Rm10 For All You Can Eat? The Story Behind Pj’s Viral Buffet

PETALING JAYA: Just before noon, the queue at Faridah Kitchenz begins to grow. Office workers clutching empty plates file past the buffet line, carefully picking out their favourites before settling down for lunch.

Some return for second helpings. Others round off their meal with a bowl of bihun soup, followed by dessert and fresh fruit.

The buffet is a celebration of Malaysian comfort food, with ayam rendang, crispy fried chicken, rich fish curry, sambal eggs, tangy acar and fiery sambal ikan bilis among the rotating spread. There are also noodle dishes, desserts and fresh fruit.

“I wanted people to be happy,” said Faridah Mintu, 56, the Sabahan behind the bustling eatery on the lower-ground floor of Amcorp Mall.

“I wanted to help people, but I don’t have money to give away. So Allah gave me the gift of being able to cook, and I share what I cook with everyone.”

That philosophy has made Faridah Kitchenz a popular lunch spot in Petaling Jaya, drawing office workers as well as visitors from Singapore, Brunei, Australia and the United States. Many discovered the eatery on social media, where a TikTok video had gone viral.

But for Faridah, the restaurant was never simply about affordable food: the idea grew from encounters that stayed with her long before she entered the F&B business.

“I used to see children at night markets holding just RM1 and asking how much everything cost,” she recalled. "They wanted so many things but had very little money.

"It made me think: if I wanted to help more people, how could I do it?”

At the same time, Faridah knew opening an ordinary restaurant would mean competing with businesses that had been around for decades.

“I kept asking myself, what could be my checkmate move - something where I wouldn’t have to worry about competition while still fulfilling my intention of helping people?

“The economy is not doing that well, and if you don’t earn much, eating out can be expensive.”

The answer was an all-you-can-eat buffet at a price most people can afford.

Faridah admits she wasn't a seasoned restaurateur: before opening the eatery, her career took several unexpected turns. Food only came much later.

Born in Tawau, she married a Selangor native whom she had met while they were both government officers. After raising their family, the couple moved to PJ, where Faridah ventured into agriculture.

Even before that, she'd owned a flower shop in Sabah, inspired by florists she had seen around Kuala Lumpur’s Masjid India.

“I'd even thought to myself, ‘I don’t really know how to cook professionally. How am I going to compete?’” she added with a laugh.

Today, the busy buffet line tells a different story. Rather than laying out all 40 dishes at once, the kitchen rotates its offerings throughout the day.

Fried chicken might give way to chicken rendang, while desserts change from bubur to fresh watermelon.

Alongside rice and its many accompaniments are rotating noodle options such as laksa, curry noodles and bihun soup, as well as drinks and fruit.

“People eat what they would normally eat at home. That’s what we serve. As long as it’s delicious, that’s what matters," Faridah noted.

She recently introduced a selection of western dishes as well, hoping to keep the buffet fresh and offer regular diners something different.

Faridah stressed that keeping the food affordable does not mean compromising on quality. Some first-time diners assume the low price must mean mediocre food, only to leave pleasantly surprised.

There is just one rule: take as much as you can eat, but do not waste. Customers who leave excessive leftovers are fined - a policy Faridah believes encourages diners to appreciate their meals while allowing her to keep prices low.

Ultimately, nothing delights her more than watching someone return for another serving.

“It’s not easy to make people happy,” she said. “But if you could make so many people happy every day, how happy would you be in turn?”

Judging by the packed lunch crowd and loyal regulars, Faridah is serving more than homestyle cooking. For RM10, she is proving that a good meal can fill both stomachs and spirits.

Follow Faridah Kitchenz on Instagram.

Faridah Kitchenz
LG, Amcorp Mall,
Persiaran Barat, PJS 52,
46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

For location, click here.

Business hours: 12pm until dishes run out

Contact: 016-362 4970