As a Penangite, originally from Bayan Lepas, a visit to a mamak stall or restaurant is a daily habit for me. Growing up in Kampung Masjid more than two decades ago, fish curry and roti canai were a staple. One particular restaurant surviving today in Bayan Lepas along the main road is Cargaz Cafe, owned by a friend and ex-schoolmate, Omar Khan.
Whenever I pass by his restaurant, it is always full or nearly full of mamak food lovers. I was told that a new nasi kandar restaurant would open shortly in Bayan Lepas, aptly named Muzium Cafe, as its building used to be a post office.
The mamak brand has also gained traction overseas. Recently, a survey by Yelp — an app that publishes crowdsourced reviews about local businesses — in Australia ranked a restaurant, named Mamak, in Haymarket, New South Wales, in the top five of its list of Australia’s top 100 restaurants for this year.
I also found out that the restaurant had won the Best New Global Gem 2012, made the list of the Top 10 Best New Restaurants in New South Wales, Sydney’s Top 10 Affordable Restaurants and came in second in the Best Cheap Eat list.
The restaurant’s message to its customers is this: “The culture of Malaysia is best experienced through its vast array of culinary delights. In the heart of every Malaysian exists a passion for food, exemplified by the thrill of seeking out the best in town. Mamak captures this enthusiasm by ensuring our recipes are authentic, exactly as you would find in the streets of Kuala Lumpur.”
As I’m working in Bangsar, Mehbob and Pelita restaurants are my usual hang-out spots. For those familiar with Penang, there are plenty of mamak restaurants to choose from.
Take your pick, from Kassim Mustafa, Pelita, Kayu, Subaidah, Haniffa, Din Maju, Deen, Nasi Kandar Beratur, Kapitan, Hamidiyah, Nana Nasi Kandar or Line Clear. The latest development being Line Clear setting up shop in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Let’s stop there. Just too many mamak eateries to mention. And not just in Penang.
So, no wonder roti canai and teh tarik are words spoken almost every day by regular folk, and like nasi lemak, available day or night. Quite a few of these establishments operate 24 hours a day, too. To attract customers, operators install flat-screen TVs that are usually on sports channels, especially during the weekends when the English Premier League matches are being telecast live.
Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about the mamak stall: “Mamak stalls’ affordable food and unpretentious atmosphere tend to create a casual dining atmosphere.
“Newer mamak stalls have more of a cafe feel, usually being well lit and furnished with stainless steel tables. Some are outfitted with large flat-screen TVs, or even projectors, so that patrons can catch the latest programmes or live (football) matches as they dine.
“Some mamak stalls also provide free Wi-Fi service. Despite these innovations, many modern mamak stalls attempt to retain their predecessors’ open-air dining atmosphere by setting up tables on a patio, the shoplot’s walkway, or even on the street.”
There are many choices one can go for. Among them are roti tisu, maggi goreng, murtabak, nasi lemak, nasi Pattaya, nasi dalcha, roti naan, thosai, capati, briyani, tomato rice, fried mee, bihun and even tom yam. There’s also ayam bawang, ayam rose, kambing kurma, gulai daging masala and fish head curry. The menu, admittedly, has grown over the years.
Different people have their own take on what makes mamak stalls special. Here’s Audrey Lim’s take on all things mamak at the Things Asian website: “The best part about these mamak stalls is the ambience. Food is cheap and delicious while the ambience is light and casual.”
“You don’t even need to dress up for it. Just walk in with your tees, shorts and sandals, and prepare for a night of great food, good conversation and lots of teh tarik. Given their ubiquity, it is hard to imagine life without mamak stalls.”
Though it’s hard to say that all the different dishes are cheap nowadays, but is it hard to imagine Malaysia without the mamak factor? I have to agree. I wrote this after a chat with two media colleagues at Lotus, Jalan Gasing, after one of them mentioned Malaysians being regular patrons of mamak stalls and restaurants.
The crowd there came from all walks of Malaysian life, just as in Mehbob and Pelita in Bangsar. It’s a good thing I went with an Indian friend as the waiter spoke Tamil. It’s not uncommon for people to speak to me in Tamil as I have that Indian look. That’s another Malaysian trait.
Appearances can be deceiving. One can look Chinese but be Malay or Serani. In that sense, I could pass for a Pakistani, Sri Lankan or Bangladeshi. Anyway, I will be 50 years old next year. Too late for Qu Puteh to lighten my skin.
I feel the mamak, meaning “uncle”, as an institution, should be categorised as a national treasure. If there is any place that shows Malaysia’s diversity in full flow, it is the mamak stall or restaurant, wherever it may be.
In fact, last year, I met a few ex-primary school friends in Bayan Baru for a mini-reunion. The location? Makbul, of course. An Indian acquaintance of mine has the perfect slogan for us Malaysians to reflect upon when we’re dining at mamak or other local foodie joints: “Diversity is the gift of nature. Unity is our strength.”
Azman Abdul Hamid is Berita Harian Features/
Op-Ed Editor