Yesterday 10th Syawal, Senah my blog sifu flew down from Brunei to send her girl for an interview with one of the universities. We planned a rendezvous at Restoren Azhar; our fav nasi lemak spot way back in 1973 when we first started our life in SMSP [now SEMSAS]. Our chat buddy; kambing gurun, came back from Dubai for raya celebration and went looking for the nasi lemak on the fourth day of raya and was disappointed because it was sold out hours before he got there.
I wish to share the pics of my rendezvous with SMSP77 yahoogp members as I have problem loading them there.
Here's the grill on the only window. By the look of the design, I think this is the original grill put up by the owner since the beginning of the business. I have this deep suspicion in me that the anti-rust paint on the grill is also very old. Perhaps as old as the grill itself.
The most unique sign I have never found anywhere else is this particular notice. Originally the sign was written on manila card with black marker. Next the writing was done on a piece of white cotton cloth tacked to a piece of wooden frame. Now it is written in chalk on a piece of black rice paper and mounted on an aluminium frame.
Haa!!! Nasi lemak in the wooden barrel. I asked the children who have taken over from Mr Azhar the original nasi lemak man: if it is the same barrel used in 1973. He said that barrel is five years old. Senah who doesn't usually remember very much, remembered that the barrel used in 1973 was bigger.
I remember in 1973, my fav nasi lemak was served with chilly cockles. Now there is only beef chilly and dried squid chilly.
Used to be fifty sen per hefty serving. Now is RM3.00 and the serving is so tiny.
Or could well be the 'container' has GROWN ... hahaha !!!
Hmmphs ... compare the one on the right who didn't seem to mind the tiny serving ...
Just for the record ... the 50km [one way] drive was NOT ... repeat ... NOT for the nasi lemak. It was heaven to take that walk down memory lane ACCOMPANIED. My sifu wrote about the meeting and posted some pics here.
Thank you Senah for taking the trouble to drop by. Bless you.
6 comments:
Hi Cikgi LinaD "selamat Shawal"
Nicely done, complete with pictures and notice board too.
Really nostalgic!.
Dah umoq gini, tak mampu dahh to be very excited about nasi lemak wehhh.. Lainlah kawan kita kambing gurun tu yang dok teringat-ingat terkenang-kenang... anticipation yg lebih!
It was my pleasure too to be there, eating THE nasi lemak with YOU. Heheh.
I've known that place since 1976 (since my other half if from that town). Its a far cry from what it really was back then. The restaurant still looks unchanged but it was a full fledged Malay restaurant with NL for breakfast and an array of Malay cuisine more of traditional but simple Temerloh (perhaps Pahang)dishes. Its mostly regulars that have lunch there. There was delightful fried potato curry puffs in the late afternoon till evening. I believe the owner is a Encik Shamsudin and likely still lives in the area. Yes, I've heard much about its history by witness and hearsay who know something of the past. Temerloh have changed drastically from a sleepy hollow lumberjack town to what it is now. Yes, I do go back there and will never miss this.
Last but not least, there WAS or IS some emulation of this well known NL but nothing as good as Azhar's. For now it remain as a hidden gem to most outsiders other than the Ikan Patin craze.
I do know more but can't write it in one paragraph.
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for dropping in. I don't get many visitors here so I didn't notice your comment.
I thought the owner is Mr Azhar ... hence Azhar Restoren.
Yes, you are right. It is a hidden gem indeed. But then, as you observed, it is a far cry from what it was back then. Worst, they don't serve NL Kerang anymore. Instead the restaurant is also known as NL Sotong [written on the signboard].
Feel free to write more.
Or if you have your own blog, just link it here. Would appreciate that.
Thank you.
What words..
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