Living in Malaysia, you will be spoiled for choice when it comes to the kind of cuisine that are available. I think that’s partly the reason Malaysians are such food snobs and when I say that, I don’t mean it in a bad way. We just know good food when we have it. We couldn’t care less if it was by the roadside but if it tastes good, you can count on us to be there.
Located in Aman Suria, hidden away between shop lots, is a little café called Kesom. Every single dish tastes like it’s been cooked with love and through a recipe that’s been passed down by generations of cooks, leaving you wanting to come back for more.
Their main goal at Kesom is to feed customers with delicious food and they’re doing a pretty good job at that. Even their signature drink will quench your thirst during a hot KL day. Unless you knew where Kesom is located, it’s very unlikely that you will find it by chance but we decided to let our readers know about this quaint cafe.
If you’re a fan of Nasi Dagang and Nasi Kerabu, know that you can get the best of these two right here at Kesom. Their Sambal Petai dan Sotong dish will have you going for second and if you’re in the mood for some Kelantanese dish like Gulai Ikan Raja Berangkat, you can be sure to find this at Kesom.
While treating our tastebuds to the decadent dishes they cooked up for us at Kesom, we decided to ask the owner, Susan Lim a few questions about her cafe and her superb cooking.
What inspired you to start up Kesom Cafe?
To share the memories of home cooking done by our grandma, mum or aunties who always made us drool when they prepared these dishes back at home in the kitchen. And not to forget the original flavours that hit our taste buds when we savour the dishes cooked with love by them for the family. To share the excitement of others while they eat.
What makes Kesom Cafe different from other local cafes in Kuala Lumpur?
We strive to give only the best and from fresh ingredients. We want to offer the wholesomeness of these ingredients that makes the food delicious, without using MSG or colouring. We try and avoid using artificial colouring as much as possible in our food but sometimes when it comes to making kuih, we have to use red colouring to get the full result. Everything that’s cooked here is through traditional method to ensure the flavour remains in the food and that it emerges when eaten. There is no short cuts here!
What is your favourite dish to cook and why?
Actually I love cooking all the dishes, otherwise I wouldn’t have put them on the menu. But if I had to choose one, it would probably be the Gulai Raja Berangkat. I remember my mum telling me the reason behind the name of this dish. Apparently it was so delicious that the King would get up in order to search for it.
We found that Kesom had a real authentic taste. It really feels as though the meals are cooked at home from ingredients that are picked out from the backyard. Do you find it hard to get all the ingredients that you need?
Yes, it can be tough as some of the ingredients need to be purchase from Kelantan, especially if I want to get that flavour, texture and taste.
Do customers often tell you how amazing the food at Kesom is?
We’ve been very blessed so far as most our customers love the food and make it a point to introduce us to their family and friends. Without the support of our loyal customers, Kesom wouldn’t have made it this far and for that we are very grateful to the. We will also continue to cook up delicious food!
What are the specials like during the week?
We have few favourites with our specials such as Sambal Petai Udang/Sotong/Sayur/Ikan Goreng, Ayam Masak Merah, Ayam/ Udang Garam Kunyit, Kerutub Daging/Ayam, Kangkung, Pucuk Ubi, Kerabu Mangga and so on. It all depends on what I find at the market!
Kesom is located at: F-46, Jalan PJU 1/45, Aman Suria, 47301, Petaling Jaya. For more information on Kesom, please visit their Facebook page or call +603 7880 7022
