The café is named in honour of Radzi’s mother, Barishah Hussein, who is affectionately known as Mak Lang in the village (Photo: MakLang Café)
Pottery wheel throwing can be hot and tiring work. But the idea of offering food and drink to students came to Ilham Ceramics’ Radzi Ismail only after his clients pestered him to. “I have taught classes since 2020 and the participants always asked whether I had any drinks or snacks. I’m not a tukang masak (cook), so I started off by buying some kuih-muih and gorengan from nearby stalls. Then, more and more people suggested I start a small café and I thought it would be a good idea and another complementary way to support the ceramic business,” says the fourth-generation Langkawi islander.
Located in Kampung Bendang Baru, a short drive from the main town of Kuah, and on a plot of land owned by his grandfather, MakLang Café welcomed its first diners on Feb 1 and has been seeing steady business ever since. “Initially, it was only those who came by to shop or attend classes, but now we have people coming just to makan-minum,” beams Radzi, 41.
Housed in a small, cosy structure right by the pottery workshop and showroom, the café is named in honour of Radzi’s mother, Barishah Hussein, who is affectionately known as Mak Lang in the village, and offers breakfast, lunch and snacks. Pop by in the morning for kaya toast and eggs or Mak Lang’s favourite of nasi lemak ayam crispy. From lunch onwards, crowd-pleasers such as the Nasi Putih Udang Masak Lemak Cili Padi, Laksa Utara and Mee Udang will be served.
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“But please don’t miss the Cucoq Udang,” Radzi implores. “The recipe is from Asiah, my Tok Nek (maternal grandmother). A single mother, Tok Nek brought up three children singlehandedly by selling these cucoq as well as doing odd jobs like tapping rubber. Her stall was where the Maha Tower now stands. It was all seaside then and local fishermen would berth their boats nearby and pay three to five kupang per cucoq. And you must eat it the way northerners do: with kuah kacang (peanut sauce).
“Although I keep saying I am not a tukang masak, I took it upon myself to learn the family recipes so tak hilang. My mum was a fantastic cook and used to cater for weddings and big events when she was younger, cooking for huge crowds using firewood. There were no fancy gas stoves in our kitchen then. Mak retired in 2005. She is now 71, so tak larat dah. I am the sixth of her eight children and still single, so it is good I learn whatever she is willing to teach me.”
With a pottery studio and now a little café to call his own, we ask Radzi whether perhaps a small homestay or inn is in the works next. “Who knows what the next step is?” he good-naturedly smiles. “Tak tau lagi but tanah masih ada. Perlahan-lahan lah.”
MakLang Café is at Kampung Bendang Baru, Kuah, Langkawi, Kedah. Opening hours: Saturday to Tuesday, 8am to 6pm.
This article first appeared on Jul 17 , 2023 in The Edge Malaysia.
