Hi, I’m Louis and I’m a boring eater.
*Hi Louis*
Hi everyone. That felt great to get off my chest. Thanks.
When I say I’m a boring eater, I mean embarrassingly boring – I’d happily make pesto pasta every meal for the rest of my life. My roommates even gave me an intervention for being so bland and unadventurous in the kitchen.
So when I flew over to Kuala Lumpur with AirAsia, I tasked myself with a personal mission to prove all the haters wrong by being as adventurous as possible and discovering all the eclectic meals KL had to offer my underserving belly.
One day in particular, I set out to focus entirely on food, documenting that dish grind from dawn to dusk.
Let’s walk together through that day, hand-in-hand, jam-packed with all things KL cuisine…
First up, caffeine, obviously (you already know not to talk to me before my morning coffee).
MERCHANT’S LANE
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There was a variety of brunch options, including this Nasi Lemak Pancake, a modern twist on the traditional Malay Nasi Lemak meal, a rice dish cooked in coconut milk, usually served with garnishes like egg and anchovies.
In fact, this menu actually boasted a lot of fusion meals, combining an array of traditional Malay, Chinese and Indian delicacies.
Safe to say, it was an incredible way to start the morning. Oh, and the coffee was bloody great.
CHOCHA FOODSTORE
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Next up was Chocha, a former abandoned hotel turned fancy lunch spot, right on the edge of Chinatown. The joint now boasts some of the city’s most aesthetically pleasing modern Malaysian dishes. It also offers an array of teas and natural wines, if you were in the mood. (Actually, of course you are… treat yourself – you’ve earned it.)
MR CHEW’S LATINO BAR
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Despite Mr Chew’s offering a quirky assortment of chinese-latino food options – ranging from lunch tacos to sticky rice cakes – I had my eyes on the prize… and that prize was satisfying my sweet tooth. I had this incredible chocolate cigar with a mouthful of coffee ice-cream and a whiskey chaser (wild of me for the afternoon, I know). I also had these pretty dessert tacos, featured above (mango pomelo, strawberry and hazelnut chocolate, for your consideration).
At this point, I had to remind myself to not get too full. The journey had just begun after all.
TAPAK FOOD TRUCK PARK
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You know that hangry feeling you get when you travel? I was going through that during the no-man’s-land time between lunch and dinner. Thank the high heavens I stumbled upon Malaysia’s premier food truck park during this difficult time.
Tapak, which featured over 30 street trucks and boasts over 3,000 daily visitors, was created by 3 high school mates and has since become the crème de la crème of urban street dining. I realised that the large variety of offerings at the park is rather symbolic of Malaysia’s cuisine as a whole – it’s one big melting pot filled with an abundance of varying cultures. And a tasty melting pot, at that. It was the perfect place to satisfy my snack-craving tum tum.
(Some would say it was naughty to stock up on so many snacks right before a fancy dinner, but I guess I’m just rebellious like that… Please don’t tell mum though.)
CANTALOUPE SKY DINING
Perched 23 floors up is Cantoloupe, a french fusion restaurant. I absorbed all the opulent views while feasting on some exceptional foodporn worthy of a subtle flex on the ‘gram. Life’s a climb, but the view was great (for my belly).
You’d probably expect this place to be super expensive, but it was a lot cheaper than I thought. It’s perfect if you’re broke with expensive taste, like myself.
Bon appétit, mes amis.
JALAN ALOR
There’s no other place I could’ve finished the food venture than Jalan Alor, one of Kuala Lumpur’s most famous market roads. It’s also been crowned as the go-to after-clubbing dining spot, which is most certainly the Malaysian version of going kebab hunting after a night out. With an abundance of meats, noodles and deserts, Jalan Alor was guaranteed to satisfy those late-night cravings… and it certainly hit the spot. I still dream about that sugarcane juice and chicken satays.
After this journey, I dived straight into a food coma. It’s safe to say I gained 17 kilos, but it was oh so worth it after having tasted a whole heap of incredibly eclectic cuisines.
If you’re thinking about where to travel next, why not chuck the ol’ KL on your list with AirAsia? I may be a tad biased now, but it’s a pretty delicious destination.
To the haters who once doubted my food-eating abilities, look at me now. Pesto pasta is quaking.
