We call this place the “always sold out Nasi Ambeng” because if you are late, it’s always sold out. Bumbo Kito has made their name at the R&R Pagoh (Southbound) as the go-to place for tasty value for money homemade Nasi Ambeng. Their fans come here all the way from Perlis, Kelantan, Pahang, Kedah, Sarawak to Singapore. So just what makes their Nasi Ambeng special? They have something special that made us drive all the way down to Pagoh just to have this one thing.
” The Taste of Nasi Ambeng People are Craving For ”
We love that Bumbo Kito’s Nasi Ambeng dish comes wrapped in a banana leaf lining. And yes, pictured below are all the food combinations required to qualify the dish as Nasi Ambeng. White rice, dried salted fish, serunding kelapa, sambal goreng Jawa, fried noodles (mee goreng), one piece of fried/spiced chicken & more. A popular Johorean dish especially for those with Javanese ancestry.
Bumbo Kito’s Nasi Ambeng is refresing, healthy & a balanced meal. We like that they actually make their serunding kelapa from scratch to maintain the quality & homemade taste. This painstaking process takes 5 to 6 hours per session. Desiccated coconut stirred in a big kuali under slow flame that they have to constantly control. It shows in the tasty taste!
You are not meant to eat each lauk combo one by one. All should be mixed together, but that’s a personal preference. Each lauk combo is light on its own but when mixed in with others, gives the dish great flavours. A must in this dish and one of our favourites, Ikan Masin Bulu Ayam. It has the right saltiness that blends well in the dish. Their sambal Goreng Jawa is made from fried suhun, long beans, chili & cabbage. Bumbu Kito’s version is not spicy. The mee goreng or to be exact mee kenduri is just simple yellow noodles fried with an onion base & soya sauce. Their Nasi Ambeng Combo is definitely “Memang Boleh Tahan Sangat” for the price sold.
Now lets go to the meats! We have ayam goreng which is lightly spiced to give meat lovers a protein boost. Now mind you, this is a dry dish so some people might not be used to. But here’s a secret that you can add to Bumbo Kito’s Nasi Ambeng that makes what is already tasty even better. Their Daging Masak Ungkep!
This is their secret weapon. Their beef ungkep is absolutely tasty. Lovely, lovely, lovely taste with some rice and all other components mixed in. It’s like rendang but heavier on the lemongrass with onions, ginger & tumeric. We can taste that buah keras is also added in for good measure. To top it all off, Malay styled beef stock & homemade kerisik is added. This homemade kerisik gives a better natural sweetness to the dish rather than industrially made ones. Althought the ungkep is sweet, it lends a richer flavour to the dish that we absolutely love. Besides, we love meat! This is a must try!
Bumbu Kito started in 1995 by Makcik Normah’s late husband and she took over after he passed in 2014. Now she runs the business with 4 of her 8 children. She still actively cooks Bumbo Kito’s Nasi Ambeng at nearby home in Kampung Tengah Paya Redang.
They used to sell upwards of 450 packs per day and since the pandemic, business has been down by more than 80%. Kak Normah and her kids persevered during this period because it is their only livelihood and they had many great memories with Bumbu Kito. They had to cut back on a lot of things but Kak Normah believes that challenges are part and parcel of business. She believes that they will come out stronger after the pandemic.
When you see this sign on the PLUS highway, you’ll know that a certifiably tasty Nasi Ambeng vouched by many Johoreans is just close by. It’s neatly packed in banana lined packs and will not “basi” (turn bad) easily during the day even if you are packing this for your travels. We’ve tested. Do not leave without the must try Daging Ungkep!
The pandemic has devastated many small businesses. FriedChillies is urgently collaborating with PLUS to highlight FIVE great eats that we love along the North South Expressway and the food heroes behind these tasty dishes. One purchase may be small but the impact goes not only to the owner but also stall workers, delivery guy & continues to their local suppliers and others that depend on them. Small businesses, if they close… they are gone forever. You will never get a chance to eat their food ever again.
Bumbo Kito
FOODSTERS VERDICT
| Address | Bumbu Kito, Stall No. 10, R&R Pagoh (Southbound), Lebuhraya Utara Selatan, Pagoh, Johor |
| Open | 8am to 8pm daily |
| Pro | Daging Ungkep with Nasi Ambeng is the best! |
| Cons | Can sell out fast! |
| Price Range | RM5 |
| Parking | Easy |
| Certification | Muslim Owned |