Iconic nasi kandar shop recognised

Malaysia Book of Records chief operating officer Christopher Wong (in red/white) presenting the certificate to current Hameediyah owner Ahamed Seeni Pakir Abdul Sukkor (in blue). With them are Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng (in white) and the Hameediyah 'family'.

THE famous Hameediyah Restaurant in Penang went into the Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) as the country’s ‘Oldest Nasi Kandar Restaurant’ after 114 years in business.

Located at Campbell Street in George Town, it has delighted numerous generations of locals and foreigners alike with mouth-watering offerings since way back in 1907.

Current owner Ahamed Seeni Pakir Abdul Sukkor, the sixth generation of the family, received the certification from MBR chief operating officer Christopher Wong on Tuesday (July 7).

It was witnessed by Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng, representing Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow who was held up by other matters and could only come by later in the day.

Also watching on were a long queue of hungry customers patiently waiting by the roadside for their turn to purchase the restaurant’s legendary murtabak and curries.

The bustling scenes today are a far cry from Hameediyah’s humble beginnings - when a spice trader named Mohamed Thamby Rawther came to Penang from Tamil Nadu in the early 1900s with his sons.

They rented a house in Campbell Street to sell spices, and subsequently branched out to sell rice and curries under a tree in the field opposite their premises.

The food was contained in baskets balanced on pole, otherwise known as ‘kandar’ in Malay. This method of carrying food, was what gave nasi kandar its name.

Business flourished over time, and the restaurant was set up at No.164 Campbell Street, where it still operates to this day. Though there were renovations over the years, it still retains its iconic green and yellow colour scheme as a nod to its roots.

Seeni attributes their longevity to the spices used in their curries. They do not use ready-packed varieties, and instead buy top grade spices whole. These are then ground, mixed in precise proportions and cooked according to recipes passed down in the family for generations.

This to keep tastes consistent over time – so much so that customers often remark that tastes have remained the same from the time they came as children with their parents, until today when they in turn bring their own children.

While their beef rendang and kapitan chicken have been bestsellers for decades, recent years have seen new favourites like rabbit and turkey curries, as well as lobster rendang, thrill customers’ tastebuds.

“Gaining this record is both a privilege and honour for us. Running a business like this involves a lot of sacrifice, long hours and cooperation.

“Inevitably along the way there will be problems and disagreements. But we never take it to heart as our main aim is to provide the best curries to customers, ” Seeni said after the receiving the certificate.

While he now runs the place with brother Syed Ibrahim, Seeni believes it will be in good hands when they eventually hand over the reins.

Syed Ibrahim’s sons Muhamad Riyaaz and Abdul Sukkoor, the seventh generation of the nasi kandar dynasty, are already very much involved in operations and both are committed to ensuring the Hameediyah name flourishes for years to come.

Wong added, “When one’s in Penang, you just have to stop by and sample this unique and traditional cuisine. To run a successful business for this long is definitely not easy and testament to their strong family values.”

Hameediyah has another space several doors down the road, to accommodate increasing numbers of customers. It also has an outlet in Jalan Baru, Perai on the mainland, as well as two more in Kota Damansara and Ampang in the Klang Valley.

A fifth outlet is set to open in Sungai Ara, Penang, later this month.