KLANG
NG CHOON KEITH
Executive Director, Kota Kelang Group
We Klang-ites have bak kut teh every single week, I should think. It’s part and parcel of our lives and quite the breakfast staple. My KL friends always frown and ask how we can handle such a heavy meal in the morning but the trick is to ensure lunch is light. In the past, bak kut teh was favoured by labourers as the high calorie content would see them through the day. Today, drinking Chinese tea is a must with any bak kut teh meal as we believe it’ll wash away the fat. I don’t know if it’s true or not but any true Klang person would always carry a caddy of tea with them whenever they enter any bak kut teh shop.
My choice is, without doubt, Restoran Chow Kiat (Jalan Kapar), a place made famous by word-of-mouth and one Klang folks consider the flag-bearer of the dish. The soup is thick and sumptuous and it’s most famous for its twa kut (big bone) bak kut teh. Another place to go is Ah Tao Seafood Bak Kut Teh at Restoran Beng Heong (35, Jalan Teluk Pulai, Kawasan 6). One of the owners was originally a painter-subcontractor for my father before deciding he wanted to sell bak kut teh. As any wise man would do, my father supported his friend. And, in his circle of friends, there was also a fishmonger who’d always bring the seafood that didn’t sell to the shop. Fish, prawns, squid, crab and all sorts were soon added. That’s how the idea of this seafood bak kut teh shop started, really. It’s a nice place and it usually sells out by around 10am – so get there early.
Another favourite breakfast place of mine is the Hailam curry rice at Stall 171, Emporium Makan Klang (Jalan Sultan). It’s open from 4am to 11am and is the place for party-goers looking for late, late supper or those who like to eat before the sun rises. It’s not a fancy place but the food’s great. I love the minced pork patties, fish paste-stuffed bean curd, braised egg and an intestine soup with pig’s blood and salted vegetables. Their special blend of chilli paste also ties everything together nicely.
Top 1 Chicken Rice (intersection of Jalan Meru and Jalan Gelugor) is a small stall and beside a busy main road but it’s very famous among the locals. It’s open for breakfast and the owner is a very enthusiastic young chap who took over the business from his father. Look out for his ‘real’ kampong chicken with really thick, yellow skin on Sundays. And if you don’t feel up to driving to Malacca for chicken rice balls, Klang has it, too! Go to the nameless Hainanese chicken rice balls stall (Jalan Gelugor) which, to be honest, beats Malacca’s hands down. Most people also know of the so-called ‘Klang Hilton’, or Restoran Siow Tiow (58, Lorong Gopeng, Kawasan 18). It got its nickname due to its prices but the food is really top quality. Try the fried oysters, fish maw, steamed pomfret, fried Hokkien noodles with oysters and even their garlic-fried seasonal vegetables taste superb – a well-known spot for lunch and dinner. A caveat: they don’t serve rice here.
Even before Restoran Boston Baru (Jalan Kapar) got really well-known, you still had to queue up and wait ages. But among the Klang folks, it’s very famous – especially for dishes like the steamed lala, mantis prawns cooked with Nestum (although any cooking style is delicious), fried Hokkien noodles and the seafood hot plate. It’s a nice restaurant but make sure you have time to burn. Taman Klang Jaya Fried Chicken (Jalan Selampit 24, Taman Klang Jaya) is open for dinner only. Run by two brothers, the chicken from this eatery is exceptionally tasty and juicy, with many cuts on offer, like fried gizzard, liver, and bishop’s nose. Their red bean soup and nasi lemak are also good. Definitely a great supper joint!
Now a famous coffee shop, the site Chong Kok Kopitiam (Jalan Stesen Klang) stands on was once a brothel. It’s also just a stone’s throw away from the Klang police station, with a lot of policemen hanging out here in the mornings. So, I have dubbed this ‘the safest place’ in Klang. Enjoy their homemade roti bakar or steamed bread, kampong eggs, nasi lemak and house-roasted coffee. Melawis Char Kway Teow (3, Lintang Gangsa, off Jalan Melawis) only serves the fried noodle dish and nothing more and is the place for char kway teow enthusiasts! You’d have to wait a bit during peak hours but it’s sublime.
