Nasi Lemak Tanglin

Most already know that I am leaving Ministry of Housing and Local Government, Kuala Lumpur and will start another new chapter in my civil service with Ministry of Tourism Malaysia State Office in Penang most probably beginning of April 2010. A 360 degree change in term of scope of works and logistic.

Suddenly I felt like missing KL and a lot of routine, "culture" and "practices" instilled deep inside me since 2002. One of it is hitting the foodie scenes whenever I went for my work travelling. Coincidently my team members memang kaki makan. So everytime we had to go outstation or doing on-site investigations, we will "oh-som" which foodie scene to hit.

For this entry, I want to start with the Nasi Lemak breakfast at Tanglin Community Clinic at Jalan Cenderasari. To get there, just follow the same route to Taman Tasik Perdana (Lake Garden), follow the signboard to Bukit Aman Police Station and shortly you will see the signboard to the community Clinic.

Civil servants based in KL must know this place. I first discovered this place when my ex boss, Madam Yong instructed me to get treatment at the community clinic after weeks of running nose, sore throat and slight fever but never bother to go to the clinic. So our office driver had to drive me there as I didn't own a car then. But before leaving, my ex boss said "Don't forget to try the Nasi Lemak there".

So when I become the boss, I pass down the "knowledge" and "wisdom" about this eating place to my new officers. Especially if we are doing routine checking around Kuala Lumpur developers' offices and premises. As the boss, I normally don't have to join them but sometimes I feel like I need to get out once in a while. Plus putting the "elaun keraian" to a good and "proper" use.

I think what makes the Nasi Lemak here special is the rice. Steam to perfection with coconut milk, so it's not sticky or starchy. The choice of accompaniments also boleh tahan. Fried chicken, fried "paru" (cow's lung), beef rendang, bull's eyes eggs, cuttlefish sambal, crispy fried anchovies and peanuts.

Featured above is my normal order. I love fried "paru" and sambal sotong with my nasi lemak. Wash down with teh tarik or teh ais ... marvelous! Pricewise ... boleh tahan. Between RM 4-RM 7, depend on the accompaniment.

Nevertheless, I still wonder why the community clinic is called Tanglin. The area is not known as Tanglin. My search on the Internet only show that the clinic was formerly a Hospital Tanglin. Is Tanglin just a name?