Aunty Aini's Garden Cafe

nice place, parking is easy, food is good, but i found it is hard to order and get things like spoon fork and tissue when your seat is on the hut. maybe they can provide those things on the table already. picturesque cafe i must say, clean and comfortable for eating too. and yes, it is kids friendly

I’ve been hearing about this restaurant for so long and finally had the chance to try it! We arrived at 11:20am and had to queue for about 10 minutes before they opened at 11:30. The environment feels like a mix of kampung and Bali-style design — I personally love it. We ordered tempoyak patin, gulai ayam, sambal sotong, paku, and sambal belacan served with ulam. The food was sooooo good! It was my first time trying tempoyak, and I instantly fell in love — so rich, flavourful, and perfect with rice. The gulai ayam tasted like it was salai (smoked), which made it incredibly flavourful. The sambal belacan brought me straight back home to Sabah, and the sambal sotong was equally tasty. Honestly, everything pairs so perfectly with rice that we ended up “paksa” adding more just to finish all the sauces! I’m definitely coming back again very soon!

We got to know this place after watching a documentary on CNA. We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch which included the Ikan Merah Tempoyak, Kerabu Pucuk Paku and Ayam Rendang Minangkabau style. (Unfortunately the Beef Rendang was not ready when we came during the Ramadan month). All the dishes offered a unique flavour that we have yet to find elsewhere. The place has a homely environment in a country garden setting and the staff were very friendly and helpful with the menu. Will return to sample the other dishes when we are in the area again.

Dining at Aunty Aini’s like eating in a garden. I think almost every plant in the garden is edible. There are little huts when you can have your own private domain. There is an area where you can sit on the floor kampung-style to eat the food. Aunty Aini serves both local and western dishes. We have four local dishes, three plates of rice, two whole jugs of ice water and the bill came to under RM50. The portions were quite huge that we had the leftovers as takeaways.

This is my first time having iftar here, and I absolutely love the concept of the restaurant. It reminds me of our childhood village, bringing back memories of the delicious food our late grandparents (Tok) used to cook. The table cloth they used and the props they present truly evoke those cherished memories. The food was incredible, especially the Daging Salai Masak Cili Api, Daging Itik Masak Rendang, and Sambal Sotong Petai – the perfect combination for a memorable dinner. The washroom was comfortable, and a surau is also available. I visited this place 12 years ago, and I'm happy to see that the service is still top-notch. The decorations hold sentimental value, taking me back to my childhood. I’ll definitely return, and next time, I’ll bring my family and parents for our next gathering. Great job to all the staff (chefs, waiters, waitresses, and management team) – well done!

Came by for lunch on a random Friday, suggested by one of my Nilai friends. Exterior is very unassuming, interior is very cozy. Servers are very friendly and food service was fairly quick. Ordered dishes here and there, depending what you like. Few off the top of my head; Rempah ayam kampung - you get a L shaped thigh + drumstick. Not much rempah but well cooked. Ayam rendang - Very homey taste to the rendang. Loved it! Would definitely recommend the rendang. Ikan salai - Good if you like fish. Overall a good experience! Would recommend it if you're in the area. They have a nice spot for parking as well next to the resto 😊

Amazing local food served by wonderful staff. The team was really helpful with the order taking, chefs are really skilled. Highly recommended. Special thanks to Iman who was really welcoming. We will be back !

Aunty Aini’s Garden Café is a charming and memorable spot for lunch, nestled in a lush, expansive garden that offers a peaceful retreat from the bustle of town. The grounds are beautifully maintained, with plenty of photo-worthy corners that add to the unique kampung-style dining experience. We were warmly welcomed by the exceptionally friendly staff, who guided us through the menu and recommended the tapai with ice cream for dessert — a suggestion that turned out to be an unexpected highlight. The tapai was fragrant and lightly sweet, pairing surprisingly well with the creamy ice cream for a refreshing and unique finish to the meal. For the main courses, we had the gulai lemak tempoyak udang kertas, gulai lemak cili api daging salai, kerabu pucuk paku, and itik salai rendang. Each dish was rich in flavour and thoughtfully prepared. The gulai lemak tempoyak had a distinctive tanginess from the fermented durian that complemented the sweetness of the prawns. The daging salai was tender and infused with a smoky heat that lingered pleasantly. The kerabu pucuk paku added a refreshing crunch, and the itik salai rendang was robust, aromatic, and melt-in-the-mouth tender. Warning, the itik salai rendang can be quite spicy though. Dining at Aunty Aini’s feels like being invited to someone’s home — there is a personal touch to both the food and the service that makes it special. It is easy to see why this place is well-loved by many. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and look forward to returning.

Crowded a bit hard to get a seat due to the mco seating sop and getting the waiter/waiters to take your order can be frustrating as they placed is often packed to the rafters

It is fortunate that I explored eateries outside the Klang Valley as I enter into the land of Nilai. Nilai town is a small town in Negeri Sembilan which is directly next to Sepang (well, I bet most of you know what's Sepang because of the famous F1 race track!). This small town lays a mouth-watering restaurant where this eatery will be able to trigger your taste bud to a whole new level. Food for thought - Gordon Ramsay (a famous chef from the UK) visited this restaurant before. The food was so good till no words could describe how mouth-watering it is. They serve traditional Malay and Western foods. I've tried their Lamb Shank, Grilled Chicken and Chicken Rendang before; I'm baffled. I'm baffled for the fact that I can't give a reason for not liking this eatery. Okay, let's be fair - I need to say a few downsides here. One of it would be the pricing of these foods as they are above average and another one would be the fact that there are lots of mosquitos here (because of the tropical and jungle like settings). Other than that, this restaurant is the highlight! I'm willing to travel to Nilai just to have meals here. No questions asked.

I went here on a Sunday for lunch. Immediately I was amazed with the relaxed outdoor style of the building. The whole restaurant was situated in what seems like an authentic Malaysian courtyard. Upon entering the stone steps and through the wooden gate, you are greeted by a walled fountain. There was lots of greenery and water trickling that made you feel like you were part of nature. I was there with a local who ordered all the food so I cannot tell you specifically about what dishes we had, but a lot of them were flavorful and curry-like, and some actually quite spicy. We also had a beef bone soup, which was a flavorful light broth that tasted a lot like some of the other asian beef-bone broths, very good. Apart from Malay dishes, they also had a whole range of western dishes for those tourists the were feeling a bit homesick or unaccustomed to the Malay/ Asian flavors. Overall it was a great experience, and I would definitely recommend! It felt like an authentic local experience without having to sacrifice comfort and ambiance.

Fantastic chicken chops! Errr...why it feels like eating in a jungle? Because it is!! Delicious local food ala Negeri Sembilan masak lemak (dishes cooked with santan and tumeric) dominates the menu. There are mosquitos flying around your legs if you visit this place at night and they only stop attacking you after the owner lights up the mosquito repellant... what do you expect? A hotel buffet table with aircondition? This is the place to relax your mind... err i take it back. You cant do that here because this place is always packed. Day and night...

try the daging salai masak lemak cili api and sambal udang. they are absolutely yummy!