After our failed attempt to get to try the ayam penyet here and the so-so one that we had here, I decided to try the one here that my missus was praising to the skies.
I love the culturally-inclined photos on the wall, this one of our local ethnic lady weaving a mat like the ones they are sitting on or a basket…
…and in the background, you can see the loom that they use to weave the pua kumbu…
– the traditional ethnic blanket.
I really must say that their kopi-o-peng…
…is among my favourites here. They do it really well unlike many that I have had at a lot of places around town.
As for the ayam penyet (RM8.50)…
I thought it looked better that time when my missus had it but when I checked, yes, they did have the kunyit (turmeric)…
…and what not that they would have used to marinate the meat.
Yes, it tasted good but no, I would not say that it swept me off my feet. I would prefer the cabbage and the long beans…
…lightly boiled – the cucumber is perfectly ok for me, raw and they certainly were very generous with the sambal…
…but the one that came with my girl’s order…
…which is something like what they would give at any chicken rice stall or shop was just as nice or perhaps even nicer.
She had their smoked chicken (drumstick) rice (RM5.00)…
…that I had the first time I dropped by here and yes, I did enjoy it a lot then though I thought I could do with a little bit more of the chicken. Personally, I like the chicken in this one more than what I was served in my ayam penyet platter and instead of the plain white rice in that one, they had chicken rice for this one…and on top of it all, this one is a lot cheaper so between the two, I would prefer it more.
At this point in time, it looks like when it comes to ayam penyet, my favourite is still the one at Bandong (which was very much cheaper then, dunno now) and the one we had here was very good too but we have not gone for either of them for a long long time now. Perhaps one of these days, we’ll go back and check them out again and I can see for myself if they are still as good…
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
The Ayam Penyet seemed a bit pricey. Are raw beans and cabbage common in such dish? A chunk of raw cabbage is rather much.
It looks like it, you’ll get the raw veg in most for what is known locally as the ulam, or you’ll get none at all. The chunk of cabbage isn’t all that big actually – stamp size only.
I love chicken legs! I am making one for supper tonight…with a little salt and oregano, then broiling it. I have made this many times and it is delicious and moist! 🙂
Yes, that’s the way I like it too, tender and moist.
I thought for ayam penyet, they would smashed up the chicken drumstick abit & not whole drumstick like yours or maybe I am wrong. As for the raw cabbage & long beans, I would like it lightly boiled too.
By right it should be but I’ve noticed that they do not do that at most places so I have often wondered about the name…and it would come across as nothing more than fried chicken, ayam goreng. The last one we had, the so-so one, was so clobbered that it looked more like ayam hancur. 😀
I always appreciate the cucumber on the side of these types of dishes – it’s like a no fuss palate cleanser. I could do with a large glass of kopi-o-peng this morning.
Yes, me too…and I only eat cucumber raw, not cooked, cool and refreshing, though I would not mind the pickled ones sometimes.
Make me thinking of having ayam penyet for lunch later. Haha. I love turmeric in the chicken. Give a distinctive yellow colour and taste to the meat.
Yes, I always prefer the fried chicken or fish at the Malay nasi campur places with all the nice special marinades. The ones are the Chinese chap fan places are kind of plain, the fish probably just rubbed with salt.
Looka like the ayam was just like a fried chicken. Not ‘penyet’ enough. Hehe
I dunno why, 9 out of 10, it is just fried chicken and yet they dare call it ayam penyet after the Indonesian original which is supposed to be “lightly smashed”.
One thing about these Malay hawkers and people in the food business – one person does it, a thousand and one will follow selling the exact same thing, never mind nice or nicer or otherwise. How to make money like that? One does well, another one will set up a stall close by selling the same thing…and then another…and then another. Like one hawker centre here – I never bother to drop by as every stall is selling the same thing and most are not even nice – everyone thinks they can cook but actually, that is far from the truth.
There are so many nice Malay delights so they should try to have a wide variety, not fight tooth and claw, the survival of the fittest like that. So sad.
I tried Ayam Penyet in KL before and the chicken was so small. The samba; is worth mentioning though, very hot and spicy. The version in your photo seems better.
I know there are some very nice ones in Miri – I’ve seen people blogging about it. You never go to try there?
Apology for hijacking the conversation.
Is the local food generally good in Miri? Is there a decent blog or two you would recommend?
I would say they have some nice stuff and nice places in Miri but I am not all that familiar with the city. Dunno any food bloggers there either – all I have seen would be people like me – dropping by for a few days and blogging about what they have there. Maybe you can google and see.
Ya, never been there. It is not in the vicinity of my usual routes.
Out of the way, eh? We do have those here too so I do not frequent them all that much, it at all.
Will make my way to eat Ayam Penyet one of the day….
Bet you have very good ones there, authentic Indonesian…or in Johore.