Sometimes, interesting food can be found in the unlikeliest of places.
Take for example, William’s. Fellow blogger and Hot Sweaty Stud (HSS – not to be confused with the Original HSS) had been raving about William’s from the day I first met this multi-accomplished person. After months of talking about visiting this place, we finally found a window of opportunity and grabbed it.
Incidentally, for those who are familiar with this once-handsome young man, don’t despair if you are unable to recognise him. HSS’ favourite barber has gone back to India; neither is he able to find his Gillette Mach 3 Turbo razor (although, at this rate, he’d probably need a lawnmower to get rid of all that scruffiness).
Anyhow, this is a food blog, so…..
Now, imagine an open aired area with randomly placed plastic tables and chairs. Imagine the stretch filled with young people, mostly students, energetically chatting, huge mugs filled with coloured liquid, and plastic plates in front of them containing…*gasp*….western food? Antipasto? Spaghetti? Risotto? The food looked totally displaced at what looked like a mamak stall.
How would one respond when one is told that the Triple-H (5 decks altogether; not sure why Triple) contained salami, pastrami, pepperoni but no bikini and lamborghini?
That was my introduction to William, the proprietor.
Imagine a chinese mamak. The colourful character seemed more comfortable speaking in our National Language (and a heartwarming thought it is too, in the light of our coming Merdeka Day next month).
The sandwich, wrapped in an omelette, was delicious. I kept stealing bites from HSS’ plate.
William helped me decide on my order.
William: You nak nasi ke, mee ke, roti ke…..?
Me: I’d like rice please.
William: Ah, nasi…ada nasi goreng dengan ketam, risotto……
Me: Oooh, you have risotto???
William: Mesti ada. Ada seafood risotto…..
At this point, William grabbed a plate of seafood risotto that was making its way to one of the tables and shoved it in my face.
William: Risotto macam ni le…
My eyes bulged. The risotto looked gorgeous!
Me: Done! I’ll take it!!
And that was how I ended up with a plastic plate holding a very yummy risotto made of creamy, round-grained rice, cooked with prawns and sliced fish, surrounded by mussels, scallops, grilled seabass and squid. The squid was stuffed with mantis prawns cooked in a butter sauce and served with what tasted like mint sauce (although the sauce was quite different from the mint sauce that is normally served with lamb). I felt like I was a mermaid in Neptune’s paradise, thrilled at the multiple textures and rich flavours found on the cheap plastic plate.
Hmmm….then again, do mermaids eat their friends??
The total bill came up to RM59. Okay, so it’s not mamak pricing, but the food was substantial! The stall is open after 6.00pm and can get rather crowded in the later part of the evening. For good service and consistent food quality, I suggest you go there earlier.
There have been varying food reviews on William’s, so do check out what the other bloggers have to say:
William’s
Jalan SS26/9, Taman Mayang Jaya
Petaling Jaya
Just near my place , will look into it asap.
holy moly..rissotto meant for 3 person perhaps?? that was huge! i want to eat also…*burp*
fuyoh! President, ur plate of seafood rissotto is so so so so so so so so so so so darn big serving. i wan the scallops!!!
It’s overflowing!!!!!
*Eyes popped out* @_@
big boys oven:
yeah. they’re open till pretty late too. I think until 4.00am! A good place to go to after a night out partying!
nipples:
ya lor, the risotto was a pretty big portion, although I noticed that ppl on the other tables had no problems eating it up. I, on the other hand, had the pleasure of dining with someone who was more than willing to share my food. 🙂
xiu long bao:
the size kinda scared me, u know. haha. the first thing I started on was the scallops. 😛
precious pea:
hehe!! overflowing with goodness. 🙂
jason:
hehe! quite fantastic for stall food, eh? 😉
speechless!!!
Woahhh that looks good! Darn, I must really give this place a try especially after yours and Pea’s glowing reviews! Do you have any directions, please?
v were fascinated with yr abandoned HSS saga esp why he’s no longer so hansome definitely not for loss of hair or whatever.probably loss of some distant love ( actually v would love u to go on and on ) but then v are also confused with this place, is it a fusion or fused rest.? Da food looks unrecognizable u know maybe what we would normally call affectinately our rave fave as oh she tastes so much better than she looks u know , … that kind of thing issit ?
this william guy tends to flood/banjir the food huh??? lol. very creamy indeed….!
i go to william’s now and then. huge serving and reasonably priced.. love the mozarella cheese naan. yumz… he’s the bro of murni (ss2) hence, notice some similarities in the menu? 😉
fatboybakes:
That’s so unlike you, dahling.
pink elle:
directions from which place, dear?
team bsg:
There’s a story behind HSS’s beard, but it is his story to tell. The story of the runaway barber and the missing Gillette is just a red herring. You’re not the only one who’s confused about this place. I wouldn’t call it fusion. I’d say it serves a mish mash of food, from pastas to fried chicken to naan. I would say that the food is more comfort food than something to impress.
k.t.x:
hehe…that’s what mamaks do mah. 😛
sc:
yeah, i heard about the murni connection. hehe.
