Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Restoran Lontong House

Sometime in June...

We have been to a number of makan places in June & July but we didn't bother to take any photos or to upload any posting. Till today, we are quite busy with other matters, so GO M2 J2 is on hold for the time being.

Anyhow, we went to this particular restaurant twice in June. Located at the commercial centre of TTDI Jaya, Section U2, Shah Alam, this Malay restaurant serves lontong (house specialty), nasi beriyani (only on Friday), nasi ayam, an array of kuih melayu and cupcakes.

Cupcakes??? Yep!

We had nasi campur for lunch on both occasion. The owner, Mr. Syed Alwi recommended the nasi ayam but we decided to "belasah" the "lauk-pauk" instead. The food is a bit salty for me but my wife loves every bit of it...

**********Extract From The NST**********

ZANNA ES visits The Longtong House in TTDI Jaya which aims to make the Johor dish more popular in the country.

HE had always wanted lontong to be well-known just like satay or chicken rice. So he decided to open The Lontong House in TTDI Jaya, Selangor. “Lontong is a typical breakfast dish in the south,” says Singapore-born Syed Alwi Syed Salim who has been in the food business for the past decade. “However, it shouldn’t remain so limited,” says Syed Alwi who hopes to make the dish as popular as nasi lemak which can be eaten any time of the day.

MAIN ATTRACTION: The Lontong House's signature dish is a southern speciality.
His wife, Junaidah Ismail, who comes from a family of cooks in Johor, personally prepares lontong from a family recipe. It comprises nasi impit and a creamy gravy filled with vegetables such as cabbage, soya bean curd, tempeh and boiled eggs.

She makes her own bergedel (potato patties with minced meat), nasi impit and sambal which accompanies the dish which can also be eaten with serunding (meat floss). It costs RM3.50 per dish or RM5 with squid/lungs.

Syed Alwi, who is also a development and property agent, is confident that people will take to lontong, although it is high in cholesterol.

He and his wife started their food business at Jaya Jusco Klang before operating at the Giant hypermart in Shah Alam and then at the National Registration Department building in Putrajaya.

“Although we opened for business just a month ago, response has been better than expected,” says Syed Alwi.

However, lontong is not the only attraction at his outlet which promotes itself as a centre for authentic Malay food with more than 25 dishes.

Nasi Briyani Special is also available every Friday.“The briyani rice is scented with rose water and served with chicken or beef,” says Syed Alwi who hopes to set up more outlets outside Selangor. His Chicken Nasi Briyani is sold at RM7 per serving, while the beef version is RM8.

RICE'S NICE HERE: In addition to lontong, there is the Nasi Briyani Special.
A kopitiam menu is available for breakfast with roti bakar, soft-boiled eggs and a cup of steaming hot coffee/tea. Nasi lemak wrapped in banana leaves is also popular with customers.

For dessert there’s an array of traditional Malay kuih such as kuih talam, kuih lapis, bingka ubi and pulut inti to wash down your meals. The sweets are made by Junaidah’s aunt. “The kuih are not only delicious, but I like the way they are nicely arranged in trays,” says regular customer Fe Jazzareen.

The Malay dishes include ikan asam pedas, ikan sambal, sambal sotong, and a variety of vegetables.

Syed Alwi says dishes are cooked in small batches to avoid wastage.

He spent more than RM70,000 to refurbish the restaurant to give it a “cafe look”. “It is important people enjoy their food in a relaxed atmosphere,” he says. Although the TV is on, the volume is low so people are not distracted. He also makes sure the floors are regularly mopped, the tables quickly cleared, and the sinks and toilets kept clean.

The Lontong House is open from 7am to 7pm from Monday to Saturday. For more information, call 019-395-5165.

**********End Of Extract**********

Restoran Lontong House
6, Jalan Opera C U2/C,
Taman TTDI Jaya,
Seksyen U2, Shah Alam.
Tel: 019-3955165 / 013-2745040

Cuisine: Malay
Rating: Food = C+

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!