Posts Tagged ‘R & R’
Guest Blogger, Uncle Soon Guan: Restaurant R & R, Kuantan
Uncle Soon Guan (SG) became a Chartered Accountant to avoid inheriting his father’s business as a noodle vendor which gives only a tough life.
He grew up with operators of all kind of street food (his father’s friends), which has given him an extensive knowledge and love for the subject.
During Chinese New Year 2009 we spent a few days at Hyatt Kuantan and ate Malay food as Chinese food places were closed. Using The Star Food guide we went to Restoran R&R at 54 Jalan Besar and Satay Zul at the Jalan Teluk Sisek and Jalan Alor Akar intersection.
Jalan Sisek starts from Hyatt Kuantan at Teluk Chempadak, the most popular beach in Pahang. It meets with Jalan Besar in town. Shophouses along Jalan Besar are pre-war two storey shophouses of more than 80 years old, all of which still have thriving businesses.
This Malay restoran is more than 11 years old. It was opened by a couple who previously worked in Kuala Lumpur in totally unrelated trades. Rahman was in hospitality whilst Rabina, in language. The restaurant’s name takes after their names. Voted as the only Malay eatery in Kuantan with the highest 3 star by The Star Food Guide they must have employed the best Malay tukang masak ( cook in Bahasa Malay ) in Pahang.
On our first day we lunched on Malay authentic food and their daily spread features more than 30 dishes. We tried curry tenggiri, cow tripe with bamboo shoots in curry, beef liver, daun manis ( used in pan mee ), curried eggs and ox bony meat in clear soup. The soup was hot and the longer it stewed it tasted better. The eggs were not hard boiled but were cracked into the boiling curry to cook. That way it absorbed more of the curry flavor.
As it was the breakfast that we wanted to target, we return the next morning but not early enough at 8.30 am. They open at 7.45 pm but because of the locals’ preferred takeaways, one of their specialty Laksa Pahang was sold out. We tried Lemping Nyiur, Nasi Kerabu and Pulut Uban.
Lemping Nyiur
This is a fluffy savory coconut pancake shaped like roti canai and pan fried in the same manner. It cost a RM1 apiece. Other ingredients are egg and flour. A traditional breakfast fare in the East Coast kampong, it is eaten with sardine sambal like many other dishes due to the abundance of fresh fish from the sea.
Nasi Kerabu
In R&R Restoran, apart from the wok fried grated coconut, there is raw beansprouts garnished with chopped coriander which give the dish a crunchy texture and healthy freshness.
Pulut Uban
Another traditional breakfast fare available at Restoran R&R is Pulut Uban. It is steamed glutinous rice covered with grated coconut in a small pyramid shape, eaten with a few types of fried and salted fishes. This is another inexpensive savory breakfast item not found in Kuala Lumpur.
With another dish of beef rending which we saw hot in a wok, a piece of kueh and two coffee the total bill for a breakfast for two came to RM9 only. At the hotel the buffet breakfast would easily be ten times this amount. So, in such bad economy, do seek out good street food as not only are we contributing to our fellow Malaysians’ businesses, it ease pockets too 
-SG
hope your daughter has a fantastic birthday!
