Malaysian mee goreng and nasi lemak a hit in Cebu

2026-03-03 - 23:43

Filipino Ban Ismail sells Malaysian-style mee goreng and nasi lemak at his stall, BJ’s Creamyrice Warung Nasi Lemak, in Cebu, the Philippines. (Bernama pic) CEBU CITY: Drawing on his 20 years of working in Malaysia, Ban Ismail has brought mee goreng and nasi lemak to Cebu City in the Philippines – and the locals are loving it. The 45-year-old owner of BJ’s Creamyrice Warung Nasi Lemak at Sugbo Sentro IT Park said his time in Malaysia shaped his understanding of the flavours and techniques behind the cuisine. “I once lived and worked in Malaysia and often ate Malaysian food, so I tried to recreate it based on the taste I remembered,” he told Bernama. In the early days, however, customers were hesitant. Many assumed mee goreng was no different from pancit, the Filipino stir-fried noodle dish. “They said it’s the same as pancit. One person tried it, then brought friends, and now sometimes we can’t keep up with demand,” he said. Mee goreng is now his best-seller, with daily sales of 80 to 90 plates. To stay close to the Malaysian taste, Ban uses similar ingredients, including Ayam Brand soy sauce from Sabah. “If I use regular soy sauce here, the taste is different. So I use Ayam Brand to get the Malaysian flavour,” he said. Ban Ismail’s mee goreng and nasi lemak has won over the residents in his area in Cebu, the Philippines. (Bernama pic) Nasi lemak has also gained a following, though replicating the sambal remains a challenge. “Fully ripe large red chillies are hard to get because many are still green, so I have to adjust slightly by adding tomato,” he said. Special mi goreng is priced at 149 pesos (about RM12.70), while the regular version costs 65 pesos (around RM5.50). Nasi lemak with chicken sells for 130 pesos (about RM11), and nasi lemak with fish for 135 pesos (around RM11.50). Among the fried rice options, seafood fried rice is 110 pesos (about RM9.50), while Pattaya fried rice and village-style fried rice are 99 pesos (around RM8.50). The stall has operated at its current location for over a year and is open daily from 10am to 4am. Two workers handle daytime operations, while Ban takes over the cooking from about 10pm. Although rent and utilities cost around 20,000 pesos (about RM1,700) a month and profits are modest, he is satisfied. As a Muslim, he said he is grateful to be able to provide halal food options to the local community. Today, the Malaysian-inspired dishes he once enjoyed abroad are steadily winning over Cebu’s diners.