Restoran Ikan Tilapia Lan Je (Rawang, Kota Damansara, Balakong)

Hooi Lin Lan, 68, is well-known in Rawang for her one dish – the Steamed Tilapia Fish – which has become the talk of the town.

Better known as Lan Je which, literally translated, means “Sister Lan”, her stall at Selayang Municipal Council’s hawker centre at Batu 16, Jalan Rawang is in fact a popular eatery.

Here, patrons visit the stall to eat one Tilapia each, and if you make an attempt to eat at their stall during lunch hours, you have better be prepared to wait to be seated.

Her success with the Tilapia dish has not come easy. As early as 1976, she has been operating the family food business in Rawang town. “I was having a tough time just to make ends meet by selling Hokkien noodles back the early seventies until someone from Ipoh suggested that I should sell steamed Tilapia fish for a change,” said Lan Je.

After many trials and errors, she managed to get it right with her homemade sauce and the texture of the Tilapia fish, and it became her signature dish.

Her second son, Leong Man Fai, 39, said the concept of one Tilapia to each customer was given more emphasis in 1998, when there was widespread fear of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

“People were trying to stay away from pork,” he said. “Instead, they chose to eat fish, and we began to introduce the concept of ordering and eating a whole fish to oneself.”

The black to silver Tilapia is used, and steamed with ginger and chilli. Each fish can easily weigh between 500 to 800 grams. They are freshwater fish from Kuantan, Rawang and Kelumpang.

“We obtain most of our supply of Tilapia from Kuantan. The fish from Kuantan seems to taste a lot better. Maybe, it’s the quality of the water there,” said Leong.

As he poked a chopstick into the fish, Leong explained: “Some people like their fish to taste real spicy hot using chilli padi, while others prefer it to be normal or medium spicy. The most important part of the steaming process is that the texture of the Tilapia is done well.”

A regular customer, Tim Liew said he prefers to have the whole fish to himself. “Sometimes, I can even eat two fish by myself,” he said.

Leong will be moving to Balakong where he will be operating another similar outlet at Plaza Kasturi. His two other brothers, Leong Main Kong, 40 and Tony Leong, 32 will continue to help out the family business in Rawang. Because the business is so good, occasionally, their father, Leong Fong Chun, 70, also lends a helping hand.

The family started preparing their fish from as early as 6am in order to serve lunch, and during their 3pm break, they begin preparing the fish for their dinner guests.

Their other favourite dishes are the steamed or deep-fried salted prawns. “We use Tiger prawns because they are tastier,” Leong said.

They also serve Four Angle Beans fried with Belacan and Kangkong, which goes well with the Steamed Tilapia.

The Rawang outlet is open from 11.30am to 3.00pm for lunch, and from 6.00pm to 10.30pm for dinner. They are closed on Tuesdays.

To cater to the Muslim community, the restaurant is also pork-free. It is usually packed during lunch hours and in the evenings.

Kedai Ikan Talapia Lan Je is located at No 27-28, Block C, Jalan Rawang, Gerai MPS Batu 16, Rawang. Tel: 012-2270037 / 012-3397800 / 012-669 9919. Their second outlet is located at No 10 Jalan Kasturi, Plaza Kasturi, Batu 11, Jalan Balakong, Cheras. Tel: 012-3362434 / 012-3962953.