Town that satay built
PHILIP LIMEveryone knows Kajang is famous for satay but foodies seldom make their way here as Kajang satay is now available in big towns and cities. PHILIP LIM makes an impromptu visit to uncover its other secrets
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| Haji Samuri Kajang Satay Restaurant is in an impressive building |
WHENEVER the name Kajang is brought up, the immediate response is always “satay!” That was probably true about 20 years ago. However, according to a long-time resident of Kajang, the best Kajang satay today is found in Kuala Lumpur.
Apparently, enterprising satay sellers have “migrated” to the big city because the high-income earners there don’t frown too much when they find out the price of a stick of satay.
That’s not to say, though that there are no good satay sellers left in Kajang. After all, the entire town’s reputation is built on this particular delicacy of grilled skewered meat with slices of cucumber and ketupat, served an aromatic peanut gravy.
Delicious Pit Stop
If you’re on a leisurely drive, returning to KL or Petaling Jaya from a short visit to Putrajaya, and want to take a break that will go eminently well with at least two tall glasses of hot teh tarik, Kajang is the town for such an unscheduled pit-stop.
According to 2006 statistics, Kajang has a population of 230,000. In recent years, the township has expanded but the town proper is still its charming old self, with narrow streets and the occasional traffic jam that reminds KLites of their own turf.
If not for a wrong turn on the highway, I would have bypassed the satay town because my planned destination was actually Dengkil. Dengkil probably lost carloads of premier visitors due to the poor positioning of highway signs.
Mother Of Satay Houses
At 4pm, the utmost thought on anyone’s mind is a quick bite of what makes Kajang famous. Naturally, it is the one and only Haji Samuri Satay Restaurant. This “mother of all satay houses” never ceases to impress, even for first-time customers.
A double-storey building with a huge compound for a car park, Haji Samuri Satay Restaurant even has several big dining halls to cater to private parties. There’s an air-conditioned hall on the ground floor.
Housed in Bangunan Dato Nazir, Haji Samuri Satay Restaurant is well organised and splendidly positioned. From the number of chairs and tables, it is estimated that the total number of seated customers is 1,000 or more at any one time.
Inside, numerous home-grown artefacts are strategically placed all over the building. Old motorcycles that look very much like the half-forgotten Vespa of yesteryears are positioned around the staircase that leads to an open veranda where customers can enjoy the views from various perspectives.
At the entrance, an ancient buggy-like vehicle, probably horse-drawn, lends that flavour of a bygone era to the establishment.
For KL folks who are not that keen on making the trip to Kajang, just go to Selayang Baru where you’ll find a Samuri Satay outlet located just outside the Selayang Mall. It’s just as good as that in Kajang. In fact, someone claims that the satay at this outlet is even better.
Chicken, Beef, Rabbit, Deer
The satay menu is handsomely displayed on the wall, offering chicken and beef satay as well as other choices of meat. This is one restaurant where the culinary adventurer can also have rabbit, deer, sheep or fish. Add to that the liver, heart and other edible parts.
Perhaps it’s the time of day, but we’re told that rabbit satay is sold out, so we settle for chicken and beef. The only complaint is that the beef has probably been sitting on the fire for too long as it’s a bit too tough.
It would also have been better if the sticks of satay are served piping hot, straight from the grill to the dining table as that’s the way most Malaysians like it.
More Than Satay
Yes, satay may be the town’s biggest billboard attraction but Kajang has more to it than just sticks of meat. There are other facets to its character just waiting to be discovered.
The pace, albeit slower than what city folks are accustomed to, is just perfect for a walking tour. Adjacent to the satay house is a charming but quaint post office that calls for a closer inspection.
The next time, you are in Kajang and drinking coffee, bear in mind that the town owes its early development to the coffee estates that once dotted the land.
Kajang has its historical roots in 1709 when traces of settlement were discovered. Then its foundation was laid in 1807 after the dust from the Battle of Kajang had settled.
Since then, it has taken Kajang two centuries to scale up the ladder of development. Today, the town is officially recognised as the district capital of Hulu Langat and plays host to several institutions of higher learning.
Among these are Universiti Tenaga Nasional, University of Nottingham in nearby Semenyih, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in close-by town of Bangi, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman in Bandar Baru Sungai Long and Universiti Putra Malaysia’s New Era College located opposite the town railway station.
For most residents of KL and PJ, Kajang is “where other people sometimes go”. But really, Kajang is worthy of a close-up, personal view by outsiders who usually give this place a miss as they head for other more publicised tourist destinations.
Pictures by PHILIP LIM
Until next time, cheers.
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