Opposite the Arked Mara Jitra, on the other side of the river, is a long-established watering hole known by the locals as Kashmir. Papa was introduced to this no-nonsense place by one of his contemporaries, an author of several books and published manuscripts on Auditing and the Political Economy, who is also a food fetish, many many years ago when Papa was a swinging bachelor, swinging between KL, Cherating, Penang, Bangkok and Sydney. During their courting days, Papa and Mama dined here a few times, as well as at Restoran Mustafa in Pumpong, Alor Setar, which used to serve the most scrumptious kari kepala ikan.
The owner of the place is a retired policeman. When he dukung me, and I instinctively touched his white janggut, Mama chided me but he did not mind at all. Instead he told Mama "Tak pa. Itu pahala". The food is lovingly prepared by his wife Azizun (or Kak Jun) using the freshest ingredients and strictly non-import stuff, unlike the modus operandi of most owners of the ubiquitous Nasi Kandar restaurants all over the country. Her labour of love is widely appreciated by the locals and visitors, including Tabligh followers who regularly use the mosque adjacent to Kashmir as their markas. Below are some of the customers' cars parked at the huge parking lot next to Kashmir on Diwali 2008, indicating a brisk business.
Happy Diwali All.
