Restoran Causeway Nasi Padang Ina along Jalan Lumba Kuda, Johor Bahru

 

Restoran Causeway (popularly known as Kak Ina) runs on two shifts - one serving lunch from 11:00am to 2:00pm and another for dinner from 6:00pm to midnight.



The lady boss serving soto (spicy chicken soup)

For lunch, Restoran Causeway serves its famous Nasi Padang (Ina). Restoran Causeway, well known for its authentic nasi padang, has been in business here at Jalan Lumba Kuda for more than 20 years. This little corner of Johor Bahru has seen dramatic physical changes in the last 20 years but the authentic food and the brisk business at Restoran Causeway hasn’t changed much. Restoran Causeway's clientele includes the Johor royal family and their staff.

The charismatic boss Man, who is originally from Padang (West Sumatra), is still as youthful looking as ever despite being a grandfather now J Man’s two daughters now handle the restaurant business, one the lunch shift and the other the dinner shift.

As I had already eaten lunch, I only stayed awhile to observe the goings on and promised Man that I will be back at dinnertime for his famed ayam penyet and asam pedas.

Like any good nasi padang shop, Restoran Causeway serves a wide array of curry and spicy meat, fish and vegetable dishes at very reasonable prices.

Whole chickens boiling furiously in curry perfuming the air

Everything is cooked right there at the premises, so the food and entire space has that home cooked aroma and feel. 

The arrangements are very casual. The customers help themselves to portions of whatever dishes they fancy and the portions will be tallied and charged accordingly at very reasonable prices.

As promised, I was back at Restoran Causeway exactly at 6:00pm. On Man’s suggestion, I had his popular ayam penyet set and asam pedas ikan selar.

Over my ayam penyet and asam pedas dinner, Man shared with me a basic principle of culinary art – he said, to attract customers, the taste must be interesting and one way to achieve this is a mix of flavours.

He cited the example of his sambal chili. Man said, the whole ayam penyet dish is centred around the sambal chili sauce which makes or breaks the dish. The sambal chili is made with regular chili for bulk and spiciness, chili padi for a sharper spiciness, ginger for smooth mildly pungent spicy, tomatoes for tangy flavour, onions for sweetness and belacan (fermented shrimp paste) for saltiness and savouriness.

Restoran Causeway’s asam pedas is roughly balanced between asam (tamarind) sourness and pedas spicy hot. The ikan selar was very fresh and the asam pedas gravy brought out its natural flavours very well.

I definitely have to be back for lunch for Man’s authentic nasi padang which is fit for Sultan and rakyat (folks) alike.

Restaurant name: Restoran Causeway Nasi Padang Ina

Address: Jalan Lumba Kuda near Johor Bahru CIQ and Hotel Bluewave

Map: http://g.co/maps/t79ws

GPS: 1.460036,103.767840

Hours: 11:00am to 2:00pm and 6:00pm to midnight

Halal

Date visited: 17 Apr 2012