Well, if you’re ever in Kuala Selangor, head to Route Five Café. It’s a great spot to chill and to enjoy some sumptuous food. If you’re there at the right time, you can even catch the breathtaking sunset.
At the end of the café’s pathway is a deck that overlooks the Selangor River and a cluster of mangrove trees. The view here is truly mesmerising especially when the sun is setting.
According to co-owner Audrey Goo, this is what mainly attracted her to the spot, and she dug her heels in although it took her months to persuade the owner to rent the place to her so she could open her café.
“I used to pass by this place a lot and sit on the deck, just overlooking the sunset every day for a long time. Until today, I’m still amazed by the beauty of it,” she said. Goo is also the co-owner of a bookstore-theme dorm called Route Five Hostel nearby.
The view from the deck has become one of the best-selling points for the café as customers also come over to admire the beauty of nature here as they tuck into their meals.
FMT Lifestyle tried some of the best-selling items on the menu during a recent visit here.
The Fishermen Rice Bowl comes highly recommended. The café’s signature dish, the main highlight here is the crunchy local sun-dried rumi fish they use. The fish is mixed with chilli and is packed with flavour – something your taste buds will thank you for.
The scrambled egg base brings a more mellow flavour, balancing the heat from the spice so it’s not too overpowering. The same goes for the spicy rice bowl that switches out the rumi fish for sun-dried prawns.
If you’re craving pasta, how about the Spicy Scallop Spaghetti? Mildly spicy, the scallops and mushrooms in this dish present an umami taste that will satisfy any pasta lover.
For a light teatime snack, try their Crispy Pancake – a delightful cross between a popiah and a crepe. Stuffed with eggs, onion, chicken floss, mayonnaise and cheese, the ingredients are wrapped together in a pancake then pan-fried, making for a perfect bite bursting with flavour.
The handmade fish balls, made from wolf herring, have a springy texture and would please any kid, or adult for that matter.
“We use local ingredients that are caught or processed right here in the village, and then integrate it into our dishes. It’s our way of utilising what we have here and helping the community, too,” co-owner Charlie Tan told FMT Lifestyle.
To wash it all down are the Thai-style red and green teas here. What makes these two drinks special is the lemon or lime that replaces the milk used in traditional Thai teas. These chilled tangy beverages make for the perfect thirst quenchers.
If you prefer traditional teas though, you’re in luck – there are 19 tea flavours to choose from.
One of the highlights is the Sunshine Party, which combines cacao husk and dried pineapple. Caffeine-free, this beverage is still just as effective in being a stimulant and mood booster.
For a sweeter option, get the Relief Flower Tea with mulberry leaves, hibiscus and stevia leaves, traditionally known for reducing blood pressure and cholesterol.
If you’re wondering how the name Route Five came about, Tan explained that it is the route that links everyone to their fishing village, which is why it has a special meaning for the pair.
“The curvy logo we have? It’s the outline of this river here which leads to the sea out there,” Tan said, smiling.
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Route Five Café
77, Jalan Bagan Sungai Yu 77
Pasir Penambang
45000 Kuala Selangor
Selangor
Business hours
12pm-8pm: Monday
12pm-9pm: Thursday-Sunday
(Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday)
Contact: 019-3344875