Ol Skool Makan #23: Lemang To’ki -- The Lemang Legend Of Bentong


To be honest, Bentong was never really on my list of stopovers whenever we drove up to the east coast. I just didn’t know what was good there.

But over the past decade or so, I kept hearing about this place called Lemang To’ki -- a spot that serves lemang every single day of the week! That alone made me curious. After all, how often do you find lemang outside of Hari Raya season?

Lemang To’ki is a little tucked-away gem along Batu 2, Jalan Tras, right in the heart of Bentong. They’ve been serving this traditional favourite since 2006. It started humbly as a small weekend operation, but the irresistible aroma of lemang soon drew in the locals -- and by 2009, it grew into a full-fledged restaurant.

Today, Lemang To’ki employs over 80 staff, especially during the festive and school holiday rush. Founder Mazlan bin Ramli is both proud and humbled that what began as a simple lemang stall has become a bona fide culinary landmark.

Even the name To’ki tells a story. It’s a blend of two dialects -- ‘atok’ (grandfather) in Perak and ‘aki’ in Pahang -- a nod to Malaysia’s rich mix of languages and traditions.

Finally, in June 2025, we made the trip there on a quiet weekday morning. The place wasn’t crowded yet, but the team was already hard at work preparing their signature dishes -- and you could smell the goodness in the air.


We ordered the lemang with beef rendang set, and yes -- it was simply divine. The lemang was soft yet smoky, and the rendang, rich and full of flavour. We also tried the ayam panggang, perfectly marinated and juicy inside, served with a tangy tamarind sauce that tied it all together beautifully.


Lemang To’ki offers lemang in three sizes -- small, medium, and large -- along with sides like rendang ayam, daging, sambal hitam with serunding, and of course, that irresistible grilled chicken.

The place is also a favourite among big biker groups, but that morning, we shared the space with a few tables of Singaporeans, happily digging in -- and ordering seconds!

I’m glad we finally made the trip. And Insya-Allah, it definitely won’t be the last.


About Ol' Skool Makan

Ol' Skool Makan is my little tribute to Malaysia’s timeless eateries -- the ones that fed us before hashtags, food apps, and fancy plating. It’s about real food, real people, and memories that still smell like sambal and kopi-O.


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Dapatkan buku 'Kisah Hidup & Budaya Pop Anak Gen-X' di SINI

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