Shortlisting our recommended 8 dinner venues in Kuala Lumpur wasn’t easy, with such a wide variety of dining options ranging from international cuisine served in high-end restaurants to the make-shift stall down the street.
But for the best combination of taste and a truly Malaysian dining experience in Kuala Lumpur, here is our shortlist.
Here, we take you through choices 5 to 8. Click here for Top 8 Dinner Venues In Kuala Lumpur, Part I
5. Mamak
The Mamaks were originally humble open-air food stalls operated by Indian Muslims. These are often by the sidewalks and operation hours are usually from morning till well past midnight (if not 24 hours).
Currently the term ‘Mamak’ has since evolved and has become a lifestyle restaurant. The young and old hang out to chat, to watch football matches, to eat and for some even for business meetings.
You can enjoy tasty Muslim Indian hawker offerings such as various types of roti canai, nasi kandar, fried noodles/rice, burgers and teh tarik (pulled tea). Mamaks offers food that is appropriate for breakfast, lunch, tea time, dinner and supper. From a heavy meal to a simple snack, it is all possible at a mamak and at any time of the day too!
How to get there:
In KL area there are numerous mamak or 24 hours Indian Muslim restaurants.
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: Depending on outlet mamaks are usually 24 hours and can be as big as Pelita on Jalan Ampang with a seating of 200 pax or small as a roadside stall with a few tables. The roti canai (pratha) is the basic offering – add on from there.
Operational hours: Most are 24 hours, daily
6. Mun Wah Hokkien Mee
Other than the chilli pan mee, Hokkien Mee (Hokkien-styled fried yellow noodles) is another dish popular in the Klang Valley. The dish consisted of fat yellow noodles fried in dark soy sauce with ingredients of pork slices, prawns, fish cake, vegetable (usually choy sum) and an essential component; crispy pork fat/lard).
Traditionally it is cooked in a big wok using pork lard and with high heat for that coveted wok-char flavour.
Some vendors add pork liver but at the very least there must always be sufficient amount of pork meat and lard in each serving.
Mun Wah has been existent for the past 2 decades and the crowd is strong every night. They do not cook the noodles with charcoal anymore but we still like it here as they dish out a less oilier version of Hokkien Mee in comparison to other outlets.
Other popular dishes includes their signature fishcakes and battered squid rings. They claimed that the fish cake is made from saito fish (ikan parang) which gives the best texture and flavour.
Mun Wah Hokkien Mee
Address: 55, Jalan Maharajalela, 50480, Kuala Lumpur
Directions: Take the train (Monorail ) to Maharajalela Station.
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/EN019
How to get there (Recommended mode): Walk from Maharajalela or take a metered taxi.
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: A small shoplot and dining area is open air outside the restaurant. Go early if you do not want to wait for an average of 30 – 45 minutes for your order.
Operational hours: 6pm til late
Tips on safety, communication, ordering and directions:
The wait is long come 8pm or so it is advisable to be early (around 6-7.30pm). Most of the wait staff are old men and women who do not understand English much but they are helpful and understanding so you would still get your orders.
7. Tiffins’ by Chef Korn
Tiffin is a light casual dining outlet serving a mixture of Thai classic and fusion meals. The restaurant focuses on pork-heavy, home-style Thai food that are Chef Korn’s family recipes.
Chef Korn had established a solid reputation with his first outlet Erawan; a Thai fusion fine dining outlet and Tiffins is his new baby; an outlet for him to serve his Thai village-style food that he has grown up with.
The menu consist of noodles, salads, rice, porridge and even a steak. We recommend the set meals which comes with a daily appetiser and a fresh Thai-based salad.
There is also homemade ice-cream for RM5.80 per scoop and the Coconut Roasted Peanut flavour is worth a shot. Most of the ingredients are imported from Thailand to preserve authenticity and that includes the Thai pork crackers and snacks which is sold in its premises.
Chef Korn has always been playful and though meals at Tiffins are simple, he continues to inject a bit of modernity into the overall theme such as using these test tubes as condiments holders. We thought it was cute!
How to get there:
Location: 3rd floor (North Court – where Celebrity Fitness is), Mid Valley Megamall, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.
*Look for Old Town White Coffee, Daiso. Tiffin’s is a floor above.
Directions: Take the train (Train – KTM Komuter) to Mid Valley Station.
Map:
Using KTM Komuter and feeder bus: https://goo.gl/maps/oeBaX
KTM Komuter : https://goo.gl/maps/gfivo
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: A cosy outlet serving authentic Thai dishes with inclusion of pork which is not very common for outlets in shopping malls.
Dishes are big on flavour while service is friendly and prompt.
Operational hours: 10 am – 10pm, daily
8. Sate Zainah Ismail
Skewered barbequed meat over charcoal is “satay” to us Malaysians. We love them charred, sweet and tender with plenty of tumeric in the marinate. Every proprietor has his/her special recipe but Sate Zainah Ismail’s satay is indisputably one of the outstanding ones in Klang Valley.
Locating it is straightforward enough. Take the LRT to Damai LRT station and ask around for Sate Zainah. Everyone thereabouts knows it.
Look out for this makeshift “outlet” or just follow the smoke.
From the start of business hour til sold out, these lads keep the flames going and the customers happy.
We love the sizable portion for RM1.10 (USD0.40)/stick which is at least double the size of the anaemic satay offered elsewhere.
The marinate can be a bit sweet but it is alright eaten with the ketupat (rice cake), cucumbers and onions. We suggest dipping it in copious amount of peanut sauce and an order of both chicken and beef for variety!
How to get there:
Sate Zainah Ismail
Address: 3437 Jalan Keramat, 54000 Kuala Lumpur
Directions: Take the LRT to Damai LRT station and ask around for Sate Zainah. Everyone thereabouts knows it. Look out for this makeshift “outlet” or just follow the smoke.
What to wear: Casual.
What to expect: A roadside makeshift outlet. Humble shack but big on flavours and value.
Operational hours: 6pm – 10pm, daily
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/9BLCa | GPS Coordinates: N3 09.953 E101 43.403
Tel: 03-4256-9973 (I believe they do accept orders for catering )