PENANG
PAUL POH
Founder/CEO, Caprice Capital
Penang’s most famous dish is char kway teow and I think the Lorong Selamat lady at Kafe Heng Huat (108, Lorong Selamat) is its most famous exponent. She used to have her stall further down the road, at Chuan Kee, which serves good kway teow th’ng too, if you’re still hungry. For traditional Hokkien rice and dishes, I go to Sin Kheang Aun (2, Lebuh Chulia) which does delicious favourites, like joo hoo char, taw ewe bak and pork liver. The guy at Seng Lee Café (270, Jalan Burma) is a veteran mee goreng master and there’s also a stall there that sells wonton noodles with nice sui kow (dumplings). If you are a fan of prawn noodles (in Penang, it’s called ‘Hokkien mee’) and an early riser, go to the same coffee shop at around 7am to bag a bowl. It’ll sell out by 11am! For beef noodles, drive to New Lane (Lorong Baru) or go to Lam Ah (between Beach Street and Chulia Street). This is right opposite the fire station and everyone in Penang will know it for sure!
Iced desserts are also not to be missed here. If you want a bowl of ABC (or ang tau sng, as the Penangites call it), Swatow Lane is a popular destination. Go to Sin Se Kai (Lorong Swatow), just opposite New World Park. For cendol, go to Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul (Lebuh Keng Kwee). Also, don’t let ET Steamboat Restoran’s (4, Jalan Rangoon) name fool you. Aside from steamboat, it also serves really nice Nyonya dishes. I come here for classic items like gulai assam fish, kiam chye boey, pork intestines soup and assam prawns.
And the best roast suckling piglet I’ve ever had in my life was in Penang, at May Garden Palace (70, Jalan Penang) restaurant, right next to the Cititel hotel. I think it’s the best in Malaysia and certainly the best I’ve ever had. If you decide to go, ask for Sunny. He’ll look after you.
IPOH
DATO’ SIMON FOONG
Managing Director, Aquaria
Ipoh is just a two-hour drive from KL so I always target to reach around lunchtime, where my first stop would be at Thean Chun Coffee Shop (73, Jalan Bandar Timah). They have the best chicken satay, caramel egg custard (which sells out fast), Ipoh’s iconic dish of chee cheong fun, which you can have with either sweet sauce or mushroom gravy, and the chicken and beansprout noodles. People normally choose kway teow but I love it with yellow noodles. For kangkong sotong with a twist, try the version here as the sauce is like a satay-curry sauce. There’s a very nice popiah stall next door too. Order from them and they’ll deliver to your table in Thean Chun. This is a must-go as there’s a lot of variety and most of the stalls are excellent.
If you’re looking for a mid-afternoon snack and most of the lunchtime hawkers have closed, head to the Medan Selera Stadium (between Jalan Ghazali Jawi and Lebuh Cecil Rae). Look for the wonton mee stall. The noodles are very fragrant. The Cantonese would say ‘ho yeow may’, and you have a choice of prawn or pork dumplings. Order an ABC iced dessert to complete the meal.
I’m also a big fan of Ipoh’s curry noodles and the version at Sun Seng Fatt (32, Jalan Market) is so good it has since franchised out to Hong Kong. If you’re up early, Xin Quan Fang’s (174, Jalan Sultan Iskandar) is the old school favourite. Locals call it ‘Mata Liu’, referring to its proximity to a police station. Here, I order the soup version but, always, always, with an extra bowl of cham yoke (mixed meats) on the side as this gives you a small plate of special dip that is out of this world. Another good curry noodle spot is Yee Fatt Tea Shop (39, Jalan Kampar), also known as MGS as it’s opposite the Methodist Girls’ School, where I like the dry noodle version.
Everyone knows Funny Mountain Soya Bean (49, Jalan Theatre) for its tau foo fah and soy bean drink, both of which are very good. And, for a change of taste, the mamak mee at Cathay Mee Stall (Jalan Yang Kalsom), a hole in the wall place near the old Cathay coffeeshop, is very good. For dinner, there are two spots I try never to miss. The first is Tuck Kee (61, Jalan Yau Tet Shin). It serves probably the best wat tan hor noodles you will ever taste. Don’t forget to start your meal with an order of phoenix claws too. And for hor fun noodles, the best of the best is Restoran Cowan Street (44, Jalan Raja Ekram). The noodles are like silk!
