IT'S already late in the afternoon when my two companions and I arrive at Jom Salai (loosely translated as "let's get smoking").
There are two tables set just outside the restaurant's glass walls, and we walk into the air-conditioned dining area, we are welcomed by a distinctive whiff of woody smoke.
On our table is an A4 sized menu, quite simple and straight forward. The newly opened restaurant offers smoked beef, chicken, duck, catfish and also lobster cooked in Negri Sembilan's state dish - masak lemak cili api (coconut milk gravy cooked with heaps of bird's eye chilli).
But Jom Salai is not your typical restaurant, specialising in Negri Sembilan cuisine. Apart from Salai Lomak Cili Api (lomak is Negri Sembilan's dialect for lemak), it also cooks up quite a number of Western fare like BBQ, steaks and pasta among others.
"Please don't mind the strong smoky smell. We smoke our own meat in the kitchen," says owner Khairul Azizi who is happy to oblige us a visit to the kitchen to view a smokehouse which was co-designed with Chef Mohammad Fuad Ibrahim.
Chef Mohammad is at hand to explain. He swings open the smokehouse's doors to exposed three shelves, each is occupied. The bottom shelf has a metal basket containing with wood-burning fire, the second shelf has two metal basins filled with water and the topmost shelf has meat chunks neatly wrapped in aluminium foils.
"The water from the basins is to give the meat a steam bake effect which keeps the meat moist and juicy," he explains. All meats, mostly sourced from Australia and New Zealand, are first rubbed with a special secret rub to achieve the desired smoke effect and taste before being smoked for eight to 12 hours, .
Chef Fuad takes out one of the aluminium foil packs, and I couldn't hide my excitement to see the wiggly piece of meat oozing its own juice when he gently presses it. It is as if I'm watching an American BBQ cook show. Now, I can't wait to sink my teeth in it.
SALAI LOMAK CILI API
From the Salai Lomak menu, Chef Fuad prepares for us two Salai Lomak Rice Sets- Itik (duck) and beef brisket. Each set comes with steamed white rice, salad (ulam) and sambal belacan and Salai Lomak of choice.
Apart from plain rice, Jom Salai also offers Garlic Fried Rice, with or without smoked beef. Garlic fried rice with smoked beef is recommended to us.
During menu planning, Khairul Azizi and his team decided to serve just salad for vegetables as it is refreshing and pairs well with the richness of the coconut milik gravy of 'salai lomak'.
We patiently wait for the kitchen to prepare our order. As all orders are customised and cooked a la minute.
I start with Salai Lomak Itik on its own. The gravy is both a little salty and sweet. It's not sugary sweet but coconut-milk sweet, perhaps a little less santan would be perfect. But somehow when eaten with rice, the saltiness is not too apparent.
As for spiciness, it's not as spicy as we anticipated, maybe it is spicy for the mainstream which I am not especially when comes to spicy food. The duck meat is flavourful and has a little resistance when I bite into its flesh.
Next, I try Salai Lomak Beef Brisket. It's not like any Masak Lemak Daging Salai (smoked beef) that I've had before. Normally the meat is often cut into small pieces and sometimes too charred.
Here, the smoked beef brisket is tender and cut into bigger pieces. Simmered in thick rich santan and other local herbs, every mouthful of the beef brisket is precious. I add in a dollop of sambal belacan and instantly the level of spiciness sky-rockets.
"We only use cili api kampung," Khairul Azizi quips.
WESTERN FARE
From the Western menu, BBQ Beef Short Ribs, Sirloin Steak, Spaghetti Masak Lomak and Garlic Shrimp are our choices.
Masak Lomak Spaghetti is Jom Salai's take on pasta carbonara. Instead of cream, the pasta is cooked with santan that is flavoured with the aromatics of local herbs that make typical masak lemak cili api like turmeric leaves, lemon grass, birds eye chilli tossed with smoked beef. It's interestingly satisfying.
Our medium Sirloin Steak does not disappoint either. The huge portion of whipped potato that comes with it has some chunks, lots of fresh ground black pepper and not too creamy, suitable for the local palate.
Their garlic shrimp is also worth trying. The shrimps are big and succulent. It's cooked skin-on with garlic butter and house special spice rub.
Then, it all comes down to this. The BBQ Short Ribs are the piece de resistance of our meal. The meat is tender, moist and juicy. They fall off the bones and are not fibrous at all.
The eight-hour 'smoking' process paid off. It has some squirting of some excellent barbeque sauce that is so good that you want to lick it clean. It's exactly as I imagined it.
This is the best short ribs I've had so far, hands down better than some well known western restaurants that I've been to. Best of all, the pricing is very affordable. You pay an economical price for an affluent fare.
FAST FACTS
JOM SALAI
28-1, Jalan PJU 8/5g, Bandar Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
TEL 012-3676 322, 011-1148 6882
INSTAGRAM @JOMSALAI
HOURS 11am-9pm daily
EAT Local Malay of Salai Masak Lemak dishes and Western fare like BBQ, pasta and steaks.
MUST TRY BBQ short ribs and Masak Lomak Spaghetti
PAY From RM10
MOOD Very simple no frill ambience
SERVICE Staff are attentive and friendly
I SAY Give it a try
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