Pathetic…

Ever since I fell out with love with the nasi lemak here, I have yet to stumble upon one that is really good except for this one that they sell in little packets…

…at the neighbourhood fruit & vegetables sundry shop in the next lane from my house for just RM1.50 each.

No, it will not sweep anybody off their feet but the rice is not hard and dry and I can detect a hint of the lemakness (richness) of the santan (coconut milk) which is something I really cannot say about all the nasi lemak that I’ve tried here, there and everywhere. Perhaps there are good ones somewhere but so far, I have not come across any that is worth going back for more, not even one. Truth be told, I might as well be eating plain white rice with the sambal and it would pretty much be the same.

Sad to say, though the one in those little packets has a bit of the coveted taste, I would say that the added condiments in each of them are a sorry sight…

You will get TWO peanuts, ONE slice of cucumber and a few miserable ikan bilis (dried anchovies). No, don’t dream of getting any hard-boiled egg in it, not even a few thin strips of omelette…and as if that is not pathetic enough, they seem to be getting a bit stingy with the sambal. There is barely enough to mix with the rice adequately…

I am quite sure it wasn’t that bad before.

There used to be more when it was wrapped in brown paper…

…but of course, they were selling it at RM2.00 a packet at the time. Frankly, I do not mind it one bit if they raise the price a bit, provided they do not scrimp on the ingredients so pathetically.

At one time, they were selling these RM5.00 packs…

…probably from a different source but it was nice too and no, I did not complain! Unfortunately, I never saw those ever again – probably, most of the other customers did not think it was worth spending RM5.00 on that even though they were getting a whole lot of stuff inside, chicken nuggets even and yet, they willingly part with that kind of money for a plate of kampua mee with a few paper-thin slices of boiled meat coloured red to make them look like char siew!

Well, as they say, beggars can’t be choosers so until I find one that is worthy of its name, nasi lemak, I shall just have to be happy with this one. I wish they would raise the price a bit though – after all, EVERYTHING is increasing in prices like it is never ever gonna stop…and make each packet a bit more presentable, less pathetic.

SWEE HUNG (2.316161, 111.840441) is located along Jalan Ruby, in the block of shops on the right – next to a hair salon at the extreme end…and on the other end, to the left is the Kim Won Chinese Medical Store and Mini-supermarket.