KUALA LUMPUR
TAN SRI DR LIM EWE JIN
President & CEO, Lejadi Group
Ignore its Japanese-sounding name. Gyuniku Signature (16, Jalan 28/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas) is one of the best places I know for local food in a comfortable atmosphere. My office is nearby, so I eat here often. The Penang white curry mee is very good as well as its popiah basah. They also serve excellent muah chee (peanut- and sugar-coated glutinous rice balls), which is off-the-menu but available on alternate weeks. You have to ask for it. If you’re longing for a true taste of Penang, make sure you have the tee nya kuih for dessert. The chicken rice near my office, at Nam Heong (30, Jalan 27/70A) is also very good as is the herbal roast duck and Hakka noodles at S Double One (Jalan 27/70A). Look for the stall called Kin Herbal Roast Duck. I also usually order a portion of chicken wings to take away whenever I’m here.
Two other places I like going to are Champ’s (Bangsar Shopping Centre) for its ‘Damn Shiok’ Hokkien mee and the Little Penang Cafe (Mid Valley Megamall) for its kuih pie tee, prawn noodles and cendol. I think the best char kway teow in the area can be found in Damansara Heights’ Restoran Shangri-La (Jalan Batai). For excellent nasi lemak, I go to Bangsar’s ‘Jolly Green’, where the Nasi Lemak Famous stall (Bangsar Selera Food Court, Telawi) can be found from early evening to the wee hours of the morning. For satay, the best one, in my opinion is at Satay Station (Mont Kiara Meridin, 19 Jalan Duta Kiara). I’m a big fan of curry myself and fish head curry is a favourite. I really enjoy the one at Ah Tuan Ee’s in Petaling Jaya while, in Kuala Lumpur, it probably has to be Restoran ZK (76, Jalan Kampung Attap).
PETALING JAYA
DATUK IR ROSALINE GANENDRA
Executive Director, Minconsult
Mention ‘Petaling Jaya’ and the first place that comes to mind is usually Restoran O&S (Jalan 20/14, Taman Paramount). Most of the stalls are pretty good quality. I especially like the Penang-style chee cheong fun, the laksa (both curry and assam) and the goreng pisang (banana fritters). For KL-style chee cheong fun, which is served with gravy, unlike the Penang version which uses prawn paste, I go to Restoran Sun Fatt Kee (Jalan 21/11B). It’s not far from Kedai Kuih Ahan (Jalan 21/22), the famous Nyonya kuih shop, while there’s a good curry laksa stall inside as well. Restoran Sorn (Jalan 20/16A), right behind O&S does a lovely claypot chicken rice. Look out for the old man manning the stall, unfortunately, usually to be found with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. There’s also what is possibly PJ’s best pork noodle at Restoran Kean Fatt (Jalan SS3/59E). Unfortunately, you have to wait quite a bit for your bowl!
If you like seafood noodles, you have to go to Restoran De Rasa Sayang (12, Jalan SS4C/5), which is open from morning till about afternoon, or until they sell out. You can go pricey and luxe with ingredients like fresh pomfret, oysters and abalone thrown in but even the basic version, with fishballs, is delicious. And don’t miss a side order of fried fish cakes. PJ is also home to two famous roast duck restaurants. One’s called Sunrise (31, Jalan 21/1), while I’ve nicknamed the other ‘Sunset’. Sunrise opens during the day, while ‘Sunset’, or Restoran Loong Foong (1, Jalan 20/13), is open for dinner. They also do a very good fish head noodle!
You also can’t miss out on the charms of a good banana leaf or nasi kandar lunch while you are in the area. The neighbourhood favourites of mine are Kanna Curry House (29, Jln 17/45) and Restoran Kayu Nasi Kandar (Jalan SS2/10), although I head there primarily for its selection of rotis. And if I’m craving black Hokkien mee at night, I go to a pub near my home. It’s called Online (10, Jalan SS4/17) and it’s dense, dark and deeply delicious.
