KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — Never go to D’Cengkih, the Malay restaurant in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, when you are feeling hungry. Chances are you would want to have a bit of every dish laid out on the table, and at the side, and even in front of the cashier’s counter.  I wanted nasi dagang having had it the Saturday before, but it was nasi lemak day, as it is most days of the week.

My friend Jessie was right. She had raved about the nasi lemak, but on Saturday it comes wrapped up. On opening it up, we found rice that had been cooked generously with santan, for the aroma and taste of it clung to each grain. Better yet, just the right amount of salt had been added to balance the richness.  There were the peanuts, ikan bilis and half a hard-boiled egg.

This time I got the nasi lemak properly served, with a lot more sambal, peanuts, fried ikan bilis, cucumber and egg. It made a scrumptious lunch for me. The sambal was just right – there was none of the sweetness I had previously experienced.

Did I stop at the nasi lemak? No! The vegetable dishes here beckoned, with their greenness that spoke of not being overdone. I had some of the bayam stirfried with a little chilli, and was totally intrigued by a shredded light green mass in a yellow, milky gravy. It was paku or jungle fern, with bits of petai cooked with tempoyak (fermented durian) and a little chilli and turmeric.

It didn’t look appealing, but it packed a punch. The creamy gravy was intense, with a faint hint of fermented durian, and I also tasted shredded turmeric leaves that released their fragrance into this fine mass of vegetables, with some pungent petai and tempoyak, and ikan bilis. It was hot into the bargain, and I loved it.

The asam pedas fish also caught my eye. Unusually it was cooked with both ikan parang and red snapper. Lots of daun kesom were swimming in the red curry, as were ladies fingers and tomato. I was pleasantly surprised by chunks of salted vegetable (the China variety) in it. It was a good curry, sour enough, and perked up by the vegetables. I like ikan parang – it may have a lot of bones but like I have said before, bony fish has more flavour.

Now I must go back for the nasi dagang I had one Saturday at D’Cengkih. The speckled rice was perfectly cooked, with separate grains glistening with coconut milk. It was served with the requisite ikan tongkol (tuna) curry, with pickled pineapple, cucumber, onion, tomato and green pepper. The rice was surrounded by curry which was so delicious to eat.

Looking for the ultimate Johor Laksa had led us to D’Cengkih. We did not find it there. Having been spoilt by the best Johor Laksa at the homes of our Malay friends, we found the one here a little sweet. The curry for the laksa was thick with fish, it had the right spice mix in it, but why the sweetness? The Mee Rebus we ordered next was again high up on the sugar-meter. (The price of sugar has gone up, but obviously Malay cooks are still oblivious to this, and not just at this restaurant).

So the best meal you can have at D’Cengkih is rice, in whatever form. I spotted yellow glutinous rice, freshly cooked being brought out of the kitchen as I was paying, and I’m coming back for this.

The restaurant has a good variety of desserts. My friend has recommended the tapioca coated with a little coconut milk and sugar, but I was seduced by the durian pulut. Again the glutinous rice was perfect in texture and taste. The durian sauce, however, could do with some durian. Strangely enough it was not sweet.

D’Cengkih’s specialities include Briyani Gam Johor (from Friday to Sunday) and Nasi Ambang. The restaurant is located at 6 Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad, Taman Tun Dr ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 0124999908.

It is open from 7am till 10pm. Saturday is karaoke day and it can drive you a little crazy as the music bounces off the walls and you can’t hear yourself speak.