Zoy’s Top 5: Kuala Lumpur Food
A few weeks ago, I did a series on my Kuala Lumpur (KL) Food Trip (you can start reading it here). Now, I’m listing down my 5 favorite dishes from Malaysia’s capital. So starting with Top 5…
5. Ikan Bakar at Kak Jat Ikan Bakar
If you love grilled food, especially seafood, then you’ll love Ikan Bakar (literally burnt fish)! Even though ikan means fish, ikan bakar can refer to a medley of grilled seafood. I tried it at 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!
I got ayam or chicken (yes, there’s chicken there as well), pari (stingray), sotong (squid), and Tilapia, 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
4. Claypot Rice at Heun Kee Claypot 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.
I 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)
While you’re at Heun Kee, make sure to get their Pig Stomach Pepper Soup, which is like a 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
3. 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. I had this at Restoran Kin Kin, one of the two institutions known for this dish (the other is Restoran Super Kitchen).
Restoran Kin Kin’s Dry Pan Mee (left) and the Dry Chilli Mix (right)
Kin Kin’s version is amazing! 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.
Address: 40 Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman, Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur | Operating Hours: Daily, 7AM-6:30PM
2. Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng at Village Park Restaurant
We’re down to Top 2 and Malaysia’s national dish, Nasi Lemak, enters the list. 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) and flavored with pandan leaves. It’s usually paired with a viand, in which ayam goreng (fried chicken) is the most popular. Imagine the flavors and textures!
Village Park Restaurant’s Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng
One of the restaurants known for this dish is Village Park Restaurant (it’s technically outside of KL but has become a destination for foodies visiting the city). They’re 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.
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
1. Nasi Lemak at Nasi Lemak Tanglin
Yes, another nasi lemak is on the list, this time from Nasi Lemak Tanglin. Serving its hungry patrons since 1948, this institution offers various viands to be paired with their signature dish.
Cow Lungs and Sambal Cuttlefish Nasi Lemak (left) and Fried Chicken Nasi Lemak (right) at Nasi Lemak Tanglin
I 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 I 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.
If you want to know why I chose Nasi Lemak Tanglin over Village Park Restaurant, check out my nasi lemak article here.
Address: Kompleks Makan Tanglin (Tanglin Food Court), Jalan Cenderasari, Tasik Perdana, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Daily, 7AM-1PM
Do you agree with my Top 5 KL food? What will be your Top 5? Comment them below!
PS Don’t forget to check my series on my Kuala Lumpur (KL) Food Trip: The Amazing Local Food of Kuala Lumpur | The Search for the Best Nasi Lemak | The Street Food of Jalan Alor Night Market | Starting the Day Right with Breakfast
PPS And check out my Malacca Food Trip as well. Check it here.