Khadijah's Kitchen

If you were growing up in Malaysia during the 70s and 80s, chances are you would have heard of Khadijah Ibrahim and her songs. Khadijah was a very popular singer back then but she left for New Zealand to pursue a course in interior design where she also ran a Malaysian restaurant there for several years.

Following her return to Malaysia, the legendary songstress opened Khadijah’s Kitchen in Section 11, Petaling Jaya. I’ve always wanted to visit this place since I’ve heard rave reviews about her signature dishes such as Laksa Johor and Assam Pedas Melaka. Khadijah prepares all the pastes and does most of the cooking herself and I couldn’t wait to try her dishes.

The restaurant is not very big and can only seat about 30 people at any one time. I found out that Khadijah purposely planned it this way to make her customers feel at home. The cosy setting also meant her customers can practically see each other from across the room and perhaps even be friends the next time they dine at her restaurant.

The place was packed when we arrived so we had to wait a few minutes before we were seated. There was a jovial and happy atmosphere; people were talking and laughing while enjoying the food and Khadijah herself was seen mingling and chatting with her customers, treating everyone as if they’re part of a close-knit family. Most of the furniture is made of solid wood and the walls were lined with framed photos of VIPs and local celebrities who had visited the restaurant.



The menu is pretty extensive with a wide variety of Malaysian delights covering favorites from the state of Johor right up to Terengganu. Beside the main dishes that would go well with rice, there are sections devoted solely to all kinds of laksa (laksa Johor, laksa Terengganu, laksa Penang) and rice sets (nasi bryani, nasi tomato, nasi ayam, nasi kerabu). The rice set consists of a starter, main rice dish, ice lemon tea and dessert of the day. There is also a Kid’s Menu for 10 year-olds and below and the Afternoon Tea Set (available 3pm-6pm) which offers tea-time favorites such as cucur udang and pengat durian with pulut.

Most of the dishes on the menu are from Khadijah’s own recipes but she sometimes uses her friends’ or relatives’ recipes and credits the dishes with their names. I guess that’s how Nasi Goreng (FBI) Datin Paduka Faridah Sedap Gila and Ubi Kayu Goreng (Ramli Sarip) got their names!

We spent some time looking at the menu after which we settled on these 4 dishes from the Starters and Main Dishes sections, to eat with white rice:



Sotong Masak Hitam (Ibrahim Family Favourites) (recipe from  Masria)
RM10.80 (S), RM23.00 (L)

This is pan-fried squid with tamarind, ginger, onions and chillies and is a popular dish among Johoreans. The squid ink is used as an ingredient which lends the dish its dark color. Not many restaurants serve this and I was really excited to see it in the menu. However, I was disappointed when our order arrived. There was very little squid meat in the dish and the jet-black gravy was a bit too watery for my liking.

Kari Ikan Jenahak (Kak Mas)
RM11.80 (S), RM24.80 (L)

The thick gravy of the curry was bursting with flavor although we felt like we were eating reheated, day-old curry since the fish wasn’t very fresh. However, taste-wise, this dish would appeal to any curry lover out there.



Tauhu Telur 
RM9.80

The tauhu telur (Chinese egg tofu) garnished with shredded carrot and bean sprouts, was cooked to perfection. It was simply crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside. What also makes this dish outstanding is the cili padi dipping sauce - a fiery sweet combo of light soy sauce with cili padi (bird’s eye chillies).

Gado-gado 
RM9.80

The Gado-gado was another big disappointment for me. The taste of the peanut sauce was a bit off and it was way too oily.

At the end of our meal, we were already full and there’s no way we could make room for dessert or even the Laksa Johor, which I was dying to try. So we decided to take away these 3 dishes and enjoy them at home.

Laksa Johor 
RM15.80

The secret of a good laksa lies in its gravy and Khadijah Kitchen’s version was superb. The spicy fish broth was full of flavor and the sambal belacan (chilli paste) provided a nice kick to this yummy dish. I wished there was a bit more garnishing though – some fresh mint leaves and ‘daun kesum’ (Vietnamese coriander) would have been nice.

Kway Teow Goreng 
RM9.80

The fried kwayteow with chicken was really delicious and I liked that it wasn’t dripping with oil. 

Forgot to take a photo of the Bubur Kacang Hijau (RM7.80) but I loved the creaminess of this dessert which wasn't overwhelmingly sweet and the beans were boiled just long enough to make them tender but not mushy soft. 

Overall, our meal at Khadijah’s Kitchen fell short of my expectations. Apart from a few dishes that stood out such as the Tauhu Telur, Laksa Johor and Kuay Teow Goreng, I felt the other dishes were mediocre. I’m guessing it’s because these dishes were pre-cooked and not prepared on order so they have somehow lost their freshness along the way. I certainly hope that Khadijah looks into the quality of the food served because Khadijah’s Kitchen used to be THE place to bring your visiting foreign friends for a taste of authentic Malaysian cuisine.

Apart from operating her restaurants (there are 2 more outlets in Setapak and Shah Alam), Khadijah also produces a range of cooking sauces.

My Overall Verdict:
Taste: 6/10
Service: 7/10
Ambience: 7/10
Presentation: 6/10
Value for Money: 5/10

Address and contact details:
Khadijah's Kitchen
11, Jalan Bukit 11/2, Seksyen 11,
46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-7960 1079
Website: https://www.facebook.com/khadijahskitchen

Operating hours:
Daily 12.00PM - 10.00PM


Lotsa Luv