My missus and I went out early on Sunday morning at 8 something as there was something we had to go and get.
We happened to drive past this coffee shop…
…and I saw that it was open. They had blocked the entrance and the tall Indian mamak boss, originally from West Malaysia, was standing there. I told my missus that we could buy his nasi biryani for lunch so she would not need to do any cooking that morning – every week, for an hour or so in the morning, we would be pre-occupied, following the online Sunday service at one of the churches in Singapore and of course, she seconded the motion.
This guy was a chef at a hotel here a long long time ago. The food was really good and we would drop by very regularly, usually for the eat-all-you-can buffet dinner on Sundays after the evening mass at the cathedral in town. However, he eventually left and it was downhill all the way. I did drop by once and again, another time but no, there wasn’t anything that would keep me going back for more.
It must have been around thirty years ago when he started this place and we liked the nasi biryani so much that we kept going back for more. However, this is around the busiest part of town so parking is virtually quite impossible and illegal parking would be the order of the day if you intend to go anywhere in the area and get anything done…and if by any stroke of good luck, you are able to grab a vacant space, you may not be able to find a table at the coffee shop – yes, business is that good every day!
Well, perhaps it was too early on a Sunday morning and we’re supposed to be under a full lockdown at the moment so there were ample parking spaces for me to park the car and wait while my missus went and bought our lunch.
Each set comprised the biryani rice with a dhal dip and a bit of pickle…
…and my girl and I got the mutton…
…while the mum got herself the chicken.
It was nice, nicer than here, my girl said (that place has since closed down) and a lot of other Malay shops and stalls serving their local versions of nasi biryani which may be nice too in their own right, like the one here before. Maybe they have a new chef/cook now as it did not taste like how it was in the past. This time around, I found it to be over-generous with the curry powder and very strong in the fragrances and taste of the Indian spices used, both in the rice and in the curry. Unlike before, it was super spicy but of course, we did not have a problem with that.
My missus paid RM40.00 for everything – obviously, the prices have increased from RM8.00 for the chicken and RM12.00 for the mutton in 2017 and that is around two-thirds of what I would usually fork out for our orders here. However, the latter is a nicer, classy place, not just a coffee shop and my girl will insist that the authentic North Indian chef’s biryani rice there is simply the best in town! I guess like it or not, I shall have to drop by there one of these days to buy that home to enjoy – dining in is still not allowed plus they open at noon, not a very good time as it would be around 1.00 p.m. before I get home and we can start to eat.
NUR ISLAMIC CAFE (2.292183, 111.825945) is located along Jalan Kampung Nyabor in the Tuanku Osman area of shops, right beside the Academy Book Centre, Sibu, across the road from the RH Hotel.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Like your missus, I will get the chicken too as I am not into mutton. The curry gravy looks very thick. I love those cucumber pickles served.
It was different from before, more Indian-like and we did enjoy it. Very generous servings – took us two days to finish.
More is better, but indeed hard to finish in one meal. Briyani rice is very filling.
Everything increases in price. We dont mind to pay more as long as quality is there.
Yes, we can understand why they have to jack up the prices at a time like this. Times are hard. I do not mind as long as they maintain the quality and there’s value for money.
They need our help to keep going – one of my favourite Chinese restaurants in Sibu announced yesterday they will close at the end of June. So sad.
It has been a long while since I last went out to buy food… Ipoh is still EMCO… nowadays mostly deliveries… I order food from one lady and she will deliver for me and my neighbour, most times only RM7 per packet with rice, meat and greens… it works for us so far…
I dunno of any good place here. Those days when we had caterers, we never survived one month and ended up throwing the food away every day – even the nicer ones because they gave mostly those same few dishes day in and day out. That is why we stock up on food, buy a lot at one time and cook our own.
We do not go out most of the time so not convenient to go and buy from outside either.
Wow that looks really good! I haven’t had biryani and curries in a while.
Yes, same here. That was why I was keen on tapao-ing!!! My girl was delighted – she could go on eating for days, enjoying it to the max. Gotta go and get the best in town from that authentic North Indian chef one of these days.
I always ask myself chicken or mutton when ordering nasi briyani and chicken always wins hands down. But of course I won’t mind mutton if there is no chicken.
I’m ok with both, my girl prefers mutton but the mum would rather go for chicken.
RM 12 for mutton is a steal!
It is? At a coffee shop. Well, it’s definitely cheaper than at the classier cafes & restaurants.
Still sounds very reasonably priced to me. You’d be looking for a long time to find those prices in KL.
Especially at the nasi kandar shops. They say once they hear you speaking in ways not like the locals, they will sharpen their knives already. you’re in for a slaughter!!!