Boring Bazaar

Gone are the days when the Bazar Ramadhan was a place for great food. Back when I was growing up in Kuantan, we didn't really need to care which shop we bought from because everyone had some actual culinary skills. Miss the crunchy mini samosas, delicious nasi dagang, and spicy popiah basah. In Klang Valley these days, it is hard to find decent food at such places. The food that is sold is only a 'seeming' of its name. A poor imitation with no real substance. Might look like it, but end up tasting all wrong. And if you're unlucky, you might walk away with a stomach flu. Probably would have to kiss many frogs to find your prince. But after a few kisses, you would probably give up from the utter disappointment. While roaming the Bandar Kinrara 5 Bazar Ramadhan, I chanced upon a really good nasi kerabu among the multitudes of stalls selling rainbow-hued drinks and grilled meat (walking through a meat haze!). The nasi kerabu came with all the right sauces and condiments, and most importantly, the kerabu was REALLY kerabu. Very difficult to find good classic East Coast dishes in the Klang Valley and even finding good kuih is a challenge! Pop an onde-onde into your mouth, and you get no explosion of gula melaka. Worse still, some stalls use grated coconut that had been pressed dry. Despite all this, Bazar Ramadhans are still teaming with customers due to lack of alternatives. So sad...