Walking Food Trail: Kampung Baru

Gerak 51 - Pak Lang Ikan Bakar

We arrived early. Fully-prepared at our normal dinner time of 6pm, but still before the usual crowd’s dinner time of 7-8pm. No matter however, piles of dry-spice buried fish laid out at the ready, sizzling deliciously on the grill within seconds of our order. Ikan bakar oh ikan bakar, how we love you!


Don't worry, no finding Nemo here.

The smell and sounds of your meal as Pak Lang cooks it is enough to drive one mad with anticipation, and it is hard to stop salivating when you think about gulping down mouthful after mouthful of sweet and salty satisfaction. Though it only takes a few minutes, be warned, time will appear to slow down.


Dinner with a sizzling show

The prices are seasonal, and so are the fish. Enjoy the richness of the sodium and charred chewy bits of fish with the mellow tones of rice and other mixed dishes. The food court has other occupants, but it is clear that this stall stands out the most.


More finger-lickin' than KFC!

Masakan Padang Asli

Another hot recommendation is the Nasi Padang Asli restaurant that may take some hunting down, but this hidden gem is worth it! The trek down the self-serve line here should be repeated until satisfaction is achieved, as you fix plates full of mouth-watering dishes.


The service here was really friendly and cheery

Now, the stereotypical method of preparation in America for catfish is to unceremoniously deep fry it in greasy batter and dip the mouthfuls in thick sauces. So the light yet crispy take of Nasi Padang Asli’s on this humble fish was quite refreshing. We tore into soft sweet flesh, scraping it down to the bones with our greedy forks and spoons, ending the process with a methodic crunching of the fins and bones. We left little behind and still craved more.


The spices were just right, and didn't overpower the deilicious ingredients.

Their beef rendang is also aromatic and tender, the braised chunks of meat breaking apart easily under our barrage. We also recommend the ayam madu, feisty yet honeyed cuts of chicken, the moist flesh and crispy skin coated in a thick, sweet and spicy sauce. Our huge plate of four meat dishes, one vegetable side and two drinks only came up to about RM18.80


Feed the beast! Our resident carnivore approves.