If we only have time for two bites at the Petaling Street market, we will get some freshly made Peanut Pancake or ‘Min Jiang Kueh’, and a delicious, old-school Ipoh-style Chee Cheong Fun. We first came across Uncle and his wife selling Min Jiang Kueh off his pushcart outside the Petaling Street wanton noodles shop in 2011, and we were ecstatic when we reconnected with him post-COVID in 2022.  The fermented batter only got better, yielding a deliciously developed flavour, and an airy and chewy texture.  The corners of his pancakes are thin and crisp, and the crushed sugared sprinkles complete the old-school snack. [Fun fact: Uncle has a son who works and resides here in Singapore]. And for a light breakfast, the must-eat is the Yooi Kee Chee Cheong Fun at Petaling Street. The cheong fun themselves are thin and silky with a subtle rice flavour.  We love the version served with their signature red sauce, a quick drizzle of sesame oil and a shake of sesame seeds. One plate is never quite enough.

 

 

Croisserie Artisan Bakery

 

 

One of three breakfasts we had, Croisserie Artisan Bakery proved to be a must-visit. We dropped by the original location in Damansara Heights along a row of shophouses and were greeted by the aromas of fresh bakes as we walked into the two-storied lofty store. Order first on the ground level then find a cosy seat on the second. That’s just what we did as we started to notice a steady stream of customers flowing in. Specialising in handcrafted European pastries, Croisserie offers bread, viennoiserie, entremets – petit and whole, tarts, cookies and more. Beautifully presented and displayed in neat rows, choices are aplenty. As we were in between two savoury meals, we shared classic croissants and the rest were sweets: blueberry danish, chocolate almond croissant tart, le flan croissant tart, canelé, and a slice of galette de rois. Buttery, flakey, and moist with just the right level of sweetness, every bake was dangerously light but satisfyingly filling. The le flan croissant tart stood out for its presentation that seems similar to a Portuguese egg tart at one glance, but instead of a puff pastry, a French custard of vanilla bean-infused crème combined with fromage blanc is nestled inside a croissant base best described as simply divine!

Address: 14, Jalan Medan Setia 2, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Sambal Hijau

 

 

Sambal Hijau came highly recommended by Chef Darren Teoh of Dewakan who generously shared that this is the place he would bring Chef friends to whenever they are in town, so we knew despite our packed food itinerary, we had to make a trip to this eatery. Located in Kampung Sungai Penchala, Sambal Hijau was buzzing with people flocking to get their late breakfast, brunch or early lunch fix. With the endless stretches of Malay and Minang-style dishes (we’d say over 50), the buffet-like set-up was bad, very bad for us.

With eyes wider than our stomachs, each of us took a plate and with the strategy of not taking too much rice, we dived into scooping as many dishes as possible for variety. From fried and stewed ayam to ikan, curries of every kind – assam and lemak with meats or seafood, vegetables – stir-fried or simmered down in sambal, we had a little of barely almost everything. Delicious they were, each fragrant and flavoursome, and best eaten with their array of sambals – 8 to be exact, which made it even more exciting for those who love their spice and heat as each sambal had a different flavour profile. Stored in large ceramic pots, one can help themselves to as much sambal as they wish, such as Sambal Hijau (but of course), Sambal Belecan, Budu & Cili made with salted fish, as well as sambals for the ikan bakar and ayam bakar sets. There is also the Sambal Tempoyak made with fermented durian. Creamy, slightly sweet and sour with a distinct durian taste, it’s acquired for sure but grows on you. We also had the spiced oxtail soup that was so tasty, one can only imagine the hours it has been simmering over the fire to develop its depth of flavour and a squeeze of lime adds zest to its robustness. An unexpected stop, and what a gem it was.

Address: 2990, Jalan Sungai Penchala, Kampung Sungai Penchala, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Lintang 138

 

 

An early start to a humid day with a post-heavy meal haze called for a cold drink to cool off and jolt us awake. We found this at the ICC Pudu wet market with Lintang 138. The drink stall is famous for its Hainan Cham or tea. Somewhat like yuan yang, it is a concoction of kopi, teh, evaporated milk and condensed milk, brewed in a claypot; and by doing so, the drink is robust and rich in taste, yet smooth and aromatic with a unique added smokiness. You can have it hot, but we had to opt for an iced version. As we shared a table with others seeking respite from the heat, our spirits were lifted by this thirst-quencher that has since sealed its spot in our list of places to return to when we are next in the city.

Address: Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia