KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Social media’s algorithm often gives me some weird recommendations but this one about The Ruai Room definitely piqued my interest since Borneo food is rather under-represented here.
Location-wise, it’s also unusual because it is hidden inside Anjung Melayu, an area that houses the Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia and is next door to where Tupai Tupai restaurant was once located before it closed down.
This area known as Bukit Petaling is surrounded by busy roads leading to the Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka area from Jalan Istana, but you can find it as long as you diligently follow Waze’s directions.
The restaurant has links to Eupe Corporation Berhad, which is building a sales gallery next door for its upcoming development project, Circadia at Belfield, along Jalan Istana.
Central to this newly opened place is the charcoal grill, which they use to cook seafood sourced from Borneo, along with meats like chicken wings, lamb shoulder and Wagyu beef.
Even the iconic Ayam Pansuh (300 grams for RM26), a dish often prepared for festivals by the Ibans and Bidayuh, is cooked over the grill.
Chicken pieces mixed with herbs and covered with tapioca leaves are stuffed inside a bamboo tube, which captures the juices from the cooked chicken for a wholesome taste.
For larger crowds, they use their customised charcoal grill to cook the food in bigger batches.
Select from various grilled items, vegetables and claypot dishes to eat with rice sets accompanied by small side dishes.
Solo diners can opt for their seafood soup noodles with fish belly, grouper meat, mixed seafood, grilled sea tiger prawns, or clams.
Sotong Katak (RM32 for 500 grams) impresses with perfectly cooked squid — minus the dreaded rubbery bite — and crunchy onions, displaying a chef’s deft control of the wok and fire.
What elevates it to greatness is their signature sauce made with peanuts and flecked with red chilies, which imparts creaminess and a savoury flavour.
For greens, instead of opting for Manicai with Kampung Egg, the Pucuk Paku with Ikan Masin Tenggiri (RM22) which was recommended.
Our dish arrived at the table, full of wok hei that enticed one to keep eating the tender stems with young leaves.
You do get some stray woody stems, but the overall taste of these ferntops was well worth it when paired with the crunchy, not-overly-salty ikan masin tenggiri.
Rice sets (RM9.90) featuring a choice of yellow turmeric rice or jasmine rice can be paired with three side dishes, selected from seven choices, such as pucuk ubi, sambal bunga kantan, cili putih ikan masin, keropok dabai, kerabu mangga, telur masin and wagyu lemak bakar.
Our generous portion of rice was accompanied by a nutty, savoury keropok dabai, which featured the Borneo olive, salted egg and the off-menu tiny fried ikan bilis with a hint of spiciness.
This place is a keeper indeed and well worth a second visit to explore more of their grilled seafood and a bowl of their seafood noodles.
The Ruai Room
Lot 734, Anjung Melayu,
Jalan Bukit Petaling,
Bukit Petaling, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 017-8036383
Open daily: 12pm to 3pm, 5.30pm to 10pm.
Instagram: @theruairoom
Facebook: @theruairoom
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
