ChI Eats
Restaurants – where to lunch, where to dine
KL offers the visitor unmatchable seafood, and unmatchable Southeast Asian cuisine.
• Specialities – “chicken and rice” and pepper crabs, for late night eating
• Kwe Tiao speciality rice
• Mee Siam tossed (high in the air) noodle “summer salad”, which is only
available once a year!
Image Courtesy of www.asiafinest.com
• Laksa soup
• Avoid hairy crabs – the roes are a tremendous delicacy for some – and also
available only once a year (thankfully) in November.
Image Courtesy of thestar.com.my
Downmarket but Fun – Insider Street Food
Markets are more to eat in, than to shop at. KL features all sorts of amazing local specialities – the locals love their own styles of food, and you will find little ethnic huddles for different Malay, Chinese and Singapore specialities. Indian, sadly, is not that great outside private homes, other than the dhosas and South Indian specialities to be found in the “mamak” or roadside stalls, which are 24 hour operations and are found across the city. In addition to the dhosas, try the appams, idlis, dhals, chapattis etc….the list is endless!
Image Courtesy of www.kuala-lumpur.ws
• One of the most famous mamak stall is Devy’s in Bangsar Baru).
• Nan Corner Roadside restaurant – chain for Indian masala dhosas, spotless
stainless steel furniture and plates, near KLCC. – small family-run outlets for
Indonesian satay etc. Insiders order in for private parties
• The Chinese restaurants in a row in Ulu Klang market. Choose your own
frogs. Seriously good food (frogs or not) and seriously cheap. Very Insider
local.
Middle of the Road Insider Eating
• The noodle house on third floor of KLCC Mall. Much better than the adjacent
sushi place.
• Takeout sushi and sashimi, prepared to order and just however you like it, in
Isetan Japanese supermarket
• Alexis Bar has a café branch in the Great Eastern Mall, with great local
specialities, including tofu.
• Alexis Bistro, particularly for Malay cuisine and Pavlova desserts 29 Jalan
Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2284 2880
• Madame Kwan’s in KLCC for great local Malaysian/Chinese food.
65, Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, Tel: 03 2284 2297; and Lot 420/421, Level 4,
Suria KLCC,Tel: 03 2026 2297
• Grappa Soho, for more casual Italian. Ground & 1st Floor, Wisma Peladang,
Jalan Bukit Bintang, Tel: 03 2145 0080
• The Dynasty Hotel for the best Mee Siam ever – a very, very Chinese local
joint – not an Outsider in sight.
• La Bodega bistro bar for Spanish food especially tapas
www.bodega.com.my 14-16 Jalan Telawi Dua, Bangsar Baru,
Tel: 03 2287 8318, Fax: 03 2287 6318
Upmarket Insider Eating
• Coriander – the Atlantic sea bass is amazing, when its available
• Bon Ton www.bontonkl.com at 8 Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2141 3848, Fax: 03 2144 9289 for Casual Dining, Cuisine: fusion,
western, local, and nyonya - (a mix of Indian, Straits Chinese and Malay food
– hot, red and yet Chinese, with very strong flavours).
• The Chalet – fondue and fondant chocolates
• Frangipani – open for dinner only, for excellent Continental European food by
an Australian chef. Its Long Bar is an eclectic, much-frequented hangout, and
the huge pool in the middle is amazing.
• Rama V Thai restaurant on Jalan U Thant near KLCC and all the embassies
Rama V, 5 Jalan U Thant, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03 2143 2663
• Grappa for fine Italian cuisine, 1 Jalan Telawi 5, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala
Lumpur. Tel: 03 2287 1080
• Kampachi, the best, very upmarket Japanese restaurant ever, for amazing
sashimi (again), turtle soup (ouch), and on Saturdays, all-you-can-eat fixed
price tempura-fests! Located in the Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur, Jalan
Sultan Ismail , 50250 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03 2161 7777