food

Amazing Kelantan-style nasi campur hidden in Pantai Dalam

BY YAP PIK KUAN
December 11, 2015

Apart from the tender, juicy meat, it was the ayam percik sauce that I absolutely fell in love with. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Yap Pik Kuan, December 11, 2015. Nasi campur is one of my favourite foods simply because I love being greeted by the sight of tray after tray of mouthwatering dishes, so when a friend invited me for lunch at Anis Putri Corner in Pantai Dalam, there was no chance I was going to refuse!

What makes the nasi campur at Anis Putri special is that they serve Kelantanese dishes, particularly ayam percik and gulai kawah, apart from the usual suspects like rendang and ayam goreng berempah.

The restaurant serves nasi kerabu too, but it had run out by the time we got there about 11am. But the shredded vegetables (cabbage, daun kesom and torch ginger) and kerisik (toasted coconut) that usually accompany nasi kerabu were still on offer so I went for it!

I could have honestly eaten the crunchy, sweet mix of white rice, vegetables and coconut on its own with a little rendang gravy but Anis Putri's delicious spread of dishes called out to me. 

We were delighted to find that the ayam percik was available on our visit. Apart from Ramadan bazaars, the dish isn't very common in Kuala Lumpur and it turned out to be my absolute favourite at Anis Putri.

You can go with kampung chicken (RM6) or a regular fowl (RM4) depending on your preference but both were doused in the most delicious nutty, creamy sauce! Flavoured with onions and chillies, the sweetish gravy was absolutely irresistible so I highly recommend ladling on some extra sauce!

The gulai kawah daging was more tangy than spicy, flavoured heavily by the beef. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Yap Pik Kuan, December 11, 2015. Another signature Northern dish was the gulai kawah daging (RM7 for a bowl), which you'll find bubbling away in a huge wok resembling a kawah, the Malay word for crater. I wager that's where the dish got its name.

A kind of curry stew, the gulai kawah has a distinctive sweet taste from aromatics like cardamom, clove and cinnamon. The bowl that we had also had a pleasant tang to it rather than being spicy. However, the bovine taste was on the strong side so the stew might not be to everyone's taste.

We practised some self-control and didn't end up with a mountain of food. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Yap Pik Kuan, December 11, 2015. Filling up another huge wok was the singgang daging, a hearty clear beef soup. This, I wasn't too fond of as it was very beefy and lacked depth, turning out mostly salty.

Other more common finds at Anis Putri include the fried chicken (RM6 for kampong chicken, RM4 for normal). You'll see staff frying them fresh in batches, resulting in crunchy skin and a smooth, juicy texture.

The main section of the delicious spread is where you'll find the curries, rendang and hot dishes. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Yap Pik Kuan, December 11, 2015. I went fowl-crazy and grabbed a drumstick to join the ayam percik already on my plate. It was worth it!

Apart from that, their rendang was thick and fragrant, perfect with rice.

There was also a dessert station which we just didn't have the stomach for after all that we had.

We promised ourselves that we'd be back for that and the nasi kerabu!

The restaurant is popular for breakfast and lunch. That's when the crowds start streaming in. I suggest getting before noon so you can take your time assembling your perfect plate nasi campur, Kelantan-style. – December 11, 2015.

Anis Putri Corner | Address: 4, Jalan Pantai Dalam, 59200 Kuala Lumpur | Tel: 019-2826908 | Opening hours: 6.00am – 6.00pm daily | GPS coordinates: 3.092832, 101.669267 | Halal.