It was a holiday in Malaysia (I can hear the “Every day in a holiday in Malaysia… well almost) on this particular weekday. It was one of those days that I didn’t pencil anything in the calendar, except for my usual 10 kilometer daily brisk walk.
Did my walk in the morning and completed it by about 10.00am. After my shower, I did like what anyone else with a smartphone connected to a Samsung Watch 7 Ultra which kept buzzing with notifications do: check the notifications.
Wading through the sea (or is it pile or heap?) of notifications, “Blue Dahlia Cafe” popped up. “Nyonya kuih”…Section 17…”new kid on the block …P.J. …holiday. Saw some of its pictures Looked interesting for an afternoon coffee (not tea). Asked Jeannie if she was keen on going all the way to P.J. or PeeJay or Petaling Jaya to check out this place. “OK”, she said. Settled.
We decided to go after lunch. The ride to P.J. this holiday afternoon was pretty good. Traffic was heavy (the story of our lives), but it was moving. We got to Section 17… no problem. I thought I knew the area well because Jeannie used to live on that side of P.J. during our courting days. Jeannie was on 17/13; New Dahlia on 17/12. It would be easy to find. No Waze or Google Maps for me.
We soon found out that it was a hidden gem. We turned on all what would consider logical connecting roads from 17/13 to it, but could not find the place. Finally, we decided to turn off logic, and go to the most unlikely streets. Found it! Whoever designated names to the streets when this part of P.J. first came up, was probably stoned.
The streets around there were so narrow and clogged with vehicles, hundreds of them, all trying to either get out of the chaotic traffic jam there or like us, get into it, looking for a car park.
From afar, this looks like a row of double-storey terrace houses which you are bound to miss.
At first glance, you would think this is the back of a row of terrace-houses. You would be forgiven if you made this mistake because of parked vehicles blocking sight of the ground floor.
The signboard is unusually small.
I like the wooded idea. The wood piece candle lamp adds to the decor.
Jeannie and I managed to get a table near the entrance / exit.
She does the ordering, I do the eating. Jeannie, besides being the Batik Influence, is a foo9d expert; having worked in the food industry for multiple years.
Before Jeannie could finish the food order; the food was served. How cool is that? Just kidding. This sweet lady was serving us an earlier order, I think.
This is a kuih made from gula Melaka or brown sugar(?), immersed in coconut milk. It is a sweet cake-like.
Ondeh-ondeh, the light green glutinous-type balls, covered with coconut shavings. In it is liquid gula Melaka. The round cylindrical piece is a tapioca cake. The round – button-type shaped piece is the pineapple jam tart. It was the first time I saw a pineapple jam tart like this. A first time for anything.
The kuih is a bit messy (to me) with the coconut milk. Nonetheless, it was very nice.
Our afternoon “tea” (I had coffee. Definitely no replacement for coffee). You will be surprised where the drinks came from.
Tucked in to this delight. Called, “Taste At First Bite”. Yummy! Notice the coconut filling with gula Melaka.
Totally inviting. A tall glass of iced Nescafe (or referred as “Nescafe Ais” locally and nutterly covered Ais Kacang or A.B.C. (Ais Batu Campur, literal;ly trasnlated from Bahasa Malaysia to English as “Ice Stone Mixture”).
It tastes just as great if not, better than it looks. I love the colours of this picture. Great contrasts of the light brown coconut and the dark brown gula Melaka, with the wettish look of the pale or olive – green coloured leaf, with a sort of coconut milk spread all over the leaf. The coconut milk or suntan sort of balances yet not neutralise the taste of this kuih.Isn’t this the most deliciously looking Ais Kacang / Ais Batu Campur (pronounced as chum-por) (A. B. C.)?Nescafe Ais, as it is famously known in Malaysia, is “Iced Nescafe” in English. Nescafe Ais is the preferred coffee drink in most local restaurants and stalls.Teh panas or “Hot tea”. Ondeh- ondeh’s fillings. Taste better than it looks, I guess. About to be dissected, and then makan-ed.Pineapple tart? First time I am having it in this form.Sliced open. The tart from the outside looks very neat and presentable. Once cut opened, in this case almost exactly in half. The stash of Nyonya kuih is in this little showcase. Notice the neat stack of pineapple jam tarts on the left, not in the showcase?The Ais Kacang was so delicious…every spoon scoop of it…right to the last drop. It neutralised the hot afternoon weather.
