savoured.

Not a fan of creamy laksa? Well, the Penang Assam Laksa (RM15.90) comes to your rescue with its tangy fish broth composed of tamarind, lemongrass and galangal.
But if you’re feeling left out of the lemak laksa fan club, the Laksa Dua Rasa (RM16.90) is your best bet.
In that bowl, one mixes the lemak laksa with assam laksa, getting the best of both worlds.
The tangy broth tempers out the creaminess, allowing you to slurp up that zingy and creamy laksa broth. Heavenly!

And for those who love out-of-the-box dishes, there’s the Special Fried Laksa (RM16.90).
Translucent rice flour noodles are infused with the essence of laksa with the use of the same spices and herbs to create the same laksa broth you slurped up.
If you can move away from your laksa stupor, the Penang Prawn Mee (RM15.90) comes to the rescue with a punch of crustacean flavour minus any artificial additives.

Even the most cynical naysayers who insist a good prawn mee needs pork to uplift it to greatness, will be convinced that it’s doable once they taste this reddish brown broth.
There’s even a crunch factor too, a clever way of using fried diced tofu to mimic a favourite topping for the prawn mee.
For a more substantial meal, there’s rice dishes like nasi lemak served with a choice of sambal udang, fried chicken thigh. rendang curry chicken and their signature yellow curry chicken.
This yellow curry chicken covered with a thick curry is based on Granny Kew’s hand-me-down recipe.
It’s reminiscent of a Thai yellow curry minus the heat, which gives you such cosy vibes that you will mop up all the curry with rice. It’s also found in the Kunyit Yellow Curry Chicken Rice Set (RM16.90).

You don’t get the typical ho-hum sides, as the set is served with a crunchy Kerabu Tofu with deep fried beancurd cubes tossed with fried ground nuts and chopped red chillies.
Don’t miss out on the killer sambal belacan too served with crunchy sliced cucumber. There’s also a fried egg and prawn crackers.
The rice sets are also served with braised chicken or rendang curry chicken.
There are plans to expand the menu already and cendol may make an appearance after Chinese New Year.
They also hope to bring their Thai-Nonya otak-otak too, which is served at the Penang outlet.
Currently most of the diners are from Gamuda Berhad. However, word is slowly getting around and Penangites have started visiting already for a comforting reminder of their hometown..
Kafe Lemak,
Unit D-G-03, Menara Gamuda,
PJ Trade Centre,
No. 8, Jalan PJU 8/8A,
Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya.
Open: 7.30am to 4pm.
Closed on Sunday.
Tel:010-2808068.
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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