There were rumours that my favourite destination in Janda Baik had closed. No one had the details. Recent rides by others to Janda Baik for pancakes and nasi lemak had apparently ended in disappointment.
Hope springs eternal though. Michael from Denmark was spending a week in Malaysia visiting friends and riding his bike. I wanted to show off some of what makes cycling here so appealing. Andak’s Place is one of those things.
So eight of us convened at our regular meeting point near the Hospital Orang Asli on Jalan Gombak Lama. We have all ridden this particular route many times. Apart from Michael of course.
16km / 10mi and 700 meters / 2,300 feet up to Genting Sempah, on the border between the states of Selangor and Pahang.
Photograph courtesy of Leslie Tong
Then a 6.5km / 4mi descent to the right turn under the arch that welcomes you to Janda Baik.
Followed by a final 7km / 4.3mi and 130 meters / 425 feet of climbing over rolling terrain before arriving at Andak’s Place.
Illustration courtesy of Andak’s Place
The rumours were true. Andak’s Place was closed. Their Facebook page reveals the intention to reopen on a date to be announced. Andak’s promises to be back with a fresh concept. The Kuala Lumpur cycling fraternity is certainly looking forward to Andak’s reopening.
But what to do about feeding Michael and the rest of us?
We decided to try Kopi n Kraf. We ride past it every time we complete the loop through Janda Baik after we have filled our faces at Andak’s Place. We suppressed our hunger pangs for a further 5km / 3mi to the steps leading up to Kopi n Kraf, which is the café that serves the Danau Daun Chalets.
Photograph courtesy of Danau Daun Chalets
The café is certainly attractive. Raised and nestled within the trees. Kopi n Kraf wins the competition for scenic views.
Their menu is a little restricted on weekdays, so we weren’t able to try their nasi lemak. They did serve us some of the Malaysian breakfast classics: toast with kaya, soft-boiled eggs and roti canai. One data point is not enough to form a definitive opinion, but on the basis of our visit to Kopi n Kraf, I think Andak’s Place, as it was before it closed, wins the competition for quality of food.
Photograph courtesy of Leslie Tong
After breakfast there was the small matter of 345 meters / 1,130 feet of climbing over 11km / 7mi before we were back at Genting Sempah, ready to enjoy the 16km / 10 mi descent back to where we had started.
I hope Michael enjoyed his stay and the rides he did in Malaysia. Come back soon Michael, and come back soon Andak’s Place.
Old Roots, New Routes 