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As evident from the traffic jam heading into Kelantan every holiday season, KL is home to many Kelantanese folks. With that, finding authentic Kelantan food in the middle of this bustling city could be difficult. So, if you’re a homesick Kelantanese, we’ve tried an authentic nasi kerabu smack right in the middle of KL.
What is it that makes nasi kerabu a good nasi kerabu? On top of the obvious blue-coloured rice, it needs to have a distinct coconut flavour, telur masin (salted egg), sambal and your choice of protein.
Nasi Kerabu Mek operates in a humble stall right behind the KWSP building in Raja Laut and has been going strong for 40 years. Never having tried Nasi Kerabu in my life, I was curious to try an authentic one run by the sweetest elderly Kelantanese couple.
What I tried at Nasi Kerabu Mek
When I arrived at the stall around 9.30am, most of the items had already been finished. Considering the stall’s location, it’s a hotspot for workers in the surrounding offices. If you’re someone unfamiliar with the intricacies of nasi kerabu, worry not, as the makcik and pakcik running the stall are extremely kind and helpful.
Kantan by the SIB’s: Authentic East Malaysian nasi kerabu with tiger tears beef & blue pea rice
Recognising my blur-ness, the cute couple guided me through the whole process right from the rice, roasted coconut flakes, sambal and meat. They explained that earlier in the morning, there are more meat options including fried fish and fried chicken.
Now a basic, no-frills nasi kerabu comes with the signature blue rice, fish chips, salted egg, ikan sumbat and sambal. Let me talk about the fish first! This ikan sumbat resembles the stuffed brinjals we encounter at noodle stalls. The fish is cooked with coconut and then stuffed into a green chilli for a unique combination of flavours.
For a variety, I got the Nasi Kerabu Daging Bakar (RM8) and the Nasi Kerabu Daging Goreng Kunyit (RM8). Before even tasting the dish, I was more stunned by the price. Let’s get this straight, it has decent portions consisting of 3 protein sources and costs below RM10! Despite operating at one of the busiest spots in Kuala Lumpur, the couple still haven’t raised their prices especially with inflation plaguing our lives.
Now, to the taste! A fun fact about me is that I am not a fan of strong coconut flavours which seemed to be the entire taste basis of nasi kerabu. However, much to my delight, the coconut taste, while strong, was not overpowering in any way. A tip given by the uncle was to mix every element of the dish before eating which was definitely helpful.
I was a little apprehensive about tasting the fish which looked kinda sus, to be honest, but boy, was I wrong. The coconut mixed with fish meat proved to be delicious and the green chilli gave it just the right amount of spice.
The highlight for me was the beef which was melt-in-your-mouth tender despite being cooked presumably much, much earlier in the day. The tenderness of the beef was something even bougie restaurants get wrong sometimes so it was definitely a surprising delight.
A downside of the nasi kerabu for me however was the overall dryness of it. The amount of sambal given definitely wasn’t enough although the spice levels were perfect. This dryness was what made the dish slightly difficult to ingest after some time.
Final thoughts
There are several factors that influence whether or not I would return to this stall. I would, for the taste of authentic nasi kerabu and its extreme affordability (bonus points for the cute and friendly stall owners).
However, this being said, if you’re not working around the area, getting to the stall could be a hassle, especially in the morning. The stall’s peak hours are when office goers are clocking in so visiting them anytime after should be better.
So, if you’re a fan of cheap and yummy Kelantanese food, definitely visit the stall. However, if you’re a spice lover, make sure to ask for extra sambal!
Pro tip: Bring some cash as there aren’t cashless options available at the stall. Parking around the area could be tricky so opt for public transportation. All you have to do is take the LRT Ampang Line to the Bandaraya station and the stall is a mere 5-minute walk away!
Expected damage: RM5 to RM10 per pax
Sixth Avenue Nasi Lemak: Home-cooked nasi lemak since 1986, open from 6am
