Kedah Food Galore - Best of Alor Setar Food (Travel Times New Straits Times BHD)

Northern Food Heritage by Alan Teh Leam Seng (Published in Travel Times NST)

My friend in Alor Setar has been trying to get me to visit his home town for a very long time. Each time I decline due to job commitments and tight work schedules. However, in our Facebook conversations and WhatsApp messages he would often tell me that those are just mere excuses and promises that he will not give up until I finally set foot on his beloved Kedah capital.

A few weeks later, I received an unusual email from him. This time he has gone to the extent of planning my trip and drawing up an itinerary where I can enjoy the sights as well as taste the delicious food in Alor Setar, all in just one day. He even suggested all the possible dates for my visit, coinciding them with extended weekends so that I cannot complain of exhaustion when I return back to Kuala Lumpur.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, I take a brief look at the proposed dates and notice that one of them falls on my friend's birthday. I have no other choice but to go. I met Rakesh while on training in Penang more than six years ago and our friendship has grown from strength to strength ever since then.

Exactly a month later, I arrive bright and early at Sultan Abdul Halim airport. Rakesh meets me at the arrival hall, grinning from ear to ear. Finally I am in 'his' Alor Setar. He can now rest easy and include my arrival in his list of successes. He hands me a copy of the itinerary in his car and says, 'Just to be sure everything goes well today.'

Our first stop is breakfast at Annama Stall (Tel: 011 0714918). Along the way, Rakesh warns me not to expect any fancy restaurants. He says that the best foods are usually found in simple establishments. Half an hour later, we arrive at a blue colured single storey house in Limbong Kapal. This place is popular judging from the sizeable crowd. Fortunately we manage to find seats. Service is fast and in less than ten minutes I am tucking into spicy mutton, fried ikan kerisi, boiled vegetables and of course lots of delicious smelling fish curry. Rakesh on the other hand opts to enjoy his usual serving of thosai.

The food is is simply out of this world. I also get crispy papadums and spicy rasam to compliment my meal. The latter is a drink said to help cool the body during hot weather. It is served in a small stainless steel cup. All together my meal costs RM 8. 30. Very reasonable considering the large helpings and wide selection of dishes that I manage to sample.

Our next destination, Padang Court, is just a short drive away. We park in front of the Balai Besar. I look at my watch and then at the itinerary. We are on schedule. It is only 930 am. Rakesh tells me that this parking area is very popular among the locals as it is free throughout the day. Furthermore, there are shady spots under the huge rain trees for those who are fortunate enough to arrive at the right moment.

We spend the next two hours exploring the century old buildings surrounding the historic open area which has witnessed many of the state's important events including royal weddings, installations as well as political gatherings.
Masjid Zahir, Balai Seni, Balai Nobat, Clock Tower, Gallery Sultan Abdul Halim and the Royal Museum are all within walking distance. Most of these stately buildings were built around the 1900s. We spend most of our time at the Royal Museum where I get to learn more about the Kedah Sultanate which is one of the oldest in the world. I suggest visiting the museum and Balai Seni last as their air conditioned interior will provide a cool respite from the heat later in the day.

All the walking and talking help me to work up an appetite and around noon I start to develop hunger pangs. From the Balai Seni, we walk over to Jalan Raja. Rakesh tells me that we are going to have lunch at a very special place located behind the old General Post Office. Manzur Nasi Briyani dan Chapati (Tel: 013 4886000) is situated in Jalan Nagore, a narrow lane which is also home to the Indian Muslim mosque which shares the same name as the road.

The place is packed with the lunch time crowd and we have to share tables. Rakesh and I manage to get seats at a table occupied by a friendly couple. The service here is also fast as Manzur employs a team of attentive and polite assistants. Those having nasi briyani can choose to have either free range chicken, mutton, beef, fish or duck curries. I highly recommend the duck thigh which is tender and has a lot of meat. While ordering, guests can also request for complimentary duck liver and gizzard which are cooked together with the rice. These add ons are only given to those who specifically request for them.

While enjoying our meal, Rakesh and I strike up a conversation with our new friends, Wan Azran Wan Abdullah and his wife Siti Mastura Abd Rahman. We learn that both are in the civil service and regularly come here for their briyani fix. Siti tells me that the food here tastes so much better that the ones served at Restoran Insaf in Kuala Lumpur. 'I definitely give Manzur a five star rating,' Siti adds while her husband smiles in agreement.

I am glad we left the car at the Balai Besar parking lot as the walk back helps me to digest the heavy lunch. Now I realise there are good makan outlets in Alor Setar that can rival other places in the country. I thank Rakesh for giving me this golden opportunity to get to know his place better and he merely smiles while giving me the 'I told you so' kind of look.

In the car, Rakesh tells me to relax as the drive to Kuala Kedah will take more than half an hour. Along the way our discussion centers mainly around the place we had just visited. Rakesh tells me that Manzur has been operating there for more than 20 years. 'Apart from serving delicious food, Manzur is also well known for his generosity. Once I saw him giving food to a man free of charge when the man said he was hungry and could not pay for his meal.'

