Top 10 Eats in KL you must not Miss

Today’s guestpost comes from my buddy Alice who writes for The Star, as well as her own blog, Jom Makan. Alice is a true foodie and always has the time to sniff out the must eats in KL.

Here is her list, of Top 10 Eats in KL that she loves to indulge in :

1. Bak Kut Teh

As a Hokkien, I grew up eating bak kut teh – hearty herbal-accented pork rib broth. It’s a staple that we ate regularly at home and on weekends. I love it even more when the full-bodied soup’s infused with tong kwai (Chinese angelica root). My favourite BKT joint is at this corner house somewhere in the Balakong New Village, 11th Mile Cheras. The steamed fish head with black beans and pork lardons is stupendously good too.

2. Dim Sum

Our family’s monthly mainstay for dim sum served the old-fashioned way – piping hot and straight from the pushcarts stacked with towers of bamboo baskets.

We also have had countless family dinners here over the years and the food has always been consistently good. Notable dishes include the Hong Kong-style wantan mee, baked egg tarts, steamed cod in superior soya sauce, crispy roast chicken and braised sea cucumber with mushroom.

3. Hokkien Mee

This noodle dish is the stuff my childhood is made of, for major family celebrations, festive occasions and weeknight suppers. Fast forward to the present, we now head over to the AhWa Hokkien Mee branch in Bandar Mahkota Cheras to satisfy our Hokkien Mee craving. It even meets Mom’s approval so that’s really the best testament ever.

4. Fish Head Curry

Rich, creamy and spicy, this fiery-red fish head curry comes laden with taufu pok (beancurd puffs), long beans, okra, brinjal and cabbage in a claypot. Don’t miss the house specialities such as salt baked la la clams, yau chum (oil-dipped) tilapia, fish maw soup, salt and pepper chicken wings and deep-fried mantis prawns.

5. Wantan Mee

The bamboo noodles are made by the owner upstairs in the old-school coffee shop. Besides the classic char siew and wantan combo, toppings for the wantan mee here include braised beef tripe, steamed pork ribs, Hakka char yoke (stewed belly pork with wood ear fungus), chicken feet with black mushroom, ‘dry’ chicken curry or braised duck with sliced ginger. Try the deep-fried wantan mee doused in an eggy sauce (similar to Cantonese-style fried noodles) with sang har (freshwater prawns). The fried rice is equally scrumptious; brimming with smoky wok hei accent.

6. Banana Leaf Rice

My favourite banana leaf rice joint. I love the fried chicken drumstick and silver whiting, deep-fried bittergourd chips, mutton varuval and spicy chicken rendang. I also like the chapati and roti telur on days when I want lighter alternatives to a full-blown rice meal.

7. Roast Duck

Subtle hints of five-spice, ginger powder and Chinese ‘hua tiao’ wine are fully suffused in the tender, juicy roast duck here. Best enjoyed with the eatery’s home-made sweet plum sauce and garlic-chilli dips. Double-boiled soups: lotus root with peanuts, pig stomach in peppercorns or old cucumber soup are available in limited quantity. Other specialities include ‘char siew’ (barbecued roast pork in caramelised sauce), ‘siew yoke’ (roast pork) and grilled boneless chicken drumstick with honey-soy sauce and sesame seeds.

8. Chicken Rice

Tucked away in a cul-de-sac, this no-frills stall run by an elderly couple proffers superbly flavourful chicken rice that’s cooked with real chicken stock (hence the grains’ brownish hue) complemented by tender albeit slightly springy yellow skinned choi yin gai – poached free range village chicken.

9. Teochew Comfort Food

A retinue of homespun Teochew dishes that evoke memories of mother’s cooking, ranging from tender red stewed duck and fluffy fried oyster omelette with salted turnip to crunchy-chewy red stewed pig’s ear and assorted side dishes: chopped pickled radish, fried salted fish, crispy fried anchovies and stewed peanuts that go well with rice or porridge.

10. English Afternoon Tea

Occasionally my BFF and me will spoil ourselves with a classy English afternoon tea treat and The Ritz Carlton KL is just the place for our tête-a-tête session. We love the freshly baked scones, mouth-watering finger sandwiches, mini quiches and dainty dessert with our choice of fine Ronnefeldt tea.

About this Week’s Guest Writer:

Alice is a freelance writer and occasional blogger who thrives on plenty of good food, frequent travel and great company. She is an accomplished Food writer, lifestyle blogger and occasional spin doctor! All photos on this post are credited to Alice.