We can’t do justice to the food experience in Kuala Lumpur if we do not highlight our favourite choices for desserts too. For the sweet-toothed among us, here are some of our local desserts to fix that craving.
Here, we take you through choices 5 to 8.
Click here for Top 8 Desserts To Try In Kuala Lumpur, Part I
5. Ais kacang and chendol at Brickfields
After hours of exploration in our hot and humid city, sweet, finely-shaved ice with numerous toppings of nuts, jellies, beans, sweet corns is perfect to sooth parched throats and to cool the body down.
Shaved ice is very popular in Malaysia and can generally be presented in 2 forms; “ais kacang” (or simply ABC) or Chendol.
The former is a mound of fine ice drizzled with red, black syrup and evaporated milk with toppings such as sweet corn, red bean, jelly, attap chee (palm seeds) and some versions creamy ice cream and fresh fruits.
The latter includes rich coconut milk and aromatic palm sugar with green starched jelly noodles. A version with fresh durian pulp is popular too.
Many coffee shops, hawker centres, food courts, cafes, hotels and restaurants offer this dessert though the ones in hotels, restaurants and cafes are expectedly more elaborate in terms of the ingredients offered.
How to get there:
Address: Ah Keong’s ABC is located in front of 7-Eleven, opposite YMCA
Jalan Tun Sambanthan 4, Brickfields, KL.
Closes at 7pm.
Take the train (RapidKL LRT – PUTRA Line OR Monorail) to KL Sentral Station.
Refer map: https://goo.gl/maps/8Yfn7
How to get there (Recommended mode): Walk from KL Sentral Station.
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: A roadside stall with tables and chairs under umbrellas.
6. Chinese peanut pancake (Ban Jian Kuih)
One variety is the thick spongy, chewy type while the other has a thin and crispy crust. The basics for both is similar; batter, copious amount of roasted peanuts (finely blended), sugar and margarine/butter.
For the thick variety, a big iron cast pan is used and the batter is cooked using gas or charcoal. The thin crust version is usually cooked in individual metal pans specially made for the purpose. Some enjoy the substantial bite of the chewy peanut pancake while others love the brittle crunch of the thin version. Either way, it is a much loved Malaysian breakfast/teatime snack.
Certain stalls will have variants with added dessicated coconut and/or sweet corn kernels. More elaborate versions includes egg, sausages, ham, cheese and well, every imaginable ingredient suitable for sandwiches.
How to get there:
Address: Morning market at Petaling Street, Jalan Petaling, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
Take the train (RapidKL LRT – PUTRA Line) to Pasar Seni Station.
Refer map: https://goo.gl/maps/UJ3Mw
How to get there (Recommended mode): Walk from Pasar Seni Station.
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: A busy market area with historical pre-war shop houses on the street with a wide range of classic Chinese food. Some food stalls are only open in the morning while others only at night. Take your time to explore as finding some of the hidden gems can be a tricky task since some stalls are hidden in the alley or tucked behind a row of shops.
This uncle selling the peanut pancake has been piling his trade for decades. He is one of the very few around that still uses charcoal for cooking the pancake. You can find him in front of the popular soya bean stall on Petaling Street.
Operational hours: 7 am – 9 pm. No off days.
7. Durian Durian kiosk at Suria KLCC stall or Durian Lagenda at Lot 10 Hutong.
It is one of the most unlikely place to find this pungent fruit. In a swanky shopping mall no less.
The unfortunate part is that they don’t sell durians in its original form, but instead various permutations such as cream puffs, chiffon cakes, Swiss rolls, cheesecakes, mousse and mochis which are spot-on homages to the king of fruits.
The durian mochi is chilled satisfaction; soft to the touch, pleasurably sticky to the bite. Try the durian kuih bahulu if you’re a lover of traditional sponge cakes as this is a spin from the traditional bahulu.
The buttery crust with creamy durian infused cream is a marvelous adaption of the common cheese tart.
While you’re at it, make space for a pungent cone of durian ice cream.
Can’t get enough of the King of Fruits? Grab some souvenirs home. The durian baked tarts are packaged for travel.
If you’re in the vicinity of Lot 10 in Bukit Bintang, then you could sample the durian fruit itself at the Durian Lagenda kiosk in Hutong Lot 10.
The durian mochi, durian pancake and the durian crepes are fabulous too.
DURIAN DURIAN Kiosk at Suria KLCC:
Durian Lagenda kiosk in Hutong Lot 10:
DURIAN DURIAN Kiosk at Suria KLCC:
How to get there:
Address: Concourse Floor, Suria CC, Jalan Ampang, KL City Centre, Kuala Lumpur
Take the train (RapidKL LRT – PUTRA Line) to KLCC Station.
Refer map: https://goo.gl/maps/PUE80
How to get there (Recommended mode): Walk from KLCC Station. Exit the station, head towards Suria KLCC and then towards Isetan Food Market. The Durian Durian kiosk is just a few steps away from Sephora and Maybank.
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: Creative pastries made specially using the King of Fruits.
Operational hours: 10 am – 10pm. No off days.
DURIAN Lagenda kiosk at Hutong Lot 10:
How to get there:
Address: Hutong Food Court, Lot 10 Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur
Take the train (Monorail) to Bukit Bintang Station.
Refer map: https://goo.gl/maps/0ec3D
How to get there (Recommended mode): 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.
8. Chinese (Peranakan/Nyonya)/Malay “Kuih”
The name “Kuih” generally encompasses local deserts that would otherwise be called cakes, cookies, dumplings, pudding, biscuit, or pastries in English.
In almost all Malay and Chinese (Peranakan/Nyonya) kuih, the most common ingredients are coconut cream, pandan (screwpine) leaves, grated coconut and gula melaka (palm sugar, fresh or aged) and the base largely made from a variety of flour (rice, glutinous rice, mung bean and tapioca flour).
These ingredients contributed to giving kuihs their distinctive soft, almost pudding-like, yet firm texture. There are distinctive differences between the Malay and Chinese (Peranakan/Nyonya) kuih but there is similarities as well among them as well.
Our advice? Try whichever that caught your fancy!
These kuih are best at local morning and night markets, but these 2 outlets in KLCC are easily accessible, available 7 days a week and freshness of the kuih are assured.
La Cucur
Nyonya Colors
Chinese (Peranakan/Nyonya) – Suria KLCC (Nyonya Colors):
Malay kuih – Suria KLCC La Cucur
How to get there:
Address:
Nyonya Colors
K21, Level 2, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
La Cucur
C33, Concourse Level, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
Take the train (RapidKL LRT – PUTRA Line) to KLCC Station.
Refer map: https://goo.gl/maps/PUE80
How to get there (Recommended mode): Walk from KLCC Station. Exit the station, head towards Suria KLCC and then towards Isetan Food Market. La Cucur is on your right while Nyonya Colours is on Level 2.
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: Extensive selection of local sweet and savoury local kuih.
Operational hours: 10 am – 10pm. No off days.
Tips on safety, communication, ordering and directions:
Prices of Kuih starts from RM0.50 to about RM4.00 depending on your selection.