SEREMBAN
WONG WEN CHET
Managing Director, GC Property Group
One of the closest places for Klang Valley people to head to for makan is Seremban. My first stop is usually Restoran Yi Poh (Jalan Temiang) as the loh shee fun noodles here have great texture and bite. I can’t find anything like it elsewhere. What makes it even better is that it’s not far from my house – the perfect lazy weekend spot. For simply creamy and aromatic laksa, go to Kau Kee (Jalan Limbok), which serves up a spicy version with tofu. Everyone loves chicken rice and my preference is for the steamed variety. In Seremban, you have to go to Restoran Chai Hong (Jalan Kapitan Tam Yeong) whose chicken rice is legendary. Although it’s not a fine dining place, the prices are high and I would go so far as to call it the most expensive chicken rice in Malaysia! Even the locals call it ‘diamond chicken rice’. But once you taste the steamed, fresh chicken served with fresh aromatic soy sauce, I think it’s unique in the whole country.
Hakka noodles are also a very popular local dish and I think the best one can be had at Kedai Makanan Tow Kee (Jalan Dato Bandar Tunggal). The pork mince is exceptionally tasty while the noodles are homemade. And, compared to the chicken rice place, this is cheap, cheerful and very delicious. For a lighter noodle dish to try, go to Kedai Makanan Shiang Kang (Jalan Tuanku Munawir), which serves poh choy mee, noodles served with spinach or, to be more precise, amaranth. I like it as they offer a variety of noodles to be served with different accompaniments, which may range from shredded chicken to phoenix claws, curry chicken and wonton dumplings.
It has a funny name but Mee Kung Fu Café (Jalan Lobak in Millennia Square) does delicious fish ball noodles. I’m not the only one who thinks so as this noodle has won the ‘Nanyang Award’ for good texture and its special soy sauce. Also, don’t let Ikan Bakar’s (33, Jalan Tun Dr Ismail) basic surroundings fool you. The locals refer to it as teet pan siu, literally ‘hot plate’. What you get here is fresh fish in a special spicy sauce (if you can’t take chili, there’s also a non-spicy version) or a herbal one. It might be cooked very traditionally but you can’t beat the aromatics. You also will be pleasantly surprised when you ask for the bill. If you like char kway teow, which most Malaysians do, drive over to Say Kor Pat or ‘498’ (Jalan Temiang), which fries it the old-fashioned way, using charcoal. The texture is very good, with noticable wok hei (a term Chinese use to describe wok-charred smokiness. The more poetic refer to it as ‘dragon’s breath’).
Dim sum is always a popular choice and I think Restoran Min Kok’s (7645, Jalan Labu Lama) is the best in Seremban. It’s not expensive and the variety is wide. I particularly like their special herbal steamed fish balls. For ka xiong pin fun, a term the Chinese use to refer to ‘home-style cooking’, I like going to Restoran Regent (Taman Bukit Kaya) as it’s practically a Seremban institution, having been around for over 20 years. The food is always tasty and the service is good. Another reason to come here is it’s very close by the Labu Toll – perfect if you need to entertain oustation clients.
MALACCA
DATO’ COLIN TAN
Managing Director, Hatten Group
Satay celup is a must-have while in Malacca and I love it due to its rich, textured, lightly-spiced peanut gravy that’s both sweet and savoury. The one to head to would be Ban Lee Siang (Jalan Ong Kim Wee) as the spread of fresh produce, all nicely skewered on sticks, is extensive. A Straits Chinese settlement, Malacca is also famous for its Nyonya cuisine and the top two places to eat would be, in my opinion, Donald & Lily (Jalan KSB1, Taman Kota Shahbandar) and Makan Nyonya (Estadia by Hatten, Jalan Merdeka). At Donald & Lily’s, I always order their laksa and cendol. The laksa gravy is thick and aromatic, full of spices, and topped with thinly-sliced omelette and cucumber. I always ask for a combination of meehoon-mee and extra kerang (cockles) and kesum leaves. And nothing completes a meal here like cendol – a perfect balance of shaved ice, coconut milk, sweet Gula Melaka, red beans and homemade cendol jelly. At Makan Nyonya, I usually order a banquet-style menu of their classic Peranakan dishes. My family’s favourites are the cincaluk omelette, assam fish head curry, chicken buah keluak and bendi belacan (okra topped with shrimp chilli paste). You must also try the assam boi drink – a real refreshing thirst-quencher! My personal favourite lunch spot, however, is Selvam Restaurant (Jalan Temenggong). I prefer to eat light so I love their plain thosai with fish head curry and a side of cucumber-yoghurt salad. They are also famous for their hearty banana leaf lunches and roti canai, all of which are very good.
