Ikan Bakar (a medley of grilled seafood) at Kak Jat Ikan Bakar

Malaysia is one of the countries whose culinary landscape I want to explore. Being a multi-ethnic nation, it boasts of a wide range of cuisines, which includes Chinese, Indian, and Malay. And because prices are cheaper unlike its neighbor Singapore, it’s a paradise for foodies like me!

Last year, I finally set foot on Malaysia but not on its capital, Kuala Lumpur (KL). Rather, I crossed the border from Singapore and went to Johor Bahru (JB), the southernmost city of peninsular Malaysia. While tourists usually flock to JB for Legoland (which I also visited), I spent most of my stay to eat, as I always do! Man, I fell in love with its food! And I thought to myself, “How good can the food in KL be?” I can only imagine!

The view of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline from KL Tower’s Skydeck (too bad it was a hazy day!)

But I can’t live on imagination for long. I had to visit KL. And a few months back, it became a reality. I got to try nasi lemak, roti, and a whole lot more! So I’m starting a 4-part series on my foodventure in KL. The first one is about the local dishes I tried in the city and where to find them. So in alphabetical order:

Chicken Wings, Satay, and Other Street Food at Jalan Alor

Jalan Alor is a street located in Bukit Bintang, the shopping and entertainment district of KL. Lined up with hawkers and restaurants, this street is a must visit for foodies.

Granted, this location is touristy so prices are higher than usual. But the food is worth your money, especially Restoran Wong Ah Wah’s plump and juicy grilled chicken wings. While you’re at the restaurant, try also their satay, which is skewered meat served with peanut sauce and cucumber on the side. It’s available in beef, chicken, and mutton varieties.

Chicken Wings and Satay at Restoran Wong Ah Wah

For other street food I tried in Jalan Alor, check out my article on Monday.

Chili Pan Mee at Restoran Kin Kin

Chili Pan Mee is a dry noodle dish that consists of flour noodles, minced pork, anchovies, and fried shallots, then topped with a runny poached egg. A dry chilli mix is served as a condiment. There are 2 restaurants in KL that’s famous for this dish: Restoran Kin Kin and Restoran Super Kitchen. If you visit the Chow Kit area, you’ll see these two establishments (almost) facing one another…literally. Talk about competition!

I planned to have chili pan mee for breakfast. So I went to Chow Kit and only Kin Kin was open early. So I tried their version and was amazed. The noodles are chewy, the minced meat and shallots give a nice flavor, and the anchovies add saltiness and crisp to the dish. Of course, I put a lot of the dry chilli on my bowl. It’s nicely stay-in-the-mouth spicy. This is one of my favorite dishes in all of KL!

Restoran Kin Kin’s Dry Pan Mee (left) and the Dry Chilli Mix (right)

Address: 40 Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman, Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur | Operating Hours: Daily, 7AM-6:30PM

Claypot Rice at Heun Kee Claypot CHICKEN Rice

How can you not love claypot rice? What’s not to love about the mix of ingredients, the dark soy sauce that is poured, and of course the rice? I’m glad that one of my favorite food vloggers, Luke Martin, featured Heun Kee Claypot Chicken Rice.

When my friends and I got there, there was a long queue. That built my anticipation as I know that the food will be good. We got in after 30 minutes. It’s a good thing that a waiter already took our orders when we were queueing.

While waiting, I was amused by the sight of claypots cooked over (and below) charcoal and sparks flaring around. The charcoal cooking method is what differentiates Heun Kee from other claypot restaurants that usually employ a gas cooking method. This technique produces a more fragrant dish.

We had their “mix cut” chicken claypot rice and it’s a world of flavors and textures! The chicken is tender, the sausage is nicely chewy and sweet, the salted fish is intensely salty, and the burnt rice tastes amazing. My only regret is that I didn’t order the “special parts” variety, which has an egg and meatier chicken cuts.

Heun Kee’s Claypot Chicken Rice (Mix Cut)

We also ordered Pig Stomach Pepper Soup, which reminds me of Teochew-style bak kuh teh (meat bone soup), and steamed gai lan, which is nicely crisp and garlicky.

Address: 59 Jalan Yew, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur | Operating Hours: Friday-Wednesday, 11AM-9PM | Facebook: Heun Kee Claypot Chicken Rice | Web Site

Durian Imperial and Three Layer Tea with Grass Jelly AT Arch Cafe, Kuala Lumpur City Gallery

If you love durian like I do, then you will love an afternoon snack at ARCH Cafe in Kuala Lumpur City Gallery. The cafe is known for their Durian Imperial, a cake shaped like the King of Fruits. Both the chiffon and the icing are nicely durian-flavored.

