For northern-style dishes, head to PJ Taman Megah's Nasi Dalca Salsabila

PETALING JAYA, Jan 20 — Every time I drive down the LDP highway — especially when traffic is slow — I would spy the signboard for Nasi Dalca Salsabila at Taman Megah.

This got me curious so I decided to visit one weekend. The whole Taman Megah area has loads of new eateries, thanks to the opening of Megah Rise Mall.

Previously parking was a big issue here but with the opening of the mall, you now have an option to park inside and walk to the surrounding eateries.

The place serves their version of nasi dalca with Kedah influences as the owner's wife traces her origins there. It's essentially nasi kandar but served with kari dalca.

It started out as an online business but they progressed to this bricks and mortar place in July last year. The space is dual purpose as it's also their central kitchen to fulfil delivery orders from Grab and Foodpanda. There's also another outlet at Bandar Saujana Putra which is only open for delivery.

The smoked beef rib is definitely a must eat for its rich bovine flavours.

'Ayam merah' legend is milder tasting and less sweet with tender, juicy meat.

Here, you have the option to flood your plate with a mix of gravies or eat hidang style with the side dishes served separately. I also like how they plate everything on these vintage-looking plates with flower motifs.

Each set is served with yellow rice that has a distinct fragrance of spices. This is topped with a large spoonful of fried onions, lady's fingers and acar.

You have the all-important kari dalca. Sometimes they cook the dalca with lamb bones but as they didn't have any lamb shank that day, it was a vegetarian version. It's still tasty with creamy dhal, potatoes, carrots and brinjal that you can pour over your rice.

You have a choice of sets with different choices of proteins. If you opt for chicken, there's ayam goreng, ayam madu or ayam Ney G (their version of ayam masak hitam) or ayam merah legend. For the beef, you can select their daging Vanggey which is their daging masak hitam.

The set meals are RM16 each for the ayam merah legend and daging Vanggey.

'Daging' Vanggey has a tender, melt in the mouth texture with a dark 'masak hitam' gravy.

Flood your rice with the tasty 'kari dalca' with its vegetables and creamy dhal.

I was curious about their smoked beef ribs so I added it. This is counted as an add-on which is dependent on the weight and the small piece was RM28.

In terms of taste, I would say the food is good. What I really enjoyed was the smoked beef ribs. The meat was tender and the gravy that came with it was so packed with beefy flavours. One downside was the rib has a thin membrane that is slightly chewy.

If you prefer meat with a softer, gelatinous texture, the daging Vanggey is a better choice. The masak hitam gravy is tasty too but I felt the taste of the beef ribs was far superior since it had a deeper beef flavour. That was the gravy I was literally scraping every bit of to eat with my rice.

For the ayam merah legend, this version suited me as the chicken is overcoated with batter. It felt rather homecooked with a not-too-sweet tomato sauce.

Overall, I enjoyed my meal here and the next time I want to try their ayam Ney G which looks good with that dark sauce.

Find an array of dishes laid out in pots and the counter at Nasi Dalca Salsabila.

You can spy the eatery when you drive down the LDP highway.

Restoran Nasi Dalca Salsabila, 90, Jalan SS24/2, Taman Megah, Petaling Jaya. Open: 11am to 9pm. Closed on Monday. Tel: +6018-3853096. Facebook: @nasidalcasalsabila

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