KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — In the world of Malay food, Aunty Aini’s is big.

Many — including the late Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsay — have made the trek all the way to Nilai to relish her kampung-style dishes.

For those who have yet to make it there, you’re in luck.

On October 2, Aunty Aini’s Pop Up opened in DC Mall offering up her signature dishes like Rendang Itik Salai and Masak Lemak Tempoyak Ikan Jenahak.

You won’t find rendang daging here though, even if it is the dish she taught Gordon Ramsay to make agak agak-style on his show Gordon’s Great Escape 2.

Apparently, this pop-up will be in DC Mall till August next year. Depending on the market response, they hope to open a bigger space somewhere in KL.

Get ready to nibble through this juicy Burung Puyoh Goreng / Smoky, tender grilled beef and the creamy ‘gulai’ with herbs is what makes this Masak Lemak Daging Salai our favourite. — Pictures by Lee Khang Yi
Get ready to nibble through this juicy Burung Puyoh Goreng / Smoky, tender grilled beef and the creamy ‘gulai’ with herbs is what makes this Masak Lemak Daging Salai our favourite. — Pictures by Lee Khang Yi

For breakfast, there are staples like Nasi Lemak Kampung and Roti Bakar Kaya with half boiled eggs. The one item that caught my eye is the Lontong Nogori, a nod to Aunty Aini’s roots.

From 12pm onwards, they serve lunch. Gather your friends, family and even colleagues as It’s time to eat hidang-style with their set meals.

There are four sets featuring signature dishes like Rendang Itik Salai, Masak Lemak Tempoyak Ikan Jenahak, Asam Pedas Daging Tetel and Masak Lemak Daging Salai.

Each set is served with rice, Kerabu Paku, Sambal Belacan Kampung served with Ulam, Telur Masin Kampung and Sayur Goreng. Prices differ for groups of two, four and six people.

For the two-people set, it is RM55 for the Asam Pedas Daging Tetel, RM70 for the Masak Lemak Daging Salai, RM80 for the Rendang Itik Salai and RM85 for the Masak Lemak Tempoyak Ikan Jenahak.

One of the dishes from the set includes the Kerabu Paku / Sayur Goreng or stir fried bean sprouts was simple but tasty. — Pictures by Lee Khang Yi
One of the dishes from the set includes the Kerabu Paku / Sayur Goreng or stir fried bean sprouts was simple but tasty. — Pictures by Lee Khang Yi

Solo diners can consider their Nasi Campur sets, a choice of Daging Tetel (RM27.50) or Daging Salai (RM35). It comes with Sayur Goreng, Kerabu and Ulam, Sambal Belacan and Telur Masin.

There’s also a small a la carte selection with items like Burung Puyoh Goreng Kampung, Masak Lemak Tempoyak Kepala Ikan Jenahak and Masak Lemak Kepala Ikan Jenahak.

Here, the dishes are cooked Nogori style, where the style is masak lemak with turmeric, resulting in a light yellow hue with thick coconut milk.

The food won’t blow your head off, maintaining its flavours but restrained with the chillies, allowing you to enjoy the food.

The ‘sambal belacan’ was fragrant and not too spicy, making it a good pairing with the ‘ulam’. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
The ‘sambal belacan’ was fragrant and not too spicy, making it a good pairing with the ‘ulam’. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi

The surprise was the combination of masak lemak with tempoyak or fermented durian. The pungent flavour is mellowed out in the thick gulai, which pairs well with the chunky fish.

Our favourite was the Masak Lemak Daging Salai, where you get distinct smokiness from the tender, chunky beef shin. It’s that type of dish where you just want to scrape every bit of the gulai with rice.

We added Burung Puyoh Goreng (RM18 per bird), which was juicy and fragrant with the spices.

The sambal belacan served with ulam was big on flavour yet dialed back from the burning heat one expects from sambal.

As you walk up from the escalator, look for this distinct signage in the far corner to get to the restaurant. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
As you walk up from the escalator, look for this distinct signage in the far corner to get to the restaurant. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi

While the simple stir fried bean sprouts were tasty, we weren’t big fans of the Kerabu Paku, as the fern fronds had a few woody stems.

Of course, one must also order Sirap Kahwin (RM6) to refresh the meal. It’s that same taste you get at Malay weddings, where the rose syrup drink is mixed with Sunkist orange cordial for a touch of tanginess.

Gather your friends, family and colleagues to enjoy a ‘hidang’ meal at Aunty Aini’s Pop Up. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Gather your friends, family and colleagues to enjoy a ‘hidang’ meal at Aunty Aini’s Pop Up. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi

Aunty Aini’s Pop Up, L1-08 (Opposite Good Juju Barbell Club), Level 1, DC Mall, 6, Jalan Damanlela, Damansara City, Damansara Heights, KL. Open daily: 10am to 5pm, 6pm to 10pm. Kitchen closes at 9.30pm. Instagram:@auntyainiskl

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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