Ara Damansara’s Restoran Kacang Pool Haji showcase superb Johor eats like their legendary ‘kacang pool’, ‘lontong basah’ and ‘mee rebus’ using dried shrimps

Petaling Jaya, September 14 — Restoran Kacang Pool Haji is a smash hit in Ara Damansara, dishing out Johor's favourite bean-and-meat stew that's inspired by the Egyptian dish foul medames. This store is a replica of the original Johor Baru location, situated next to a fire station in Larkin. The shop is hidden in a triangular arrangement of office buildings, with the exception of a Thai Nyonya BBQ place nearby.

On Sundays, the shop is quiet and easy to find a parking spot. People slowly stroll in to take a seat at outdoor tables or inside the shop. The main dish, Kacang Pool Daging (RM9), is a mutton version that is so popular that many websites showcase recipes for it. The dish is served in a bowl with a sunny side up egg, chopped onions, and green chillies. It's accompanied by calamansi lime for a tangy flavor, topped with thick toasted Bengalli bread slices smeared with margarine and pan-fried.

The stew is a gentle blend of ground coriander, cumin, black pepper, chilli powder, and curry powder, without being overpowering. Supporting dishes like nasi ambeng, lontong, mee rebus, and mee soto can also be ordered. They offer three versions of lontong, varying in firmness, with Lontong Basah (RM8) being a sweet coconut milk broth that pairs well with chopped onions and green chilies, hard-boiled eggs, toasted grated coconut, and a chunky peanut sauce.

The lontong becomes even more intense when it loses its broth, creating a flavorful Lontong Kering (RM9) with elements like rendang chicken, sayur goreng, and rendang chicken.