Restoran Top D'Gurun — Restaurant in Kedah

Came here for lunch on a Saturday during school holiday period. It was jam packed. Fortunately got a parking spot within minutes of arriving. The place is self-service with the dishes spread over a wide area. So, you'll have to walk around to see every dishes that are available. Got myself a plate of plain rice, ayam bakar (grilled chicken), terung berlada (chili aubergine) and a plate of daging salai madu (honey smoked beef) that is charged by weight. I'm surprised that they don't have fried egg on the spread which is common for a mixed rice restaurant.

Wanted to get their famous sotong buncit jahat (grilled squid) but the price was too expensive. Saw one guy got a plate of the squid and was charged around rm45 as the squid was hefty.

The rice was decent, the aubergine was tender although slightly sweet for my taste. The beef was tough to chew and didn't impress me at all. The grilled chicken was an absolute delight. If I had known, I would've gotten 2 or 3 pieces of the grilled chicken instead of the smoked beef which was exorbitant for the portion that we took and it wasn't that good.

There are dishes that are delicious here, and there are dishes that are not worth the price and should be avoided. So, be very selective when choosing what to eat here.

The place was quite warm and not well ventilated as the ceiling fans were not effective. Their system of payment and getting drinks can be improved as it took a long time just to pay and to get your drinks. Price of food and drinks here are somewhat expensive as there are no real service (everything self-service here), and seating arrangement is no-frills setting.

Would I come here again? Yeah, probably just for the...

As I venture up north in search of food before crossing over to Thailand I stumbled upon a malay restaurant with a unique name that says restoran Top D' Gurun in malay. I was telling myself given such a name would be worth trying. I loves malay spicy cuisine and since it is already lunch time, I said why not and I noticed there weren't too big a crowd this would give me a chance to select my choice without haste. There were about 30 odd trays filled with all kinds of cooking consisting of seafood, meats and vegetables. To satisfy my hungry buds I took this opportunity to try a couple of different varieties but in small portions.The foods were spicy, a little on the salty side and the cooking was okay not what I were expecting a little disappointed though. When it comes to settling the bill, I was really agitated, definitely not happy with the pricing it was way way too expensive and when I asked again whether he billed me correctly, the hostility and rudeness of the waiter starts to show. I think of Leonardo's 'Last Supper' well as for me this place would be my last meal here. These people are far too arrogant and not bother about customer services or maybe they don't like my skin colour. This place definitely not included in my wish list for sure and undeniably won't be coming back again. I hope the owner of this restaurant read this or have him informed of the damaging effects of giving bad customer service. Period. Give me a Like if you enjoyed reading my article and find useful...

This restaurant offers an excellent variety of dishes, from fish head curry and different styles of masak lemak to classic Malay specialties. The flavors are well-executed and suit my palate perfectly. Their signature item, the “Sotong Buncit Jahat,” is priced at RM14.90 per 100g, so a single portion can easily reach RM100. However, considering the quality and size, I find it a fair and justifiable price.

The owner has been transparent in displaying and labeling prices, and customers are reminded to check before selecting their food. The process is simple: choose your dishes, bring them to the counter for billing and then proceed to collect drinks after payment. This clarity helps ensure there are no surprises when the bill arrives.

I visited with my family from Kuala Lumpur, and for under RM300 we enjoyed two large sotong, a bawal fish, various side dishes with sambal and rice for 10 people. Excellent value for money.

While the menu is already strong, I believe the dining experience could be further enhanced with upgrades to seating comfort, water pressure at the sink, and parking conditions as it was muddy after rain.

As for those complaining about “expensive” prices. Honestly, it seems more like they can’t afford sotong. My advice: always check the price first before taking. Don’t make a fool of yourself commenting the price if you...