Where food court Rasta and mamak joint Makbul used to be.Once there was a popular mamak eatery called Makbul in my neck of the woods, giving established competitors Mohsein, Maulana and Jaseema a run for their money.
Makbul was located in TTDI's (Taman Tun Dr Ismail) Burhanuddin Helmi area, adjacent to food court Rasta (which has since been relocated further south about 1000 metres away).
Flanking both eateries were two petrol stations; the lacklustre, gloomy looking Esso, with equally dour staff, to the left and the vibrant, high-traffic Mobil, with friendly workers and chock-a-block with Malay kueh selection always, to the right.
Pak Abu, being a loyal Maulana man (he thinks their roti canai has no equal), has never taken to Makbul, although he would make grudging concessions for Mohsein's apom manis and chicken tandoori. Of Jaseema, he steers clear completely.
While not a fan, I usually go with Pak Abu's ebbs and flows where mamak food is concerned. I'm a true-blue Mek Tranu, my tastebuds yearning for the sweetness and piquancy of East Coast-Thai cooking most of the time.
Give me nasi dagang, pulut pagi, laksam, kerabu mangga, tomyam campur, som tam (green papaya salad), kao phad (fried rice), green curry and kao niao mamuang (mango with glutenous rice), and I'd be as happy as a lark.
A couple of years ago, residents in Burhanuddin Helmi (our last address before buying this current property) were rattled to hear that the parcel of land where both eateries stood would be redeveloped into highrise housing.
Considering the location, I wouldn't be surprised at all if each condo unit carried a price tag of no less than RM1 million. I knew they would be snapped up as soon as the ads were out.
Because this part of TTDI is already a high-density area where a commercial strip comprising banks, shops and restaurants fronts the residential enclave, residents worry about worsening traffic congestion.
Subsequently, several meetings were held with residents. Amidst all the brouhahas however, Rasta was relocated, and much later Makbul too, so we kind of knew it wouldn't be long before steel pilings sprouted within the confines of that valuable tract of land.
Two weeks ago the inevitable happened; heavy vehicles lumbered their way into the area, an assortment of building materials stacked up, and fencing was in the process of being erected.
I asked the Mobil station cashier for updates of the goings-on (these people are usually spot on with information) and was told that a 20-storey office block, no longer condo development, was on the cards.
Business or residential, I can only imagine the traffic snarl and gridlock of the future. Having said that, I do look forward to my own property 500 metres away appreciating like crazy.
Ah, such delicious, yet contradicting, thoughts....
4 comments:
Aunty Kama,
Silver lining in the horizon? Spoken like a true businesswoman....opportunity opportunity opportunity! purrrr.....meow!
Journo - eheh, wer got ourselves lucky with this property. it has already doubled its price since we bought it 3 yrs ago. so imagine what that new development would bring. maybe we can buy a small piece of land somewhere and build a kampung house. then i can hv as many cats as i would like..:D
Kak Puteri, your place now worth RM390,000.00 above. Yes, wait a few more years then can beli tanah kat kampung dan bela kucing satu lori penuh LOL
yep, for that napkin-sized abode of ours, it's already at the abovementioned value; just imagine if each condo unit is twice as big. i heard the units in newly completed TTDI Plaza (near pasar) are in the region of 750k each.
Post a Comment