Emma Exploring

First things first, hello to anyone who’s missed me blogging these last few weeks! (Hi Mum?). I’ve had all kinds off hectic things going on in life this last month so blogging had to take a backseat. But now that’s all mostly out the way we can commence with more tales from Asia!

I’m going to start this post with a disclaimer: I’m terrible at taking photos of food. Basically, I see good food and just tuck without a second thought (which is how it should be) so I either don’t get a photo of the yummy treat I later tell people about or I just take the one shoddy photo because my stomach is growling impatiently. I’m also not great at remembering to take photos of the places I eat in but I’m getting (a bit) better at that too.

With the a consistent amount of photos lacking, you’ll just have to believe me when I say you have to try eating at these places!

The people I stayed with, the lovely Australians Mika and Chris, kindly gave me a hearty list of eatery recommendations in my ‘welcome pack’. As they lived on the Western outskirts of Kuala Lumpur a lot of their favourite restaurants (and soon to be mine) were local to them (Mont Kiara way). But Mont Kiara is only about a 15 minute taxi ride from central KL and well worth a visit – plenty of shopping and eating opportunities!

 

1. Restoran Super Kitchen

I’ve previously admitted it but I’m not the world’s most adventurous eater – mostly because there aren’t many kinds of meat I eat – but I still wanted to try some new local Malaysian dishes. As recommend by the internet, I went to Restoran Super Kitchen in central KL for some ‘Chilli Pan Mee’. It’s basically thick-cut noodles tossed with fried shrimp, chilli sauce, spring onions and topped with a runny egg. (I had what looked some anchovies too but I wasn’t willing to risk finding out…). Overall, it was tasty and cheap! But I wouldn’t specifically seek out Restoran Super Kitchen – there are plenty of other places that serve Chilli Pan Mee in KL so just check out one that’s conveniently located to you.

Restoran Super Kitchen – 33, Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman 1

 

2. Green chopsticks restaurant – Jalan Alor

So ‘Green Chopsticks’ isn’t actually the name of the restaurant… For the life of me I can’t remember what is really is but it’s located down the famous Jalan Alor foodie road in trendy Bukit Bintang and it’s the only restaurant that has green chopsticks on the table. It was recommended to me by Chris and he says they always take visiting friends and family to this restaurant, so it must be good! (Another place that was so tasty I forgot to take photos…). I had myself some fabulous chicken satay and even made two new Taiwanese friends who invited me to sit with them! (I actually met them by complete coincidence twice two days later so it must have been fate! Claire and I are still in contact and we do a regular language exchange 🙂 ). So head to Jalan Alor for cheap and fresh street food, and maybe a new friend or two as well!

Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang

 

3. Sushi Zanmai

Another recommendation of Chris and Mika was their favourite local sushi restaurant. Basically, really reasonably priced, great quality and a big selection! What more do you need to know?! I happily (and shamelessly) spent a good hour in here by myself just picking endless sushi dishes off the conveyer belt in front of me. Mmmm. My favourite was their salmon and peach nigiri 🙂 You can order off the menu too if your rumbling stomach can bare a short wait!

Sushi Zanmai – 1 Mont Kiara Mall, Jalan Kiara, Mont Kiara

 

4. Breadfruits

A local Mont Kiara eatery. Around the clock they serve all-natural healthy, fresh, yummy food. (It’s more ‘global’ cuisine rather than Malaysian). They mostly specialise in brunch and breakfast, which is when I went. I had some pancakes and a freshly-squeezed fruit juice concoction, both of which were so tasty I forgot to take photos! (If you’re desperate for some photos, check out their Facebook page). They’ve got an impressive selection of fruit juices and you can ‘make your own’ by selecting several fruits. You can guilt-free indulge on any menu item – all the food is fresh and nutritious!

Breadfruits – 17, Jalan 26/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, Sri Hartamas

 

5. Real Food Cafe & Restaurant

Another deliciously healthy restaurant. Just a 10 minute walk from where I was staying, Real Food Cafe became my go-to breakfast stop. Everything they serve is vegetarian and there are plenty of vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free etc. options. Being a creature of habit, I pretty much always ordered the wholewheat banana pancakes with berry compote and agave nectar and a cup of hot cocoa (made with cocoa nibs – it’s strong, dark and sugar-free 🙂 ). Their menu isn’t cheap but it’s well worth it. They’ve got branches in Singapore as well as Malaysia. The KL branch is spacious, relaxing, and the perfect place to catch up on any work over breakfast or to simply enjoy reading a book with coffee in hand.

Real Food Cafe & Restaurant – 1 Mont Kiara Mall, Jalan Kiara, Mont Kiara

 

6. Ben’s

Ben’s describes their food as ‘East-meets-West’; they’ve got a great selection of Malaysian dishes as well as plenty of Italian dishes, sandwiches, salads and classic international favourites like Fish & Chips and Chicken Pie. And they’ve got an amazing selection of cakes, deserts, and hot drinks!! I went to Ben’s a couple of times, at two branches, and it seems to divide people. Personally, I liked it. Sure, I’ve eaten at better places and got better value for money but for what it is, Ben’s is a great place to grab some tea and cake or casual lunch. Go and try for yourself!

Ben’s – 1st floor, Suria KLCC

 

So that’s a wrap today! Kuala Lumpur is definitely foodie paradise and I regret not trying some more Malaysian food but there’s really only so much you can fit into 5 days! I also regret not going to Penang, which is apparently the foodie paradise of Malaysia but hey ho, just gives me another excuse to go back to Malaysia 🙂

Where are your favourite places to eat in Kuala Lumpur? Let me know in the comments below!