Food

Good Food in KL: 10 Best Zi Char Places You Must Eat At in KL Or You’ve Wasted Your Trip

2016-06-15 , 4:52 pm

Last Updated on 2020-02-12 , 2:38 pm

Zi Char is a dining concept that is very unique in some Asian countries. And if you want to find good food in KL, zi char is something you must eat in KL.

It’s a type of restaurant which serves dishes of meat, seafood or vegetables with rice.

In Kuala Lumpur, where the main Chinese dialect is Cantonese, Zi Char eateries are called Tai Chows.

Every Tai Chow in and around KL has their own ‘Chiu Pai’ or signature dish and if you come for a visit, the first thing you should ask your server is what the speciality is.

Usually, a meal at a Tai Chow involves a huge group of family and friends, as the dishes are meant to be shared.

Here are some of the best Tai Chows you must eat in KL or you’ve wasted your trip:

1. Under The Tree Tai Chow, Happy Garden

The best Tai Chow restaurants in KL are hardly ever-classy looking restaurants and this one is no different.

It’s a tin and metal construct in the middle of two roads in Happy Garden and they serve very good claypot stews, the most famous being shark meat. The pig trotters in dark sauce is a must-try too.

If you want good food in KL, this is it.

Jalan 1/128 (Opposite Zai Zai Restaurant), Happy Garden, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur

2. New Paris Restaurant, SS2, Petaling Jaya

Residents of SS2 know and love this Tai Chow that serves food at top speed, always within 5-10 minutes of ordering.

The speciality here is champagne chicken served with little balls of watermelon. The taste of the sweet juicy watermelon truly enhances the chicken in a way you’ll never expect.

No. 62, 64, 66, Jalan SS 2/72, SS 2, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

3. Kim Lian Kee Restaurant, Petaling Street

The birthplace of one of the best Hokkien mee in the Klang Valley, this is THE Tai Chow you must eat in KL if you love this dark, thick oyster sauce noodles.

Here at Kim Lian Kee, the noodles are cooked over charcoal and high heat, imparting that rich smoky or ‘Wok Hei’ flavour to the noodles.

Nice.

49-51, Jalan Petaling, 55100 Kuala Lumpur

4. Lucky Loke, SS3, Petaling Jaya

One of the best known Tai Chow in PJ, Lucky Loke is renowned for their garlic steamed fish with ginger oil, and their house speciality tofu, the pumpkin tofu and asam prawns.

The service here is really good and the prices are extremely reasonable.

Lorong SS3/59E, SS 2, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

5. Foong Yit Restaurant, Taman Bukit Bintang, Kepong

Foong Yit is a family-run cosy Tai Chow that serves some of the best marinated spare ribs as well as steamed fish of your choice with a generous amount of garlic and soy sauce. We highly recommend you choose pomfret as the flesh is suitable for steaming.

No. 35, Jalan 3/36, Bukit Sri Bintang, Kepong, Wilayah Persekutuan, 52100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

6. Sek Yuan Restaurant, Jalan Pudu

One of the oldest and most beloved Tai Chows in the heart of KL is Sek Yuan, which has existed since the late 1940s, just after World War 2.

The recipes for the dishes here have largely remained unchanged since its opening. For a truly authentic experience, try their lang phoon or cold appetizers and roast duck, as well as fried loh bak.

315, Jalan Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

7. Double Joy Restaurant, SS3, Petaling Jaya

Warm piping hot home-cooked comfort food is what you’ll find at Double Joy, which is somewhat not as well known as the outlets in this list but you should visit them if you find yourself hungry on a cold and rainy evening.

Try their delicious claypot pork with yam, where the gravy is made thick with mashed yam. Another dish to try is their signature three cup chicken, and fish head cooked in fermented soybean.

27, Jalan SS 3/37, Taman Universiti, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

8. Goldview Hakka Food, Taman Paramount

good food in kl 8 — Image: A Journey of Life

Hakka dishes are known for their heartiness, as well as their ability to satisfy a big appetite.

If you come here, you would want to try their Fa Tiu Kai or chicken cooked in Chinese wine. There are also plenty of stewed fatty pork dishes which will no doubt leave you wanting more.

If these aren’t good food in KL, what is?

26, Jalan 20/16a, Taman Paramount, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

9. Wong Ah Woh, Jalan Alor

In the bustling heart of touristy Kuala Lumpur, in Jalan Alor, lies the most famous stir fried dishes stall that most tourists like to visit.

The popularity of this place is well earned, as their chicken wings are said to be one of the best in the city. Apart from this, they have great Yong Tau Fu and several other pork and seafood dishes.

1, Jalan Alor, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

10. Hen Seafood Restaurant, Taman Desa

Despite their name being a seafood restaurant, they serve a good variety of vegetables, chicken and pork as well. In fact, they are better known for their in house special homemade tofu and braised pork dishes than seafood. The one vegetable dish you should try is their brinjals with deep fried garlic.

55, Jalan Desa Bakti, Taman Desa, 58100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

So there you go, 10 places to go to for good food in KL. If you’re staying in KL, have we missed out any?

This article was first published on goodyfeed.com