Kuala Kedah Fort is located some 15 km from Alor Setar. This place has seen many battles in the 18th and 19th centuries as the major forces tussled over the control of Kedah. There is a museum and a lighthouse right in the middle of the fort. We spend an hour going through the various exhibits while learning about Kuala Kedah's tumultuous past. The Siamese, Achenese and British had at one time or the other fought to gain control of this strategically important place at the mouth of the Kedah River. The person who controls Kuala Kedah back then would have a strangle hold over the entire Kedah state.

The more interesting exhibits at the museum include blue and white Ming dynasty ceramics, rusty cannon balls as well as ancient coins of Middle Eastern origin. These are part of the treasure trove excavated within the fort compound by the Museum and Antiquities Department some thirty years ago .

We also spend a little more than an hour walking around the perimeter of the fort. I especially like the vast collection of English and Dutch cannons, all arranged facing outwards and always ready to defend the fort. Some of these weapons have interesting animal related names like Badak Berendam and Katak Puru. I suggest walking along the shoreline bordering the battlements in the late afternoon. This narrow strip of beach is popular among the local fishing enthusiasts. Also look out for colourful fishing boats making a beeline for shore, each heavily laden with their catch of the day. The larger vessels are ferries that shuttle holiday makers between Kuala Kedah and the popular island resort of Langkawi.

Along the way back to Alor Setar, we make quick stop for some of the famous laksa Teluk Kechai. Although there are two different shops located side by side, Rakesh tells me that he prefers Din Laksa (Tel: 011 3292 4055) as he says that the gravy is richer and contains more minced ikan kembung. Furthermore the laksa noodles here are more springy and not too soft. Each plate costs RM3. Rakesh stops me from ordering second helpings. He warns me that I have to save space for more food later.

The drive back to the state capital was largely uneventful and I managed to catch forty winks. After dropping by at Rumah Kelahiran Tun Mahathir Mohammad and Rumah Merdeka I tell Rakesh to give me some time off as I need to go to Pekan Rabu for some shopping. Like most tourists, it is compulsory for me to buy things from Pekan Rabu to take back home. My family members have given me a long list of things to purchase.

Rakesh looks at me and laughs. 'Bro, Pekan Rabu is being demolished as we speak. If we go now maybe you can see the last few pillars being torn down to make way for a new building with modern facilities. According to schedule the new Pekan Rabu will throw open its doors before the end of 2017', he adds.

True to his words, the place is now just a large pile of rubble. There are excavators everywhere. Then it dawned upon me that I am witnessing history here. In two years' time, the new Pekan Rabu will emerge like a phoenix from the ashes. I am sure the new building, with its ample basement parking lots, will serve visitors better.

All the traders from Pekan Rabu are now temporarily stationed at Ukir Mall. It takes me some time to locate the things that I need as the stalls in this new place are not orientated the way I used to know back in the old Pekan Rabu. I check and double check my list as I fear incurring the wrath of my family members should I even forget a single item. This is how important the things sold at Pekan Rabu are to my people back in Kuala Lumpur.

It is already 6pm after I am done. By this time I am already quite exhausted. Nevertheless, Rakesh urges me on. 'Let's go an get some rojak from Pak Non (Tel: 017 425 7207). His rojak madu is the best in town. Furthermore, he has not increased his prices for the past 15 years. It is still RM1 for the standard packet and he has not reduced the portions,' Rakesh says as he excitedly walks ahead.

We spend the evening sitting by the Balai Nobat, listening to the ancient music while munching our delicious rojak. We also share a packet of nasi ayam bought at Alia Corner (Tel: 012 551 8356). It is a stall next to Pak Non's in Jalan Tunku Ibrahim. It comes highly recommended by most of Rakesh's friends. The Nobat music is played just before the maghrib and isyak prayers. During the holy month of Ramadhan, it is played for five minutes before Muslims break their fast.

We make our way back to the car just as the Nobat musicians begin to leave. My mind is focused on returning to Rakesh's bachelor pad to have a warm bath and then calling it a day. I will be taking the first flight back to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow morning.

But instead of going home, Rakesh makes a detour and insists on buying a packet of Nasi Lemak Haji Ali (Tel: 019-564 5488) home so that we can enjoy a late supper before going to bed. He looks at his watch as we step out of the car and announces that it is exactly 9 pm. He then proceeds to tell me that this is the time when a fresh batch of ayam rempah comes out of the kitchen. The restaurant has been operating in Seberang Perak for at least forty years. It is now managed by the late Haji Ali's daughters. The other dish popular among diners is the peparu daun kari. The fresh cow lungs are cut into small pieces and fried with a generous amount of curry leaves until crispy.

Tonight I will surely dream of Kedah - its rich history and delicious food. Then tomorrow I must also think of a new schedule to bring my weight back to its normal range.