Chicken rice balls are a favourite among tourists but I think Chung Wah Kopitiam (Jalan Hang Kasturi, off Jonker Street) does a particularly silky smooth Hainanese-style steamed chicken, while the rice balls are fluffy and fragrant. You can also customise your chicken rice by adding thick dark taoyu (soy sauce) or chilli paste. Order a side of steamed bean sprouts for a most satisfying meal. If you’re up late, the perfect supper spot is Pak Putra Tandoori& Naan (Jalan Laksamana 4). I recommend the triple cheese garlic naan and the tandoori chicken, which is famous for being really succulent, moist and full of spicy flavours. It also comes with a side of mint sauce. An extra order of palak paneer (cottage cheese spinach) and Malaysia’s favourite brew – teh tarik – is the perfect nightcap to this sinful supper.
You can’t come to Malacca and not try its street food either. My hit list includes putu piring (Jalan Tengkerah), tong shui desserts (Jalan Bendahara), oyster omelette (Jalan Bunga Raya) and coconut shakes (Jalan Klebang Besar). The coconut shake is a mixture of fresh coconut water blended with vanilla ice cream, resulting in an ice cold drink that’s both refreshing and indulgent. Queues can form from as early as 3pm each day and it’s a top favourite among locals as well as visitors. I love the Jalan Tengkerah putu piring, especially, which is sold directly from the owner’s house porch by the roadside. It’s basically a steamed rice flour cake filled with Gula Melaka and topped with shaved coconut. I also love tong shui and you can get the best homemade bubur cha cha, red bean soup as well as freshly-fried yu char kway (Chinese crullers) at the stall on the corner of Jalan Bendahara, past the Ramada Plaza hotel. Malaccans often disagree about where to find the best oh chien (oyster omelette) but my pick would be Medan Makan Boon Leong (a food court along Jalan Bunga Raya). There’s always a long queue but it’s worth the wait as the end result is deliciously fluffy omelettes studded with fresh oysters.
KUCHING
DATUK DANEL ABONG
Managing Director, Global Upline
“For breakfast, top of my list is Chong Choon Café (Lot 121, Abell Road, Section 3). It’s right opposite RHB Bank and is very popular with a great spread of local food. Sarawak laksa, of course, is the crowd favourite and you have to get here before 11am or it’s all gone. Kolok mee, the local version of mee goreng, is also good while the mee jawa is mouth-watering. There’s even satay, which to Sarawakians, is a ‘very breakfast’ dish. Nasi lemak, however, is alien. If you prefer something more mainstream, the half-boiled eggs accompanied by a cup of teh-c (tea with evaporated milk) is fantastic. When night falls, seafood calls. And, unless you want to venture out to Buntal Fishing Village, about a half-hour drive away, or Muara Tebas, my choice would be Stall #25 at Top Spot Food Court (top level of SEDC Car Park, Jalan Bukit Mata Kuching), popular with both locals and visitors. You can’t miss this stall as it’s very ‘neon’. What to do? Fight for a table, then banter with the Ah Moi on what you’d like to eat from the raw fresh seafood on display and preferred cooking style. You shouldn’t miss the steamed seabass, tiger prawns with salt, bamboo crab in ginger (perfectly-portioned and the best in Malaysia!), oyster cake and the ubiquitous midin (a type of jungle fern only available in Kuching) fried with belacan. But don’t expect a romantic dinner. Digging into your food is part of the fun.
