[March 19, 2006]
(Sunday Mail (Malaysia) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)NOT too long ago a retired army Major introduced an unconventional way of selling nasi lemak - by home delivery, much like the Pizza Hut concept.
It was a hit in the beginning, especially for Subang and Petaling Jaya folks.
Unfortunately it didn't last, for many reasons, one of which, I suspect is that people were not used to forking out RM7.90 for a packet of of nasi lemak even though delivered at a drop of a hat.
Undaunted, Mohamed Nasir started again from scratch, doing a lot of cooking and catering, but most of all working hard at regaining his reputation.
So, it is a pleasant surprise to find Mat Bess bouncing back with a simple restaurant serving not just nasi lemak but many Johor goodies.
Being a Johorean, he concentrates on what he knows best, and that's how he put together a menu of Nasi Beriyani Gam (beef, chicken and mutton), Mee Rebus Muar, Mee Bandung, Lontong, Botok-Botok (a concoction of edible leaves steamed with spices and slices of ikan tenggiri, peculiar to Johor) and Telor Pindang (eggs boiled in spices and leaves).
If you're expecting an exotic ambience Mat's Bess may not be your cup of tea, but go for the food and you won't be disappointed.
Each dish is painstakingly prepared to taste as authentic and as close to home-cooking as can be.
You can tell how unabashedly proud the Major is about his food from the name of his shop - Bess (best).
His insistence that everything, especially the beriyani gam, be served piping hot, led him to modify his presentation slightly and he serves it in a claypot.
This has now become his signature dish.
Another all-time favourite is Mee Bandung which is very well done here, while the Mee Rebus Muar is just as good as the famous Mee Baidali in Johor Baru.
Special drinks include syrup Bandung with soda, another Johor favourite, and pineapple (nenas madu) juice.He has to work harder at his desserts though, as only tapai pulut or ubi (fermented glutinous rice or tapioca) and sagun, an old snack of desiccated coconut mixed in rice flour and sugar are available.
Along with kopitiam or tea.
The place is popular on Sunday mornings when Subang, Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam folk make it a point to have their weekly slap-up breakfast here.
The Nasi Lemak Kukus is good, costing just RM1.50 for basic sambal, cucumber,and egg, up to RM3.50 if you add a piece of fried chicken, rendang chicken or sambal sotong kering.It's a giveaway.
The Lontong, at RM3.50, comes with delicious kuah lodeh and sambal kacang.
The Beriyani Gam costs RM9, and the noodles RM4.
If there's one indulgence I allow myself, its bingeing on Mat's best on Sunday morning.Mat Bess is at 97 Jalan SS15/5A, Subang Jaya (opposite Carrefour).Call (012) 313-6149.
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