KL Food Trip: Starting the Day Right with Breakfast
Breakfast at VCR
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day…even though I tend to miss it because I always wake up late. Oh, the irony. But whenever I travel, I always make sure that I start the day with it. I have 2 reasons: First, it’s always good to load some energy for the whole day. Some activities can be strenuous, like climbing up hundreds of steps (as in the case of Batu Caves), doing a day hike outside the city, or just walking kilometers within the city.
Second, there’s always the tendency to skip lunch or have no food for a long period of time if the day gets too busy or an itinerary stop takes longer than expected. That’s really sad!
So I encourage you to have breakfast and, more importantly, plan for it. Else, you might just end up in McDonald’s (unless you’re in Taiwan where they serve Chicken McNuggets as a breakfast meal). If you’re in Kuala Lumpur (KL), here are some breakfast spots you can visit and the dishes you should try:
Nasi Lemak Tanglin and Village Park Restaurant for Nasi Lemak
Although it can be eaten at any time of the day, Nasi Lemak is traditionally a breakfast dish. Literally “fat rice”, it consists of boiled or fried egg, cucumber, ikan bilis (fried anchovies), peanuts, sambal (chilli sauce), and of course the rice, which is cooked in santan (coconut milk) and flavored with pandan leaves. It’s usually paired with a viand, in which ayam goreng (fried chicken) is the most popular. This national dish of Malaysia is a world of flavors and textures.
One of the best places to have nasi lemak is at Nasi Lemak Tanglin. Formed in 1948, this spot has been serving its loyal following with its signature dish and a variety of flavorful viands. This institution is a contender at Food Wars Asia, a show on Food Network Asia that pits two institutions against one another to determine which one serves a given dish.
Nasi Lemak Tanglin
We got the fried chicken, paru (cow lungs), and sambal sotong (cuttlefish). I may be wrong but I noticed that the boiled telur (egg) didn’t come with the nasi lemak, which I found unusual (it should be included), so we ordered it as well. The fried chicken was crispy and flavored with curry leaves, the cuttlefish was tender and doused in sambal, and the egg was also deep fried to provide a slightly chewy exterior. But what I like the most are the cow lungs, which is chewy yet delightful in the mouth.
Cow Lungs and Sambal Cuttlefish Nasi Lemak (left) and Fried Chicken Nasi Lemak (right) at Nasi Lemak Tanglin
If you love fried chicken and are willing to commute outside the city, you can also visit the other contender at Food Wars Asia, Village Park Restaurant. This spot is known for their Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng (nasi lemak with fried chicken) so that’s what we got. There’s nothing spectacular with the nasi lemak components except for their signature fried chicken, which is juicy, tender, and amazingly crispy! There were crispies (excess of the batter) sprinkled on the top of the chicken, which adds to the texture. Between the chicken in Nasi Lemak Tanglin and Village Park, I’d pick the latter’s anytime!
Village Park Restaurant
Village Park Restaurant’s Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng
So who won at Food Wars Asia? And which nasi lemak is my favorite? Check out my article on my search for the best nasi lemak in KL.
By the way, Time Magazine lists nasi lemak as one of the healthiest international breakfasts.
Nasi Lemak Tanglin Address: Kompleks Makan Tanglin (Tanglin Food Court), Jalan Cenderasari, Tasik Perdana, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Daily, 7AM-1PM
Village Park Restaurant Address: 5 Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Monday-Friday, 6:30AM-7:30PM; Saturday & Sunday, 6:30AM-6PM | Facebook: Village Park Restaurant
Mansion Tea Stall for Roti Canai
Roti Canai is an Indian-inspired flatbread that is stretched and slapped until paper thin, then fried over a griddle. It comes with a dip (curry or dal) and sometimes has a filling (usually cheese, egg, and even a banana). It’s a breakfast staple but can be eaten at any time of the day (we usually ate roti canai at almost midnight!). When prepared correctly, it will be crisp outside and doughy inside.
Mansion Tea Stall is one of the best roti canai spots in KL. I tried their Roti Canai Special, which is prepared differently than a regular one. After being fried on the griddle, it’s squeezed, chopped, placed on a plate, and poured with curry. Then a soft-boiled egg is cracked over it.
Mansion Tea Stall (left) and Roti Canai Special (right)
Of course, no roti canai experience is complete without a glass of teh tarik (pulled tea). So make sure you get one for your sweet, creamy, and frothy tea fix.
Address: 2 Selangor Mansion, Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur City Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Daily, 24 hours
VCR Coffee & Cakes for Western Breakfast
When I was researching for good cafés in KL, VCR pops up often. So I planned to try their coffee (I love coffee!) and sample their brunch plates. A visit to the café was almost inevitable, as it is located just outside the building of my Airbnb unit.
The cozy and minimalistic interiors of VCR
It’s hard to miss the café because it’s housed in a 2-storey structure that’s painted black. When you go inside, you’ll instantly feel at home because of its cozy and minimalistic interiors.
My friends and I tried the VCR Big Breakfast, which has housemade chipolata sausages, lamb bolognese, mushroom fricasse, baked tomatoes, turkey ham or beef bacon, free-range eggs done according to your style and liking, and flaxseed sourdough toast. We also got the Avocado Toast. I’m glad that the 4 of us just shared on the 2 dishes, as both are very filling (I initially planned to order 2 plates of the Big Breakfast!).
Avocado Toast (upper left) and VCR Big Breakfast (lower right)
RESTORAN Yut Kee for Hainanese Chicken Chop, Roti Babi, and Roti Bakar
Restoran Yut Kee is one of the oldest kopitiams (traditional coffee shop) in the city. Here, you can get your kopi (coffee with condensed milk) and Roti Bakar (toasted bread) and kaya (coconut jam) fix.
Restoran Yut Kee is packed in the morning!
But this kopitiam is known for their Hainanese Chicken Chop and Roti Babi (literally “pork bread”). The chicken chop is meaty and tender, nice to be paired with fried rice. The roti babi has a filling made with shredded pork and white onions, among other ingredients, encased in a soft bread that is deep-fried to golden brown. The flavor is simple but I like it that way.
Chicken Chop (upper left), Kaya Roll Slice (upper right), Roti Babi (lower right), and Marble Cake (lower left)
Address: 1 Jalan Kamunting, Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 7:30AM-3PM | Facebook: 镒记茶餐室 Yut Kee, Jalan Kamunting
What breakfast spots in KL should I try next? Comment them below!
Other entries in the KL Food Trip series: The Amazing Local Food of Kuala Lumpur | The Search for the Best Nasi Lemak | The Street Food of Jalan Alor Night Market