Durian Imperial (left) and Three Layer Tea with Grass Jelly (right)

And to beat the KL heat, pair your cake with their Three Layer Tea with Grass Jelly, which is sweetened black tea with evaporated milk. Aside from its nice colors, what makes this drink unique is that it’s sweetened with gula melaka (palm sugar).

Address: 27 Jalan Raja, Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur | Operating Hours: Daily, 9:00AM-6:30PM

Hainanese Chicken Chop, Roti Babi, Roti Bakar at Restoran Yut Kee

If you want a traditional breakfast in KL, head to Restoran Yut Kee. It 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.

Chicken Chop (upper left), Kaya Roll Slice (upper right), Roti Babi (lower right), and Marble Cake (lower left)

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.

Check my article on KL breakfast spots Thursday next week.

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

Ikan bakar at Kak Jat Ikan Bakar

If you love grilled food, especially seafood, then head to Lorong Bellamy where there is a strip of grillers serving Ikan Bakar (literally burnt fish)! Even though ikan means fish, ikan bakar can refer to a medley of grilled seafood.

We went to Kak Jat Ikan Bakar because it’s at the top of many ikan bakar lists and was featured by the world’s top food vlogger, Mark Wiens. At the front, you’ll be greeted with a huge grill with a mountain of seafood:

Look at the mountain of seafood at Kak Jat Ikan Bakar!

Ordering was quite challenging because the waitresses only speak Malay. Luckily, I know a few basic Malay words, mostly related to food (why am I not surprised?). So here are some words that you may find useful:

Ayam = Chicken (yes, there’s also chicken here)
Ikan = Fish
Nasi = Rice
Pari = Stingray
Sotong = Squid
Udang = Shrimp

We got everything listed above and they’re all very good. They’re all nicely marinated in sambal (chilli sauce or paste), covered in banana leaves, and charred to perfection. But what stood out the most was the stingray, which has an amazingly soft flesh. This was a redemption, as I had a bad experience of sambal stingray in Singapore.

Coming from the Philippines, I honestly think that there’s nothing unique with the ikan bakar. Even the dipping sauce is similar to the ones we have back home. BUT you can never go wrong with grilled seafood. I highly recommend that you still give this place a shot even if you have it back home.

Address: Gerai (Stall) No. 3, Lorong Bellamy, Bukit Petaling, Kuala Lumpur | Operating Hours: Daily, 11AM-3PM

Nasi Lemak at Nasi Lemak Tanglin, R.A. Nasi Lemak, and Village Park Restaurant

No visit to Malaysia, especially in KL, is complete without sampling what is considered its national dish: Nasi Lemak! Literally “fat rice”, nasi lemak is a dish consisting of boiled or fried egg, cucumber, ikan bilis (fried anchovies), peanuts, sambal, and of course the rice, which is cooked in santan (coconut milk). It’s usually paired with a viand, in which ayam goreng (fried chicken) is the most popular.

I visited 3 legendary nasi lemak spots in KL and I will save about my experience in an article this Thursday.

Roti CANAI at MANSION TEA STALL and Valentine Roti

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 sliced bananas). 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.

We went to Valentine Roti for our flatbread fix. It is said to have the best roti canai in all of KL. We got the Roti Valentine, which is packed with ingredients such as sardines, onions, and cabbage. It was filling! Another item we got is the Roti Pisang, which has sliced bananas.

Valentine Roti (left) and Roti Valentine (right)

Valentine Roti opens late. So if you want to eat roti canai at an earlier time, head to Mansion Tea Stall, which is open 24 hours. We got the 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.

Mansion Tea Stall Address: 2 Selangor Mansion, Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur City Center, Kuala Lumpur | Operating Hours: Daily, 24 hours

Valentine Roti Address: 1 Jalan Semarak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Monday-Saturday, 5:30PM-2AM

There are still lots of food spots I want to try in KL and its surrounding areas. These include:

Brader John for roadside burgers,
Brickfields, KL’s Little India, for banana leaf rice and other Indian food,
Nasi Kandar Pelita for nasi kandar (rice dish served with different viands and side dishes), and
Itik Salai Masthar for smoked duck curry, among many others.

I can’t wait to visit KL and try more sedap (delicious) food! Maybe I should explore Penang, another foodie paradise in Malaysia, and do a layover at KL next time!

What food spots and dishes should I next try in KL? Comment them below!

Terima Kasih (Thank You)!

KL Food Trip: The Amazing Local Food of Kuala Lumpur