Kafe Simpang Datai (Datai Junction Cafe)

The cafeteria food at my workplace can be... boring. It is edible, sometimes tasty, but sometimes nasty. Mr. Irshad (my boss) says the food at the cafeteria are prepared with no love, and I agree.

This place, Kafe Simpang Datai, is the opposite. They prepare delicious, home-cooked Malay dishes. When I am hungry in Langkawi, I think about this place. But they are only opened during the day, and is closed whenever I am really hungry and have free time, which is usually night time. (I think they are closed on Fridays.)

Good signage so you do not miss them while driving pass.

Located at the Jalan Datai junction (hence the name), this "cafe" is known for the nasi campur (mixed rice) in the afternoon. They have a wide variety of foods; chicken, beef, mutton, seafood; grilled, curry, sambal; and most importantly, they have a few vegetable servings, which is the big reason why I like this place a lot. (Getting a dish with vegetables in Langkawi can be inconvenient and expensive. So this "mixed rice" meal concept at a place that prepares good vegetable dishes like this is just right for me.)

Yumz. Good variety of food.

All mixed rice dishes prepared seem to be fresh. They also serve single, goreng-goreng dishes like fried rice and noodles, but I have yet to try those dishes. To be honest, I have no intentions of trying those other dishes. Come on, look at the mixed rice spread. YUMMY!

The place is clean too, and there is a restroom at the back. The only beef I have about this place is the inconsistency of the cost of your meal. Having this mixed rice meal concept can make pricing difficult and confusing for both the owner and patrons. But I always feel like the man charges my place of food according to his mood. Anyway, pricing is somewhat reasonable. (Although sometimes you can be charged KL prices for your meal.) One tip: Let the ladies do the counting. They tend to charge you on the lower end of the pricing spectrum. Hehe.

That is Mr. Irshad sitting down while the owner prices our meals. Clean and good lighting.

Planned Trip Suggestion: Go up to Temurun Waterfall (Langkawi Falls to some), along Jalan Datai, in the morning around 10AM to enjoy a nice hike and a dip in cold water. Come down during lunch time around 12PM and eat at Kafe Simpang Datai. If you are visiting Langkawi during the early months of the year (January to March), try their squid dishes. Super fresh and tasty. For vegetables, pick long beans cooked in tumeric and some eggs or the kangkung belacan (water spinach with spicy shrimp paste). Enjoy!

For my previous visit, I had the long beans cooked with tumeric and eggs, grilled spicy stingray, white rice, and some sambal (spicy sauce). Super tasty.