When Jien worked in audit years back, he would be stationed in Kuantan where his client was located – at the port. And he would often dine at Nasi Kandar Sri Utara Dua, which he claims served delicious and reasonably priced nasi kandar.
Open air dining concept
He revisited Nasi Kandar Sri Utara Dua about two months ago with me in tow and the place according to him, looks and feels the same. The restaurant is al-fresco, with simple tables and chairs; spaced out. The food display feels a lot like a warung, and the aunties are friendly.
Nasi Kandar Sri Utara Dua — signage isn’t very clear so you’ll have to look out for this place
Simple selection for Nasi Kandar
Squid egg curry
Fish and squid are a predominant feature at Nasi Kandar Sri Utara Dua, so you won’t go wrong with ikan bakar (grilled fish), squid sambal and fish curry. I like that they have squid egg curry – something that’s harder to come by in KL so I asked for a serving of that, on top of fried chicken and curried vegetables.
Nasi Kandar Sri Utara Dua serves a few types of grilled fish
Sambal sotong (squid)
Jien opted for the same, but instead of squid egg curry, he got the sambal squid. We had a portion of grilled stringray on the side and it was delicious. The stingray was fresh, meaty and “lemak”. One of the best I’ve eaten in terms of freshness, I have to say. For RM10 per piece, it’s quite a steal.
Fish curry
The curries at Nasi Kandar Sri Utara Dua are decent, but they err towards the lighter side. By lighter, I’m saying they don’t have that insanely “pekat” texture that leaves that lingering trail of curry scent on your fingers if you’re using your hands.
My plate of Nasi Kandar with fried chicken and squid egg curry
Grilled ikan pari (stingray)
Jien’s plate
But the combination of curries and the freshness of the fish and squid is what I like about this place. You get this simple, unpretentious meal that highlights the quality of seafood and also that “masakan kampung” feel when you dine at Nasi Kandar Sri Utara Dua.
The curries may be lighter than the usual nasi kandar fare, but the flavours are delicious and food reminds me of “masakan kampung” which I really like!
Coconut water
Most of the folks who dine here are either working at the port or living close by. So that’s a sense of community among the customers and the aunties running the restaurant. I can’t remember how much each plate cost, but we paid about RM45 for all the above, including two drinks and an additional piece of grilled stingray.
One for the gram!
Pretty good value and portions are generous. If you’re in Kuantan, give this a try!
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Ambiance: 5.5/10
Price: 7.5/10
Food: 6.5/10 (halal)
Verdict: Decent, kampung-style Nasi Kandar and reasonable pricing.
Nasi Kandar Sri Utara Dua
Kampung Berahi,
26080 Balok, Pahang