It is never an issue to find good food in the city of Kuala Lumpur.
Here are some places near the LRT (public trains) to start off your search for the perfect Malaysian-styled mid-day meal. If you would like to eat and experience lunch like the locals do, this list is a good place to start.
Here, we take you through choices 1 to 4.
1. Sarawak Laksa at Nam Chun Coffee Shop & Anuar Fish Head Curry
The vicinity of Bangsar is not short of eateries but for a more local flavor head over to Lucky Gardens.
Nam Chun Coffeeshop offers a variety of hawker favourites and one particular dish not commonly available is the Sarawak Laksa, a dish originated from the East Malaysia state of Sarawak.
What is the Sarawakian Laksa?
It is a bowl of spicy aromatic curry made of a myriad of spices which was cooked together in a prawn and chicken stock and thickened with coconut cream.
The laksa broth is poured over oodles of rice vermicelli topped with garnishes of egg strips, chicken meat, boiled prawns, blanched bean sprouts plus herbs just prior to serving.
Aunty Christina’s stall is the one you should be looking for. Though business gets busy, she’s always with a smile and quick to serve.
Bonus stop: If you’re already in Nam Chun, walk further down toward Lorong Ara Kiri 3 and seek out the makeshift Anuar Indian Fish Head Curry stall.
The fried chicken and squid are superb too!
Nam Chun Coffee Shop:
Anuar Fish Head Curry:
How to get there:
Address:
Nam Chun Coffee & Anuar Curry Fish Head
Corner of Lorong Ara Kiri 3, Lucky Garden
59100 Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur
Directions: Take the train (Putra LRT) to Bangsar Station, and take a metered taxi from Bangsar Station.
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/7MotJ
What to wear: Light clothing, shoes.
What to expect: Local hawker food area. Expect a crowd during peak hours.
Operational hours:
Sarawak Laksa: Daily 8am – 2.30pm. Closed every alternate Wednesday.
Anuar Curry Fish Head: Closed on Sundays.
Tips on safety, communication, ordering and directions:
A popular spot with the locals, the presence of foreigners may elicit stares but you can be assured that the people (both hawkers and diners) are friendly.
Aunty Christina converse in simple English and she is very used to be photographed so if you ask nicely she will even pose for you.
Anuar is known for his humble and talkative demeanor so do strike up a conversation with him if he is not too busy. He has been in business for 30 years so I’m sure he has a lot of interesting tales to share.
2. Kin Kin Pan Mee
Chilli pan mee is a bowl of dry “pan mee” (flat flour noodles, usually homemade) served with minced pork, anchovies, fried onions and topped with a poached egg.
Depending on inclination you can opt for a dry or soupy version.
The dry version is mostly preferred as you can then add in the fiery dry chilli mix into your noodles. The soft springy bite of the noodle, the crunchiness of anchovies and the spiciness of the chilli paste coupled with the creamy egg yolk makes this truly a bowl of goodness.
Order the soup version if you’re craving a hot, savoury soupy meal.
How to get there:
Address: 40, Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman 1, Off Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur.
Directions: Take the train (Monorail) to Medan Tuanku Station, and walk from Medan Tuanku Station.
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/P1ggC
What to wear: Light clothing, shoes.
What to expect: Local hawker food area. Expect a crowd during peak hours.
Operational hours: Mon – Fri 7.30am – 9pm, Sat – Sun 7.30am – 4.30pm
Tips on safety, communication, ordering and directions:
This is downtown KL city and a little ghetto somewhat. Still it is a vibe of the area that’s exciting to explore.
Chow Kit market is a lively and culturally rich bazaar about another 10 minutes’ walk away. This is another side of Kuala Lumpur that is interesting to explore though you should be more cautious while you are in this part of the city.
Along the way from Medan Tuanku you will see a row of shoplots selling “Nasi Kandar Penang” which is also a very delectable local culinary delight.
3. Annalakshmi – vegetarian Indian food at the Temple of Fine Arts, Brickfields.
A unique concept not practiced anywhere else would be Annalakshmi’s lunch buffet with the choice of “Pay What You Want”.
A buffet is also available for RM16/pax (exclusive of drinks) in an air-conditioned dining hall richly decorated with symbolic paraphernalia of the Indian culture.
Food is vegetarian but the smorgasbord won’t disappoint.
Rasam, beans in curry, vegetable kurma, lentils soups, fried savoury snacks, sweet desserts and aromatic rice are just some of the dishes you can expect to feast on.
The popular chapattis and puri are made upon order. The thick lassi (Indian yogurt drink) is a must; fresh, thick and sweet and great for digestion!
Dinner is ala-carte and the 5 pages menu should provide enough choices for a few visits.
For those who do not mind non air-conditioning there is a sort-of open area where you can join the volunteers for a meal too. This area also offers snacks for teatime.
Payment here is “Pay As You Wish”; meaning any amount you reckon is worth what you consumed.
How to get there:
Address: 114 Jalan Berhala, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur.
Directions: Take the train (Monorail or KTM or Putra) to KL Sentral Station, and walk from KL Sentral or take a metered taxi.
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/qN0oz
What to wear: Smart casual or formal. Shorts, sports apparel and slippers not encouraged.
What to expect: It is air conditioned dining for the RM16/pax buffet restaurant and “Pay As You Wish” for the non-air-conditioned basement dining hall.
Operational hours:
Closed on Mon
Tues – Sun 11.30am – 3pm, 6.30pm – 10.00pm
Daily lunch buffet except Mondays.
Dinner buffet (RM18 without a drink) – Fri, Sat, Sun.
Dinner ala-carte – Tues, Wed, Thursday.
Close on Mondays.
Tips on safety, communication, ordering and directions:
Brickfields is known as KL’s Little India. There is a rich history to Brickfields as it is one of the pioneer settlements in Kuala Lumpur with a large Indian community. Some of the best Indian cuisine (Pakistani, Southern Indian, Northern Indian) can be found here.
Always busy and colourful, Brickfields is a wonderful area for street photography especially along the street market selling the traditional Indian costumes like saris and scarves, Indian jewelry, flowers, henna artist and also at some of the temples in the area.
4. Kun Yam Thong Temple at Jalan Ampang (Dharma Sagely Realm Monastery)
Head here for a Chinese temple vegetarian cuisine experience. The temple is an oasis of calm amidst the bustling cosmopolitan of Kuala Lumpur city. Food is prepared without MSG, mostly healthy and cheap.
The vegetarian mix rice with the option of white rice or fried rice is the main attraction while Hakka Lui Char (Thunder Tea Rice – a Hakka delicacy), noodles and different variety of vegetarian baked buns, local pastries and so on are offered on different days.
Low sugar drinks:
Fresh fruits:
Canteen-like atmosphere:
A meal for one – RM6.50.
The temple:
How to get there:
Address: Kun Yam Thong Temple, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.
Directions: Take the train (Putra) to KLCC, and walk from KLCC station. Exit at Avenue K & cross the road. Then turn left and walk down til you see the temple.
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/sFQBr
What to wear: Casual. Shorts, sports apparel and slippers not encouraged.
What to expect: It is canteen-style dining and it is self-service. You would have to queue up to pay & clean up after meals.
Opening Hours: 11am – 2pm (Mon – Fri)
Breakfast is simple. The lunch spread is vast and that begins at 1145am til 2pm.
Closed on Saturday and Sunday.