Hehe – that’s pretty weird having risotto at a hawker type stall! it looks good though!
I’m very confused yet hungry, my sexier hungrier Lemongrass lil’ sis. Used to live in Tmn Mayang Jaya, but I can’t place where the stall is (Alzheimer’s could be setting in). Is it together with other stalls in a row opposite a grocer’s and Chinese coffeeshops?
And whaddaya mean by ‘Chinese mamak’? Mixed parentage ke?
RM59 is total bill including drinks, I gather?
wah lao….cant imagine risotto in mamak stall >.< lolz... Looks damn good lar… The huge glass of juice looks good also… aiyoo….*drool sampai giler ady* @.@
Ah William…Does the Aunty still sell Chee Cheong Fun by the side of his stall?
wokandspoon:
yup. I felt very disoriented. But it made the eating experience all the more enjoyable. 🙂
Dear Confused Argus:
They say ginkgo helps with the memory. Hurry, hurry, before it’s too late!!!! Yes, you’re right. That’s exactly where the stall is.
I said chinese mamak in very loose terms. These stalls are normally manned by mamaks mah. Except that William is a chinese man who speaks Malay 90% of the time.
Yep. RM59 for everything. Oh, that includes a UCC coffee too.
Also, how u know i’m sexier, hungrier, lemongrassier? You spoke to my other Abangs already, issit? 😛
Jian:
Make sure you’ve pee’d before coming to this stall. The glasses are huge. Alternatively, there are many drains here. ^_^
AbsMan:
Yes, the chee cheong fun stall is still here. Have yet to try it tho. Is it any good?
Sounds like the kind of place I like – kinda quirky! I did really really want to have some of your risotto!
Ja, ginkgo (gingko?) but trouble is I keep forgetting to take it. 😉
Didn’t say ‘lemongrassier’ – we’ll have to compare odours, uh, I mean aromas for that one.
Hungrier ‘coz you could ‘handle’ that huge plate of risotto. (I eat small portions but once every 4 hours. Same thing in the end, huh?)
Even if I spoke to your abangs, they won’t know me, right? I have radar for the ‘sexier’. (Gaydar is another story for another day.)
Hey, is the William in question the one who usually sells nasi lemak and dishes for ‘mixed rice’? I remember he spoke a lot of Malay – roundish face/features, stocky physique (er, don’t hit me with your spatula, Wills!).
how bizarre. v close to my parents’ too. must try it out when i’m next home. which is err….
im alwiz amazed by their extensive menu.but the drinks are always too sweet for my liking..ahhh their soft shell crab is nice..
haven’t been visiting food blogs in some time and finally making a comeback..
I’ve heard food at Wiliams is good but havent heard very good comments on the cleaniness and location of the place..Any comments??
Mmmm…mix reviews of this place. Postitive one from you, will reconsider this place.
salami, pastrami, pepperoni- TRIPLE?
+ bikini and lambor, then 5 decks loh!
The seafood platter seems topped with lotsa creamy sauce. I prefer less of the creamy sauce.
That’s overly fantastic! Riz’s recommendation are always a surprise one.
okayler..am a sucker for that style of Chee Cheong Fun with fishballs and all 😉
msiagirl:
Quirky is correct! And fun too. A good lepak place. Will take you there in my ferrari the next time you come down.
Dear dear Argus:
Ooh, tell me more about your various radars! I not sexy lar. I just a simple kampung girl wan. Really.
Your description of the round, malay-speaking chinese man fits William’s description perfectly la! Unfortunately, I dunno his history….a chapfan man, u say? Which decade was that ar? 😛
sze:
yeps, u shud check it out when u come down next, which is….when ar? 😛
kampungboycitygal:
I saw a lot of ppl ordering the softshell crabs fried rice. Will try it next. I didn’t have a problem with the sweetness of the drinks. I found it just too much! hahaha.
sugar&spice:
Cleanliness – like any other mamak stall lor. Don’t expect too much! hehe.
Location – it’s by the roadside. Again, like any other mamak stall! Taman Mayang Jaya is not that difficult to find either. 🙂
wmw:
I think it depends on what you order. I suppose not everything can be good….or can it? hehe.
tigerfish:
LOL! Imagine telling William…”Boss! Berapa semua? Dua puluh ringgit ar? BOleh bungkus it Lamborghini dalam beg plastik!!” (psst tigerfish, u understand this ar?)
