A picturesque outdoor meal with ‘lontong darat’ at Warong Dahaan in Seksyen 10, Shah Alam

SHAH ALAM, Oct 17 — It’s that time of year when clear, sunny skies are becoming few and far between.

As I write this, the Klang Valley has been hit with yet another deluge of rain, causing flash floods and general chaos during morning commutes – even Parliament was delayed.

So, when the sun does grace us with her glowing, radiant face, make every excuse to get outside and soak in every last bit of her warmth.

And what better way to do so than over a meal? Warong Dahaan is nestled in a public park in Seksyen 10, Shah Alam, as one of several vendors that are a part of Warong Tiga Lima, the main stall here.

When was the last time you had a mini picnic in the park? — Picture by Ethan Lau

Picnic mats, camping tents and a few loose tables make up the seating, mostly clustered near the park’s entrance, where a gazebo houses Warong Tiga Lima.

A line of people snakes its way toward the gazebo for drinks and simple breakfast items.

Warong Dahaan occupies a single tent. — Picture by Ethan Lau

Directly across from this, Warong Dahaan offers Johor specialities like lontong darat, lontong lodeh and nasi ambeng, among others.

You can order here and get your drinks at the other line, as I did, or combine your order for both at the main gazebo. The operators stay on top of everything with a walkie-talkie system.

We sat, waiting for our number to be called, on what really was the perfect day to be outside.

It was breezy and cool, but not cloudy, with the occasional bark for orders interrupting the otherwise peaceful atmosphere, as classic Malay songs played in the background. An ideal spot to makan dan santai.

Be here early, as sometimes they sell out of certain ‘lauk’. — Picture by Ethan Lau

Lontong darat, also known as lontong kering, deviates from the more well-known lontong lodeh.

Instead of the mild, soup-like kuah lodeh, typically brimming with cabbage, carrots, and glass noodles, lontong darat comes with a dry and flavour-packed ensemble.

It almost always features serunding kelapa (coconut floss), sambal goreng jawa (or sayur masak jawa, a stir-fry of green beans, tempeh, and tofu), and a generous ladle of thick, rich kuah kacang.

At Warong Dahaan, you can choose from ayam rendang (RM12), daging kicap (RM12), paru rempah (RM12), and sambal sotong (RM14) as lauk to go with your lontong darat.

The ‘lontong’ with ‘kuah kacang’ and ‘serunding kelapa’ alone is already excellent. — Picture by Ethan Lau

Topped with some toasty serunding kelapa, the lontong itself with the kuah alone was really, really good – the kuah kacang was nutty and slightly sweet – but some of the lauk options take it from good to great.

‘Lontong darat sambal sotong’ is the best of the bunch. — Picture by Ethan Lau

Sambal sotong was the best of the bunch, sweet and spicy with tender pieces of squid, while the daging kicap was a veritable flavour bomb with little nuggets of beef in a sauce the shade of dark chocolate, intensely savoury and rich.

The only letdown was the paru rempah, which wasn’t nearly as crispy and brittle as I would’ve liked.

The ‘paru’ wasn’t as crispy as I would have liked, but the overall plate was still enjoyable. — Picture by Ethan Lau

Textural contrast is paramount in a dish dominated by thick gravy and soft, compressed rice – the squid was springy and slightly rubbery; the daging firm but not chewy; the paru, unfortunately, tough and leathery.

But little did it matter. We had gotten our day in the sun, our little perfect day. And wouldn’t you know it? The sun, as if rewarding our indulgence, stayed out all day long!

Warong Dahaan

Taman Awam Majilis Seksyen 10, Jalan Songkok 10/15, Seksyen 10, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor

Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8am-12pm, 6-10pm

Tel: 017-674 5731

Instagram: @warongdahaan

TikTok: @warongdahaan

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

* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.