KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 — This week, I watched Stephen Colbert embark on quite the farewell tour for The Late Show, which was axed last year by CBS.
The network called the decision “purely financial”, but it was a fairly transparent display of sycophantic, anticipatory obedience by parent company Paramount ahead of getting approval from the US Federal Communications Commission for its US$8.4 billion (RM33 billion) merger with Skydance.
The merger would later be completed, and now, Colbert is leaving.
In a special episode titled “The Worst Of The Late Show”, he took the opportunity to look back and reminisce on some of the most bizarre, outrageous and downright ridiculous skits or gags that never made it to air for all sorts of reasons.
But it wasn’t the “that pigeon looks just like Michael Keaton” cold open, or the spoof advert for an unconventional use for Thanksgiving gravy that Colbert sat through with a ruptured appendix, that caught my eye.
Instead, it was the “steamed chicken” that he ate throughout the episode.
It was obviously some New York City approximation of chicken rice, and as I watched him dip pieces of all-white chicken into the little plastic tub of dubious brown gravy, I felt even more sorry for him than before.
This truly is the worst of The Late Show, I thought. Poor Stephen Colbert has probably never known the satisfaction of eating a truly good chicken rice for lunch while at work, and here I am taking it for granted.
PJ is full of chicken rice spots, but KL is where you find eateries dedicated solely to working people.
Unlike the rest of the eateries in Pertama Complex, Semua House Chicken Rice is located on the second floor, among phone and clothing shops. — Picture by Ethan Lau The closer you get to the city centre, the more lunch-only spots you’ll find, though rising costs have largely relegated them to older buildings, where the combination of a steady working crowd and cheaper rent has helped sustain them.
On the second floor of Pertama Complex, which turns 50 this year, Semua House Chicken Rice is one such spot.
This unassuming chicken rice spot was originally located in Semua House, another of KL’s old malls.
When it shut for refurbishment a little over two years ago, Semua House Chicken Rice moved into Pertama Complex, taking the name of its original home with it.
Most eateries in Pertama Complex are located in the food court, which — apart from a branch of The Ship — mostly serve Malay food.
Semua House Chicken Rice is instead located in a tiny lot up on Level 2, amidst a sea of sporting goods, mobile phone repair and local clothing stores.
It is one of the few non-halal eateries in the general vicinity, not just the building itself, which is why, on any given weekday, there is almost always a line at lunch hour.
And it’s not just about the offerings, which include roast pork, char siew, and both roast and poached chicken, that draw people in; it’s also the extremely friendly prices, which start from RM7 for chicken wing rice and reach up to RM14 for the triple combo of char siew, roast pork and chicken rice.
Naturally, I opted for the combo when I arrived about 10 minutes after opening. The shop was still empty, so I sauntered up to the self-service counter, placed my order and collected it together with the free bowl of soup.
Though I’m personally partial to poached chicken, there were four roasted chickens for every quarter of poached chicken.
The choice was clear. The oiled rice had a rich, sticky texture, the chicken was moist and succulent, the roast pork was crispy and tender, and though not as aggressively salty as I like, I’ve had much worse in some food courts around the city.
The importance of eateries like these cannot be overstated; they are the backbone of society, keeping the average Joe fed every day. — Picture by Ethan Lau But the real star is the char siew, which sports a subtle level of caramelisation, not quite reaching carbon-black levels, instead taking on a rich red hue.
The flavour of Chinese rose wine comes through very strongly; a very old-school touch compared to the thicker, darker and sweeter variety that has evolved in Malaysia.
Each piece is soft, even the lean ones, and as the takeaway queue began to build, I heard many orders for char siew.
In 2026, paying anything less than RM15 for a tasty, filling meal in the city centre, in the comfort of an air-conditioned shop, is becoming increasingly rare.
But there are still pockets like this where a working person can have an honest lunch without burning through their wallet, though it is unclear how long this can continue.
Rising costs, delivery apps eating into their revenue, and the ramifications of a global conflict yet to be felt all seem determined to make small, independent businesses go the way of Colbert and The Late Show.
Except there won’t be a farewell tour. Blink, and you’ll miss it.
Semua House Chicken Rice
Lot 2.32, Pertama Complex,
Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman,
Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur.
Open Monday to Saturday, 11am-2.30pm
Tel: 012-357 3517
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
* Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and occasionally self-deprecating humour.
