Peranakan
food has been part and parcel of my life although I was too young to understand
or realise it then. Sambal belacan, ju hu char and kiam chye were often on the
dining table. Finding
good Peranakan food in the city isn’t easy though but Alibaba & Nyonya
restaurant has stepped up to the plate to make some of the popular Peranakan
dishes more accessible.
The
first Alibaba & Nyonya restaurant opened in March this year and another in
Mid Valley Megamall. We like the decidedly retro and
rustic vibes evoked by the resto in Taman Tun Dr Ismail; from the colourful tiles to the old-school tables and chairs.
Instead
of sticking to purely Peranakan food, Alibaba & Nyonya has opted to
highlight Peranakan fare with some traditional Malay culinary influences
included. Alibaba & Nyonya aims to provide an affordable and fuss-free
dining experience in a homely setting, with updated Malay/Nyonya dishes taking
centrestage.
Muted
shades of pink and green make the Nasi Ulam Ayam Dara (RM17.45) Instaworthy.
Served with crisp skinned fried freerange chicken, the rice is aromatically
imbued with finely shredded fresh local herbs, kerisik (dry-fried grated
coconut) and ground salted fish. Used to stronger herbaceous nuances, I
personally find the rice slightly bland but a dollop of sambal belacan is all
it takes to make it shine.
Fans
of fried chicken can also order Ayam Dara Goreng (RM18.77 small, RM33.87
medium) separately. Our portion of chicken was rather dry and salty but we are
sure such a small hiccup can easily be rectified.
Two notable offerings to complement nasi ulam or plain rice are Prawn Kerabu (RM27.26)
and Sambal Petai Squid (RM25.38 small, RM36.70). The first is a prawn
salad of sorts — the poached prawns retaining a nice springiness — tossed in a
tantalising mixture of pounded chilli, lime juice and raw onion strips.
The
latter is a classic Nyonya speciality of tender squid sautéed with spicy-hot petai
(stinkbeans) sambal. Although the sambal seems a tad watery for our liking, I’m
sure it will be a crowd-pleaser.
A bounty of brinjal, ladyfingers and tomatoes turns the King’s Fish Head Curry (RM70.75)
into a majestic feast on its own. Creamy with bright turmeric, fragrant curry
leaves and warm spice overtones, we find ample chunks of sweet fish flesh to go
around and a generous amount of gravy for ladling over rice.
Coming in neck-to-neck in the spicy stakes is Mutton Curry (RM27.26 small, RM51.70
medium). This sumptuous dish boasts a robust ‘kick’; the tender chunks of meat redolent
of beguilingly complex spices with the distinct aroma of curry leaves rounding
it up.
For some textural contrast, we recommend Acar Rampai (RM6.51) — the Peranakan
style pickles: a medley of cucumber, carrot, long beans and pineapple topped
with crushed roasted peanuts.
Another
possible option is Telur Belanda (RM10.19) — fried eggs with runny yolks,
smothered in sweetish tangy tamarind sauce with chopped chilli and onion.
If
you want something light or a quick meal, we suggest the tasty appetiser of
fried Crispy Popiah (RM9.91) or Nyonya Mee Siam (RM15.57) —rice vermicelli stir-fried
with chilli-tomato paste, prawns, sliced fishcake, egg, carrot strips and
beansprouts. Assorted Nyonya kuihs are also available during tea time
(3pm-6pm).
Dessert
choices are the tried and tested Cendol Gula Melaka (RM6.13), Sago Gula Melaka
(RM5.19) and Signature ABC (RM7.08). Our only grouse is the watery gula Melaka
(palm syrup) used as it lacks the aroma and in-depth taste necessary to enhance
those traditional treats.
Thankfully,
the shaved ice for the ABC (air batu campur) is fine enough and meets our
expectations with lots of red beans, sweetcorn, attap seeds, cincau and roasted
peanuts to keep us happy.
For reservations, call Alibaba
& Nyonya (halal), tel: 03-7722 1142.
Address:
54 Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 1, Taman Tun
Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Opening today at Lot F-051, First
Floor, Mid Valley Megamall, KL.
