Upon closer inspection however, you’d see a petite woman standing behind what looks like a fortress of colourful Nyonya kuih.
Yellow trays of brightly coloured angku kuih, little pink fluffy steamed huat kuih, golden coloured layers of bingka ubi and green stacks of rempah udang expertly wrapped in banana leaves are just some of the delicious offerings laid out on the long table.
A big smile on her face, she introduces herself to FMT as Ooi Lean Leng, the fourth-generation baker and owner of Tasty Kuih Nyonya, the go-to-kuih shop for the people of Klang for the past 41 years.
On both sides of Ooi are rows and rows of silver trays, each nestling a different type of Nyonya kuih just waiting to be sliced and served to an eager customer.
If you crane your neck, you will notice a mini kuih-making factory at the back, with workers preparing banana leaves, fresh angku dough and a vat of boiling oil to deep-fry fresh popiahs.
Ooi takes out a freshly baked tray of what looks like a sponge cake that was earlier cooling in the corner.
“Have you tried Ma Lai Gao (Chinese steamed sponge cake) before? You must have a slice, it’s very delicious,” insists the 49-year-old, her round face beaming with pride.
She deftly slices a piece of the fluffy, caramel coloured cake.
It’s soft, fluffy and not too sweet, perfect with a cup of coffee. “We make it fresh every day,” she chirped.
“My entire family used to reside in Penang. My family has been making Nyonya kuih for a long time. It first began with my great grandmother who started off making and selling the kuih,” recalls Ooi.
As a little girl, instead of playing with toys, Ooi’s interest was in watching her parents make kuih every day. She quickly realised her true love was in making those multi-coloured kuih too.
“In 1979, my dad decided to move our kuih business to Klang. It was probably because the selling price of Nyonya kuih in Penang in those days was so low.”
Unfortunately, Ooi’s father suffered a heart attack and was unable to manage the business any longer. She knew it was her responsibility to pick up from where he left off and keep the business alive.
“My husband opens the shop at 7am so my workers can start preparing the ingredients. I come in by 9am and start prepping the kuih.”
A customer walks in and exchanges pleasantries with Ooi before making his selections off the table. Many of Ooi’s customers are regulars, dropping by almost every day for a taste of nostalgia.
One of them is 58-year-old Dr Parmindar Singh who has been a fervent customer of Ooi’s delicious Nyonya kuih.
“I especially love that her kuih is made fresh and that she uses actual pandan leaves that give it that distinctive, wonderful smell,” he smiles, before placing an order for his usual.
The beautiful red angku kuih seems to be flying off the trays with each customer snapping a few pieces at a time. Ooi nods in agreement, saying the Angku is Tasty Nyonya Kuih’s bestseller and her personal favourite.
“All the kuih you see here, all made from family recipes,” grins Ooi.
In the kitchen, a worker is engrossed in the job of frying a batch of fresh popiahs. Ooi takes out chilli sauce from a large jar to go with the golden-brown crispy treats.
“Yes, even the chilli sauce is homemade.”
Despite handling the seemingly never-ending stream of customers, Ooi is quick on her feet, zipping from corner to corner, catering to her customer’s endless requests.
“Before the pandemic, I had five staff to help me out but unfortunately we had to reduce it to three. That is also why I had to reduce the number of kuih we make. We previously sold 24 types of Nyonya kuih but had to reduce the number due to the lack of staff.”
She adds that the pandemic has badly affected her business as they are no longer able to sell their kuih to vendors who in turn sell it at night markets. She however remains thankful for her loyal customers who travel all the way to her shop to buy her sweet treats.
“During the Movement Control Order, we had to close our shop for 55 days.”
It’s almost 5pm and despite the dark, threatening clouds looming overhead, customers are still patiently queuing up, eyeing their afternoon calorific treat.
Some even return for seconds. Who can blame them?
Looks like Tasty Nyonya Kuih doesn’t need that signboard after all.
Tasty Nyonya Kuih
80, Jalan Rengas
Southern Park
41200 Klang
Selangor
Operation hours: 1.30pm – 6pm (Monday to Saturday)
Closed: Sunday
Contact: 03-3371 2845