When all the walking in the humid Asian weather gets too much and all you need is a tasty Malaysian meal, fret not. Just pop into the nearest mall and head to the food court for a culinary treat.
We love food courts for their diverse selection of popular hawker dishes, ease of navigation and straight-forward ordering system, all under one roof.
More often than not, these food and beverage proprietors undergo stringent quality control and spot-checks before they are accepted as tenants. As part of the culture, more often than not, the younger generations take over famous decade-old heritage hawker businesses from their ancestors, so it’s easy to find famous hawker favourites in food courts as well. Prices may be slightly higher than say road-side hawker stalls, but given the air-conditioned comfort and convenience, the difference is negligible.
Here, we take you through choices 1 to 4:
Hutong Lot 10
We can’t seem express our love for this non-halal (serves pork) food court enough.
The highlights of Hutong in Lot 10 are the hand-picked Food & Beverage proprietors (mostly ethnic Chinese hawkers) who have plied the trade for generations in shops and stalls scattered throughout Kuala Lumpur.
Some of the names to look out for are Kim Lian Kee (known for their black Hokkien noodles), Soong Kee beef noodles, Campbell Street mini popiah and Hon Kee Porridge.
Apart from food, Hutong’s unique ambiance and décor adds to its charm.
The food court was designed to replicate the narrow alleyways that characterise old Beijing; with splashes of vibrant colours and each stall having its own distinct array of collectibles that greet customers as they stand in line and wait for their food to be ready.
It is a fresh change from the common open-plan food court design where stalls surround a centre cluster of tables.
Within the food court itself there are at least 6 -8 different layouts and ambiances.
Getting to Hutong Food Court @Lot 10:
Address: Hutong Food Court, Lot 10 Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur
Refer map: https://goo.gl/maps/0ec3D
How to get there (Recommended mode): Take the train (Monorail) to Bukit Bintang Station. Walk from Bukit Bintang (Monorail) Station. Exit the station, head towards Lot 10 and then Hutong Food Court on the lower ground floor.
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: Creative pastries made specially using the King of Fruits.
Operational hours: 10 am – 10pm. **No off days.
Signatures Food Court at Suria KLCC
As expected of a food court, the Signatures Food Court in Suria KLCC Mall offers a variety of cuisine from around the world.
Clean and brightly lit with floor to ceiling windows, the truly marvellous part of dining experience at Signatures is its view – the large windows overlook the KLCC park and lake.
Though packed at almost every hour, the tables are cleared and cleaned very swiftly. Its capacity of 1,200 diners ensures that visitors will eventually find a seat.
Ordering and payment is at individual stalls and service is well, self-service.
Common in Malaysia, the rice stalls such as chicken rice, economy rice and Nasi Kandar boast the longest queues, though every stall has its fair share of customers.
For the KLCC/Jalan Ampang vicinity, prices are considered fair and the food is pretty good. For example the Mixed Rice stall offers a serving of vegetables for RM1.50, plain rice for RM1.50 and fish or chicken for RM3.00-3.50 each.
A plate of rice and 3 dishes would cost between a reasonable RM8 – RM10.
The chicken rice here is superb and a plate of rice with chicken drumstick is RM8.50. The normal serving is RM6.60. The proprietor doesn’t scrimp on the meat either.
On a recent trip to Signatures, I had the Ayam Penyet set that cost RM8.80 and RM2.30 for a can drink. A friend, a little hungrier than usual, had the sizzling hot plate noodle AND sizzling hot plate rice and egg which cost RM9.50 each. Both dishes were satisfyingly tasty.
Western variations here include burgers, pasta, pizzas and sandwiches. There’s even a vegetarian stall. There’s really something for everyone!
How to get to Signatures Food Court @ KLCC:
Address: Concourse Floor, Suria CC, Jalan Ampang, KL City Centre, Kuala Lumpur
Refer map: https://goo.gl/maps/PUE80
How to get there (Recommended mode): Take the train (RapidKL LRT – PUTRA Line) to KLCC Station. Walk from KLCC Station. Exit the station, head towards Suria KLCC and then towards Signatures Food Court on the 2nd floor.
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: A large and busy foodcourt that offers an excellent variety of both local and international cuisine.
Operational hours: 10 am – 10pm. **No off days.
Makan Place at Mid Valley Megamall
There are a total of 4 different food courts in Mid Valley Megamall and the Gardens Mall combined, both of which are just adjacent to each other.
Cheap and delicious food in a clean dining environment isn’t synonymous with food courts. That’s exactly what a diner can expect from Makan Place food court in Mid Valley.
While food and beverages in shopping malls can’t be expected to be at hawker prices, the Makan Place proved itself unique and offers exactly the opposite. All day long on Mondays til Fridays are usually the busiest periods for Makan Place since it is a favourite among the majority of the working class in Mid Valley Mall.
For breakfast the nasi lemak and roti canai is a firm favourite. Look out for the only roti stall here; and watch Husin as he deftly makes his crispy thin roti and fluffy chapatis.
A snaking queue in front of this Nasi Goreng Ganja Meletup certainly piqued my curiosity.
I joined the wait and found out that their specialties are the Maggi and Nasi Goreng Ganja, with ‘ganja’ in reference to marijuana as to explain how good and addictive it is. Others queued for the aromatic soups and tom yam.
A friend of mine recommended the mee rebus (RM4.50) from Along stall. The unique factor of this dish is the addition of peanut sauce into the gravy.
Vegans are not forgotten with this Restaurant Blessing Tree Vegetarian stall. A plate of white rice with three side dishes is only RM3.50.
As with all food courts, the ubiquitous chicken rice and mixed rice stalls are not forgotten.
This place isn’t glamorous, but it feeds the tummy and it feeds it well.
How to get to Makan Place Food Court @ Mid Valley MegaMall:
Address: Mid Valley Megamall (LG-Floor), 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur
(03 22845220)
Refer map:
Using KTM Komuter and feeder bus: https://goo.gl/maps/oeBaX
KTM Komuter : https://goo.gl/maps/gfivo
How to get there: Take the train (Train – KTM Komuter) to Mid Valley Station.
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: A very basic foodcourt and caters mostly to the working class.
Operational hours: 7:00am – 10:00pm (Monday – Sunday) **No off days
Food Republic at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
With Pavilion located right smack in the middle of the golden triangle in Bukit Bintang and one of the most popular upscale mall, the food court at Level 1 is understandably busy and well-visited. This is also due to the small number of F&B establishments available inside the mall.
Just like any other food court, variety is a must. For that part, Food Republic didn’t disappoint. It also offers some not-so-common items such as the Oyster omelet and the elusive Sarawak Noodles (both the Sarawak Laksa and the Kolo Mee, albeit pork-free).
With Malaysia being an Asian country, rice and noodles are predominantly on the menu.
Seeking a budget-friendly option? I Love Yoo is one my personal favourites. The soy milk drink is thick and fragrant and a bowl of porridge is under RM6.
Bulk up your meal with some tasty fried crullers, potato or yam balls or red bean-filled pastry. So yes, you can scale up or down according to your budget!
Getting to Food Republic @ Pavilion Kuala Lumpur:
Location: Food Republic, Level 1 Pavilion
Opening Hours: 9:00am – 10:00pm (Monday – Sunday).
Take the train (Monorail) to Bukit Bintang Station or Raja Chulan station.
Refer map:
https://goo.gl/maps/y1nRr
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: Large, air conditioned foodcourt.
Operational hours: 10 am – 10pm. **No off days.
Read: 8 food courts in Kuala Lumpur to visit, Part II
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