I forgot to mention that the creamy sauce on the seafood risotto is a mushroom based sauce. I guess you can ask him to hold the sauce.
jason:
Riz is a serious foodie, dude. Don’t pray pray wan.
unkaleong:
right. I shall try it next time I go there. Which may be sooner than you think! 😉
nevermind the food, whos the hunk?! heh heh. Looks like the portions are huge here, am just checking out the size of the drinks compared to your phone! hahaha
William’s? That place has been there like forever so its not new to me LOL! I usually have the chicken or the excellent Spaghetti and Meatballs…did I mention that the meatballs contain melted cheese and its huGe!
you should also try the Ribena Lychee in Jumbo size! Then again, plain Ribena is equally good 🙂
paprika dear:
I told Riz Ainuddin that nobody would recognise him with his new look!!! LOL.
Ya lor…almost everything’s supersize here.
joy:
I saw the scary plate of spaghetti and meatballs. So big wan. Got melted cheese somemore ar? Wah. Must try then!
tymj:
hmmmm. multiple personalities. 😉
My drink was ribena lychee la, dear. U know, towards the end ar, I couldn’t even finish my drink lor. Mau muntah already! hehe.
O_o am drooling… must ask my darling to bring me here once he’s back from out station!!!! oh by da way, how much is that?
Hehe sorry…can provide directions from say…Armada Hotel/PJ Hilton?
Thanks, dear 🙂
*busy pushing eyeballs back into sockets*
is this the litle shack by the roadside on the grassy area, opposite the shoplots in taman mayang?
translate translate, don’t understand…my malay terok lah!
My friend actually took me to Williams once…and we had this really super Indomie with huge langoustines in it!
meiyen:
yeah, do ask your darling to take u there! The entire meal cost us RM59.
pink elle:
yikes. from armada?? hehehe. tell you wat…I’ll email you a map. i don’t have enough space to narrate long distance here. haha.
tummythoz:
LOL! I think ur eyeballs have fallen out of the sockets quite often already hor. Next time use superglue.
foong jin:
yep, that’s the one! ask for William. 🙂
tigerfish:
translation causes the remark to lose its effect but I’ll do it for u anyway coz u’re a dear. 🙂
LOL! Imagine telling William…”Boss! Berapa semua? Dua puluh ringgit ar? BOleh bungkus it Lamborghini dalam beg plastik!!”
Translated: Boss! How much for all these? Twenty ringgit only? Can you pack the Lamborghini in a plastic bag please!!
🙂
the expedited writer:
Wow…I shall have to try that the next time I visit William’s. He seems to have quite a long menu! Semua pun ada!
If I’m not mistaken, a friend used to tell me the owner is a Baba Nyonya. That’s why he cant speak Mandarin and instead BM-speaking.
that was awsome… they always have new stuff coming out… same like Murni …. and these days not cheap also wor… 😛
Used to frequent Williams a lot…but .. dunno la. Avoid on rainy days tho… the longkang smell quite strong… or pick a table opposite of the road where all the shop houses are.
anonymous:
I went back and asked William if he was Baba Nyonya. He replied: My father is Baba, my mother is Indian, so I’m Barbarian. LOL.
catsndogs:
ya ya…must check the board for new stuff. At least u don’t get bored with the food, rite?
teckiee:
hehe…have yet to smell the longkang! But will take ur advice and get a table far far away!
The 1st advice is: Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
Come here and order different dishes each time. There’s no such thing as a “menu” here. If stuck, be like me and peek at the other tables around you, see anything you like and just ask them “what’s that?”
Only been there like 3 times, trying the cordon bleu chicken, nasi goreng ketam and spagetti allio oglio (or something like that). Portions are HUGE, good for sharing (and you can split the costs too, it aint exactly THAT cheap)
Hey far! Thanks for your comments. You’re right…never judge a book by its cover. Your advice is good. That’s basically what I’ve been doing…pointing at a strange looking dish and asking William “Eh, apa tu?” hehe.
Tempat tu syurga makanan. Tersandar lemang dibuatnya.
Gelat palace.
u should try Paprik Seafood with Nasi Putih gaul Ketam… enough for 3…i dodnt know and ordered for myself..ended up tapau the rest bcoz so damn full! the roast beef is great also, but have to go a bit early coz sold out real quick…
I can’t wait to try this place again 🙂 Mind boggling menu and set-up … road-side lamb saddle!!? 🙂 Haha! Only at William’s …
I’ve just been introduced to William’s by a fellow blogger a week ago and I’m hooked. Their food is absolutely fabulous. Will definitely be going again and again. Check out the William’s Category on my blog – hehehe got a whole category on d blog for William’s already – will be filling it up with pics from each visit there 🙂
hmmmm… i should visit this place eh….
err, this post no coordinates? how to go? hehe…