IPOH’S “Nasi Vanggey” is enjoying a leap in sales after Prime Minister Najib Razak endorsed it for its reasonable prices recently.

Owner Mohamed Nihmathullah Syed Mustafa said there has been a surge in customers since Najib mentioned their nasi kandar during an online forum.

“Since his endorsement our business has grown by 20% to 30%,” said Nihmathullah, gesturing to the long queue of customers, and the large group of people waiting for a vacant seat.

The fourth generation nasi kandar operator said Najib visited his restaurant in 2016, and ordered dishes for 20 people consisting of chicken, beef, salted egg, fish roe, squid and fish.

“Najib’s favourite is the fried chicken and he usually eats two to three pieces,” he said, adding the prime minister was impressed with the reasonably-priced food.

“I went to serve him at his hotel and that’s when he asked how much a plate cost,” said Nihmathullah.

“I told the prime minister it was RM4.80 for a plate. He then asked me to maintain the price and quality of the dish and we did,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

In an online question-and-answer session on Thursday, Najib advised Malaysians to differentiate between high living costs and lifestyle spending, saying there was a difference between choosing to dine at an expensive Japanese restaurant, versus eating at a 24-hour Mamak eatery.

He then mentioned the Nasi Vanggey in Ipoh where a meal can be eaten for RM4.80.

Nihmathullah said the price of a nasi kandar meal with chicken and vegetables has always been fixed at RM4.80.

“We have been around since independence and back then price of a plate of nasi kandar was only 50 sen.

“We respect Najib and we will continue to maintain the price, even if the economy is not doing well.”

During the same online session, Najib revealed he has switched from eating rice to quinoa, which he said was healthier. He also urged Malaysians to replacing rice with quinoa.

Nihmathullah said his shop only serves white rice, but that Najib’s kitchen would prepare quinoa when the prime minister decides to have the nasi kandar dishes.

“We don’t have the quinoa rice,” he said.

Always popular, quinoa or not

While the restaurant is called Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah, locals refer to it as “Nasi Vanggey, as “vanggey” means come in the Tamil language.

The Malaysian Insight found the place packe. To cater to the large crowd, the owner had to place table and chairs in the alley next to the shop.  

A dish of chicken, rice with gravy and cucumber slices cost RM4.80, with fish it’s (RM5.20), mutton (RM5.70), squid (RM4.50) and beef (4.70).

Muhamad Hafiz Taufiq, 25 from Kampung Cempaka Sari in Ipoh makes a trip to the restaurant monthly to indulge in his favourite dishes. He claims he is “addicted” to them.

“I was introduced to this place by one of my Chinese friends  six years ago,” he said.

University student Fatin Najwa Nasharuddin, 20 who came from Kuala Kangsar said she heard about the restaurant and decided to try the food.

“The food is good especially the fried chicken and the meal is cheap. I only paid RM5.50. The same meal at Kuala Kangsar will cost more than RM6.”

Nasi Vanggey shares the same premises with Kedai Kopi Yong Suan at a pre-colonial shop house at Jalan Yang Kaslom.

The restaurant owners say they serve about 800 to 900 customers on a daily basis. – February 24, 2018.