Nasi Lemak Yatie: Nasi lemak stall in PJ with steaming hot rice & never-ending queues

Welcome to Gerai Selera Jaya 223, a hawker centre where residents of Petaling Jaya gather to fill their bellies with Malaysian delicacies. As someone who grew up in PJ, or more accurately, attended school and university in the area, I remember visiting this food court after classes in search of some affordable eats. Ever since I can remember, Nasi Lemak Yatie had been dominating this makan spot. 

While PJ is home to many famous nasi lemak spots, patrons of Gerai Selera Jaya 223 will often ask if you’re team red or team blue.

There are a couple things to note. Firstly, this stall goes by 2 names; the aforementioned Nasi Lemak Yatie, and Nasi Lemak Panas. The latter is not to be confused with Suri Nasi Lemak Panas, that’s a completely different stall (but keep this name in mind).

Next, many PJ natives also refer to this shop as Nasi Lemak Chop Merah. This is because they use red ink to stamp their business information onto their prepackaged nasi lemak. But why, you may ask? Well, the same hawker centre also has Nasi Lemak Chop Biru, who do the same thing as Yatie’s stall, just with blue ink. And what is Chop Biru’s official name? You guessed it: Suri Nasi Lemak Panas.

To recap, Nasi Lemak Yatie is sometimes called Nasi Lemak Panas or Nasi Lemak Chop Merah, while Suri Nasi Lemak is Nasi Lemak Chop Biru. Phew!

What I tried at Nasi Lemak Yatie

When I arrived at the stall a little after 8pm, there were only 2 customers ahead of me. So, I only waited for about a minute before it was my turn to order. Displayed on the counter were only 4 things: sambal, hard boiled eggs, fried eggs, and fried chicken. This may disappoint those who like having rendang or sambal sotong with their nasi lemak, but I highly appreciate it when stalls are able to perfect a few items.

I ordered a piece of fried chicken and fried egg to pair with my rice, bringing the total to RM6.60. The dish was packed in brown wax paper, which meant that when I opened it, it looked like a hot mess. 

They weren’t fooling around when they named themselves Nasi Lemak Panas, because the moment I opened the pack, steam from the rice wafted into the air. 

The biggest standout to me was their coconut rice. It was perhaps the most fragrant nasi lemak I’ve had in a while. Even the smell alone hinted at the joy to come with my first bite. The rice was warm and perfectly cooked, with the right amount of santan for that creamy taste we all know and love. The portion was just nice too— enough to satisfy yourself, but not enough to make you feel bloated afterwards.

Sate 7 Pagi: Juicy satay & piping hot nasi lemak for your 7am breakfast fix

Since I arrived 3 hours after the Nasi Lemak Yatie’s opening time, they had already run out of chicken thighs. Despite having to settle for a different part of the chicken, I still enjoyed it. The skin was crispy and well-salted at the beginning, but lost its crunch towards the end of my meal. The meat was tender with no dry spots, though it wasn’t the juiciest chicken I’ve ever had in my life either. Overall, the chicken was good and marinated to the bone. 

As expected, the fried egg wasn’t hot anymore as they tend to cook their eggs in big batches and leave them out on the counter. This wasn’t the only crime committed by our little egg friend— it was 70% yolk and only 30% egg white. Even though I only eat jammy or runny egg yolks, I have to admit that this fried egg was cooked well, with a soft yolk (but not soft enough for my personal liking).

To this day, my ultimate favourite nasi lemak sambal is from Village Park. Well, I’m happy to report that Nasi Lemak Yatie’s sambal now takes 2nd place. It’s just as sweet as it is salty, with a very mild kick to pull the whole dish together. Fans of super spicy sambal may  not find it to be totally satisfying, but I think the flavours present outweigh the need for a mouth-burning gravy.

I kept my eye on the stall throughout my meal, and from observation, I realised that they were never void of customers. Even if the queue wasn’t long, there were at least a couple patrons waiting for their food simultaneously. It was almost 10pm when I left the hawker centre, and even then there were about 7 people in line. This doesn’t even account for the online orders they receive either.

Final thoughts

There’s a reason why Nasi Lemak Yatie is so popular among the people of Petaling Jaya. The stall serves nasi lemak that tastes comforting and delicious, homemade, if you will. Fragrant rice, crispy chicken, and tasty sambal— what else could you possibly need? This nasi lemak stall is reliable too. Don’t know what to have for dinner? Nasi Lemak Yatie is the answer.

Gerai Selera Jaya 223 is always packed at night. Surprisingly, you can find plenty of parking spots outside. The place is full of other hawker stalls waiting to be explored, so I do think that it’s worth making a trip down to the food court, especially if you’re already nearby.

Expected damage: RM1.80 – RM6.60 per pax

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