Such is the daily sight at Restoran Kudu Bin Abdul in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, where just about anybody – professionals, construction workers and foreigners – come in droves to savour the many hot and spicy curries and sambals this restaurant has been churning out for decades.
On the walls of the eatery are framed newspaper clippings featuring its first owner, Kudu Bin Abdul, an Indian-Muslim man who started the restaurant in 1960. It was a simple kopitiam back then.
Now, the outlet is run by Kudu’s son-in-law and current owner, Haja Noordhin, 54, who took over in 2006. Helping him are his two sons – Haja Mohamad Nazrul and Mohamad Nadhir.
A family affair, Haja’s wife and daughter oversee the night shift, when fresh batches of nasi kandar dishes are cooked to be served till closing time.
It is a chaotic scene every day by 12:30pm when Haja can be spotted behind the counter, frenetically serving out a variety of meats and vegetables, finishing with a flourish as he ladles thick and spicy gravies over a mountain of rice.
Closer to 1.00pm, the crowd swells and stays this way till around 2.00pm when Haja can finally catch his breath.
“We pride ourselves on our ‘ayam sambal bawang’, ‘ayam madu’ and of course, our curries. And also our ‘kuah campur’ (mixed gravy),” he told FMT, while on a short break.
He said that unlike other nasi kandar outlets that mix over five curries together, Haja limits his selection to three – fish, prawn, and chicken.
There’s also beef soy sauce for Muslim patrons who request for it.
When asked how he keeps up this pace on a daily basis, he said his customers are his motivation.
“Many people have known about this place since the 1960s. Many who came here when they were kids, are now adults with their own children. They tell me that the restaurant still looks the same like before,” he said.
Haja said he is happy to count even celebrities among his customers, like legendary singer-actor P Ramlee as well as Gerak Khas actor Norman Hakim.
There was something very addictive about the ‘ayam sambal bawang’, made with an interesting marinade of spices and soy sauce. Don’t skimp on the rice – the chicken is best enjoyed with hot, steaming rice, the base for their signature ‘kuah campur’.
With half a salted egg and some okra, you’re all set for a seriously tasty meal. You could also opt for sambal squid or fish curry if you’re craving seafood.
The serving of squid was huge but the flesh somewhat tough – so proceed with caution. The fish curry, of which only pomfret or mackerel is used, made for a truly flavoursome combo.
Come hungry as the portions served at this restaurant are rather huge. If you’re a small eater and don’t wish to waste your food, go ahead and ask Haja for a smaller plate of rice instead.
Restoran Kudu bin Abdul
335, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
Chow Kit,
50100 Kuala Lumpur
Business Hours: 10.00am to 10.00pm daily
Contact number: 03-26977082