THERE is no doubt that Rennie’s House of Oxtail in Section 5, Petaling Jaya is one of the better places to unwind after office hours.
I am not talking about a Pub Crawl, but rather the good oxtail soup that became a mainstay at this neighbourhood pub since the early 1970s.
The outletis named after its founder — the late “Publican” Rennie Klassen, who was a big and burly Eurasian guy.
Today, his legacy is being carried on by his wife Trudy and son Darryl and their oxtail soup is still as good as it was when Rennie would dish it out.
My first encounter with the owner was in the early 1990s when I was working as a photographer in The Star.
Later, after moving on to a smaller community newspaper, Rennie’s House of Oxtail became a regular watering hole for me.
A framed photograph and article about the famed Publican which was captured by me still hangs on the wall at this outlet.
Later, I found out that my buddy Eddie “Fish Tales” Chua was also a part of the “furniture” at this melting pot.
In fact, Rennie actually loaned Eddie his Jaguar as a wedding car when he got married in Malacca decades ago.
In short, Eddie and I have a long history at Rennie’s House of Oxtail.
Recently, a colleague of ours who hangs out at the pub actually told us that she and her hubby were long-standing regulars there until Trudy spilled the beans.
I could see the embarassed look on our friend’s face after she was told that we were literally “born behind the bar” at the outlet.
Okay, having said that, I must give due credit to the oxtail soup that touched my life.
After all these years, with a steady price increase (it’s now RM18 a bowl), the taste is still good.
Trudy often gauges the taste by asking: “Eh Sam ah, how is my oxtail ah?”
I told the lady of the house that she need not worry as the taste has been consistant.
And on the Samo-scale, this soupy goodness would easily score a 7 out of 10.
Rennie’s House of Oxtail (GPS N 03 06 442, E 101 39 199) is located off Jalan Gasing in Petaling Jaya and opens daily except Sundays from 5pm – midnight.