On a more serious note, The Junk (Jalan Wayang) is consistently good and offers a more elegant ambience, albeit set amidst antiques or ‘old junk’. George, the owner, is ingenious with the ID for his restaurants and The Junk, to me, is the ultimate. I love seeing the framed wooden tennis rackets and small children’s rattan chairs – which was what I used to sit on while being fed buttered rice with fried fish ages ago. For a good spread of the best in town, The Eatery@Four Points by Sheraton Kuching hotel (Jalan Lapangan Terbang Baru) is unbeatable value-for-money. Nowhere else can you find a buffet lunch for under MYR40 or dinner for under MYR70. The specialty here is Foochow mee while the other dishes on offer can give swankier joints a run for their money. For a nice diner á deux, go to The Steakhouse at the Hilton Kuching (Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman). I have a soft spot for rib-eye and the mashed potato here is also good. The wine list is the best in town, with a special view of the waterfront. The only thing that’ll make it perfect for me is if I could have a cigar while here. The Badger Bar at the Sarawak Club (Jalan Taman Budaya) is also a favourite. It’s not fancy and it’s members-only but what more is there to life than, every few moons and again, gathering with old friends to talk, laugh, eat and enjoy good cigars? The service level is also tops. I am, by nature, a creature of habit and keep on returning to these places whenever I am in Kuching but, having said that, I would love to visit Jambu as well as 21 Bistro on my next trip home.
KOTA KINABALU, SANDAKAN & TAWAU
ALBERT TEH
Managing Director, Loongsyn
Fatt Kee (Jalan Haji Saman) in Kota Kinabalu serves three varieties of very popular fish-based noodles from morning till midnight daily. Their famous tom yam meehoon is piping-hot and chock-full of the freshest fish fillets. Pair this with their other winner – freshly-fried fish paste bean curd that’s both crispy and flaky. My personal favourite is their pricey but delicious loong tan (giant grouper). Its soft stomach parts are braised with a nice chilli tinge. For beef lovers, Kah Hiong Ngiu Chap (Jalan Lintas, Luyang Hilltop) is possibly Sabah’s most famous. Imagine noodles with all kinds of beef, from spare parts to beef balls. For hotpot, the pork-free Sri Maju Steamboat (Jalan Coastal) is a favourite. Loong tan fillets are their specialty and are, unfortunately, priced around RM200 per kg. It’s also the only place I know of in Kota Kinabalu that serves Hokkien yam rice, which I enjoy.
Whenever I fly into Sandakan, I’d always go to Restoran Utama (Bandar Utama), an ordinary, non-air-conditioned shop but one which serves the best braised pork ribs, in slabs, which I, not only eat, but also pre-order to take away. I’d freeze them before flying out. Their home-style dishes like fried bitter gourd with salted egg yolk and stir-fried potato leaves are also tasty. I also discovered the Urban Café (Lorong Avenue 5, Bandar Utama) recently. Emily, the owner, is a young, US-trained graduate, with a Master’s in Biological Sciences, and runs her kitchen and team with great love and passion. The best-sellers include the Manila Mango Float and Manila Avocado Cake, both of which are flourless, butter-less and egg-less!
Aladin Noodle House (first level, 328, Jalan Haji Karim) is a good spot for breakfast and lunch in Tawau. Try the curry laksa (a crowd favourite), wat tan hor or nasi lemak. This restaurant makes their own moon cakes annually as well as bak chang during the Dumpling Festival, all of which are good enough to be given as corporate gifts or treats for outstation friends and relatives. Another breakfast-to-lunch option is Papa Kopitiam (Jalan Apas, Batu 3, Perdana Square). This coffee shop sells heong tai mee fun, a type of pan-fried mee hoon, with or without egg, that’s poured over braised lean pork with a sauce that’s said to be made from a recipe that’s four decades old. For lunch and dinner, Maxim’s Seafood Restaurant (Jalan Barui) is quite possibly Tawau’s most established and best-favoured as well as a popular spot for wedding banquets. It’s the only proper Chinese restaurant in town, which serves traditional Hakka dishes like khiu nyuk (steamed yam with pork belly) and mui choy khiu nyuk (braised pork belly with preserved vegetables). For dinner, head to Kam Ling Fresh Seafood (25, Sabindo Seaside Food Stalls) – the most famous live seafood restaurant that originally started out with only two stalls. Now, with eight and counting, it is a favourite spot for all visitors to Tawau. There’s a huge range of expensive and exotic live fish, including lau soo pan (mouse grouper), soo mei (a type of parrot fish) and hoi tai kai (also known as the giant humpback wrasse or ‘undersea chicken’, as the locals call it). It’s so good it makes the seven-star grouper seem second class in comparison!
