East meets West in Kota Damansara

The Salted Egg Chicken Wing is crispy and buttery. — Photos: AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star

FEW places incorporate local flavours in Western dishes well but one restaurant in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, has figured out a way to combine both worlds and appeal to diners in the area.

Makan Heritage serves lunch and dinner in a relaxing village-style ambience - a welcoming environment for families and friends with different food preferences.

Co-owner Mohd Fairuz Yusoff said he created the menu to cater to people in the area.

“We were only making Western food initially but after four to six months, we decided to have a selection of Western and Malay food as the demand for local food is quite high.

“We have local food to balance out the menu since not everyone here eats Western food, ” said Fairuz, who opened the restaurant with three other partners in 2016.

Pasta Goreng Mamak served with seafood, fried chicken and crackers.

The menu has chicken and beef dishes, burgers, fried rice, spaghetti, kuey teow, finger food and side dishes as well as several refreshing beverages.

One of its signature dishes is Kambing Salai Das, Ali & Baba which is served with white rice (RM16.90).

Chillies, bell peppers and broccoli add colour to the dish while the sliced lamb goes well with the home-made spicy sauce.

If you are a fan of ikan patin and tempoyak, then the Patin Tempoyak Bonda (RM15) is a must try.

Teh Tarik Heritage is available for those in search of a familiar taste.

Specially brought in from Sungai Pahang in Temerloh, the oily fish when immersed in thick yellow tempoyak broth adds creaminess to the sour, sweet and pungent tempoyak dish.

Another must try is Beef Salai Masak Lemak (RM14.90). The beef and curry-flavoured broth made for a nice combination.

For mamak noodle fans, Pasta Goreng Mamak (RM18.90) is not to be missed.

You will not realise it is pasta you are having as the taste and texture is very similar to that of mee goreng mamak, complete with fried chicken, seafood, tofu and crackers.

Patin Tempoyak Bonda has the unmistakable sourish taste from the inclusion of fermented durian.

Burger lovers, meanwhile, will be pleased with Makan Heritage Beef Burger (RM23.90), which is also recommended.

In terms of side dishes, the Salted Egg Chicken Wing (RM12.90) gets a gold star for its three crispy and buttery yet not too oily pieces.

Wash it all down with a cold and refreshing Nescafe Heritage Cincau (RM3.60), a winner whether you are partial to caffeine or otherwise.

Kambing Salai Das, Ali & Baba served with sliced lamb, white rice, broccoli and special homemade spicy hot sauce.

The bitter-sweet taste from the coffee complements the thinly sliced grass jelly, recharging your batteries as it cools you down on a blazing hot day.

There is also Teh Tarik Heritage (RM3 for cold and RM3.50 for hot) and Nescafe Heritage (RM3 for cold and RM3.50 for hot) for those looking for familiar flavours.

Before you leave, be sure to check out the mural on the building next door that was created in honour of frontliners battling Covid-19.

MAKAN HERITAGE, 17G, Jalan Camar 4/5A, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya (Tel: [phone]) Business hours: 11am to midnight with last order by 11pm (closed on public holidays).

This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.