WHY YOU SHOULD GET OFF THE BEATEN FOODIES' TRAIL IN KUALA LUMPUR
Malaysia got me excited about one thing. FOOD!!! With my taste buds tickling, I just couldn't wait to do a stopover in Kuala Lumpur and dive into cuisine known for its vibrant rich aromas and eclectic mix of flavours. I wanted to try as much as possible!
Where to go
I have a confession to make. Day one of my trip didn't exactly go to plan. After researching online the hotspots of where to go and what to eat, I slowly but surely fell into the tourist traps.
It's not to say the food wasn't good, but it wasn't the rich mouth-watering cuisine I had heard so much about. No doubt China Town, Jalan Alor and Chow Kit have their hidden gems (I had a delicious Shrimp Laksa hidden in the corner of the Chow Kit market), but without local knowledge of where to go and what to eat, I quickly booked myself onto a food tour.
Where to really go
The highlight of my trip was an amazing food tour I booked through Airbnb. Feeling a little defeated after my first day in Kuala Lumpur, I literally went on this food tour with an empty stomach.
Afiza my tour guide couldn't have been more wonderful. Her passion for food and knowledge of the latest food trends shone throughout the evening. Not to mention, she's known for saving tourists from the tourist traps of Jalan Alor and taking them to where locals really go to eat. As I was travelling during Ramadan, we diverted from her traditional food tour and headed to the Ramadan bazaars in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur. Immediately upon arriving, the intense aromas hit me, my mouth started watering and I knew we had arrived in the right place!
Whilst I was lucky enough to visit during Ramadan and experience the Ramadan bazaars, there are many other bazaars to visit outside of this period. During Ramadan, many local shops close and instead congregate at the bazaars to sell their cuisine. I would highly recommend heading to the bazaars in the suburbs to get out of the traditional tourist hubs and experience local food at its best.
For more information on Afiza's awesome Foodies by foodie tour, you can check out her page here.
Local Foodie Bucketlist
Here's a bucket list of most of everything we tried on the tour. After eating so much, I'm sure I missed a few items out!
Onde onde/Buah Melaka: Pandan leaves flavoured rice flour balls in palm sugar cube filling, coated with shredded coconut flesh.
Otak otak: Grounded fish with herbs & spices, wrapped in coconut leaves and grilled.
Tepung Pelita: A sweet dish that's made from coconut and a green filling made from pandan leaves inside a banana leaf.
Apam Balik: Crispy pancake with sugar, crushed groundnuts and sweet corn cream filling.
Sirap Bandung: A bright pink juice, that's sweet and delicious to have with your meal!
Murtabak: Chicken and potato bread fillings inside a pancake.
Laksam: Rolled rice pancake with fish gravy and garnish with sambal belacan (spicy shrimp paste sauce) and cucumber, bean sprouts & long beans.
Roti John: Long bread with eggs, spices and meat fillings with chilli sauce and mayo dressing.
Keria: It looks a little like a mini sweet doughnut.
Banana fritters with cheese: The new generation of hipsters add cheese to the original banana fritters.
Pulut Panggang: Grilled sticky rice with fish, spices and coconut shredded filling.
Chicken porridge: The locals call it Bubur Lambuk. Bubur is porridge in malay. Savoury porridge with spices, typically cooked with minced beef and coconut milk.
Evening drinks
Get a drink at the Helipad Lounge. The rooftop bar opens at 6 pm and it was great to end the day with a drink and a sunset backdrop over the KL skyline.
Foodie Guide Kuala Lumpur | Oops I Booked Again
Key tips for visiting Kuala Lumpur
Head to the bazaars in the suburbs for food. We went to the suburbs of Subang Jaya.
Take a food tour. Even if I had gone to the local bazaars myself, I really wouldn't have known what to try. Learning about traditional food as well as what is trending was one of the best parts of the tour.
Be sure to take an empty tummy!