KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — One of Bangsar’s long-standing coffee shops, Restoran Berjaya, has decided to call it a day after 45 years in business.
Their last day is slated for August 30.
The late Choo Wai Mun and his wife, Madam Ho, started as a food stall at a corner coffee shop in Lucky Garden, where ParkCity Pharmacy is presently located.
The stall moved around Lucky Garden a few times before settling down in its own shop at No. 44, Jalan Telawi. Later in 2023, they shifted to No. 30, Jalan Telawi.
About three years ago, Choo died and Madam Ho and her two daughters have been holding the fort since.
Madeleine Choo cooks the noodles while Madam Ho oversees the preparation of the Nasi Padang dishes.
Another daughter, who runs her own Korean restaurant, assists with social media on their Facebook page.
Madeleine explained that her parents decided to cook food using halal ingredients at their first shop because their landlord was Malay.
They offered an array of noodles like curry mee, wantan mee, fishball noodles, yong tau foo and fried wantans, served alongside Nasi Padang.
Madam Ho picked up the recipes for the Nasi Padang dishes from their Indonesian workers.
“Once mother took over, she modified and changed the dishes to suit the Malaysian taste until they could accept it,” Madeleine added.
An iconic dish that graces almost every plate is the superb dendeng.
Preparing the dish is laborious but no one leaves without eating it.
Chunks of beef are coated with spices and deep-fried until they blacken, creating an aromatic crust.
It’s cut into thick pieces, and each piece is pounded in a mortar and pestle before being combined with a sauce layered with oil, chilies, and thickly sliced onions.
The popularity of this dish means around 40 kilogrammes of beef sell out within two days.
Because securing workers has been difficult, they now only have two helping out instead of the previous team of eight.
Madam Ho must keep a strict eye to ensure the food is prepared the way she wants, hence she has reduced some offerings like nasi lemak and fewer dishes for their Nasi Padang.
With the lease up for renewal and an increase in rent, Madam Ho, who is now 76, decided it was time to retire as she has been working since she was 29.
Following the announcement on August 25, devoted customers, mostly multi-generational families, have been trickling in to relish their favourite dishes one last time and say goodbye to Madam Ho.
One of them is Rosley Hussin, 84, and his wife, Rohani Abdullah, 81, who have been eating here since Rohani was pregnant with their son, Fahim Rosley, who is now in his forties.
“It’s very sad they are closing, and we have always been confident in their food because the trust has been there all the time,” Rohani explained.
The octogenarian couple’s four children grew up eating the restaurant’s food, and the third generation, Fahim’s son, is also a fan of their food.
Nikmat M, who used to live in Bangsar, was visiting to eat a plate of rice with the dendeng and vegetables.
For the 66-year-old, the taste of the pounded beef still remains the same.
As a keepsake, he packed a portion of his cherished curry mee to store in the freezer, planning to eat it when he misses the place.
Restoran Berjaya
30, Jalan Telawi,
Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
Open: 7:30am to 5:30pm
Facebook: @restoranberjayaofficial
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