Eating, Drinking and Being Merry

Grilled Chicken

UPDATE: Outlet Closed

One of my current favourite hangouts since moving to this side of the world is Bucida Court, in the Penchala area. It's actually across the LDP from the higher-end haunts of Ikea and The Curve, and therein also lies the divide, as the "hawker-style" outlets, the open-air plus tin-roofed seating and sometimes-by-the-road parking means prices are lower than the premium sites.

Not true hawker prices, mind you, but reasonable in a mid-range kind of way. From RM3 snacks (fish crackers), RM5 desserts and less-than-RM10 satay to RM13 grilled chicken (my personal favourite), RM20 pizza and RM25 BBQ ribs, it's an acceptable option from a number of cuisines -- Malay, Arab, Thai and Italian, plus those Western steaks, chops and burgers (including those featuring colourful buns, whose reason for being I still can't quite grasp) and seafood.

Hot Dog

The fare is also perfectly acceptable. The food is never going to win awards, but your taste buds won't try to run away screaming, either. From what I've tried, I like the grilled chicken, while the pizza is OK but maybe not truly "authentic Italian". The pasta not so much, steak and ribs are sub-par only because I have had melt-in-your-mouth experiences and the satay's average, and nothing close to those of Kajang fame. Other popular dishes (I polled others) include spicy noodles with crab, meatballs and some Thai fare.

Steak

Some portions may seem smaller than what you're used to, but that's also a trade-off for the price. I always find myself full after each meal, but then again it doesn't take much to fill up my smallish tank.

Most nights you'll also find customers wreathed in smoke -- these are the shisha or hookah lovers drawn by the prices (RM10-RM15) and the mix of flavours that might be weird or inspired, depending on your taste. Bubblegum, Champagne, blue mist, Kickapoo, Red Bull, mixed with watermelon, orange or apple, and a pinch of mint -- you're limited only by your imagination, and maybe the counsel of the shisha mixer who will shake his head at suggestions he thinks won't work. But hey, if you're feeling crazy, just go for it!



My lil bro and his friends - Pic from Bucida Court

Weekend nights (Fri-Sun) also offer the enjoyment of a live band, whose performance is pretty good, although they still cater to the Malay-speaking audience with mostly local songs, and some Santana thrown in once in a while. Pretty lively overall, just don't sit too close to the speakers if you want to maintain a conversation with friends.

Bucida Court opens from early evening to the early hours, and is WiFi enabled (most of the time).