Try Lonely Planet’s top Malaysian food experiences here (part 2)

We continue our list of recommended spots to find the 11 Malaysian foods included in the Lonely Planet Ultimate Eatlist of 500 food experiences.

Find Part 1 here 

Kaya toast (No. 352)

Buttery, crunchy, coconutty, sweet kaya toast. Paired with a hot, strong cup of coffee and two soft boiled eggs. This is Malaysia’s breakfast of champs, or at the very least, it’ll make you feel like a champ in the morning.

Restoran Kam Heong

10, Jalan Tengah, Bandar Baru Petaling Jaya,

46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

6am - 11pm

Using the traditional tall white fluffy loaves, their bread is toasted to perfection, spread with salted butter and of course the kaya. Paired with the usual soft boiled eggs and coffee, this is a breakfast worth waking up for.

Kedai Kopi Eng Ann

No. 1, Jalan Kasawari 5,

Taman Eng Ann, Klang

6.30am - 3pm, 7.30am - 3am (Closed on Tuesday)

Pairing their to-die-for kaya toast with kampung eggs, with the delightful deep orange yolks, and coffee that is double roasted with butter, a special method handed down from the father of the current owners, you’ll find yourself thinking it extremely reasonable to drive down to Klang just for breakfast.

Roti Canai (No. 404)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, anytime in between. Banjir, or plain, with egg, or many other toppings, the humble roti canai is a staple of our diets, and a good roti canai can really make your day.

Valentine Roti

No. 1, Jalan Semarak, 54000,

City Center, Kuala Lumpur

5.30pm - 1.45am (Closed on Sundays)

Valentine Roti proclaim themselves as serving up the best roti canai, and they live up to it. Their simple roti canai is so good that you can eat it on its own (there’s an unrelated roti memory for you), and is made fresh at the store, not from frozen premade dough like many places now do for convenience. If plain old roti canai is not your thing, they also have a variety of fun variations on the good old favourite.

Lan Roti Canai

20 Jalan Pantai Permai, Pantai Dalam,

Kuala Lumpur, 59200
Opening hours: 6.30am - 11.45am

There aren’t many places left where you can get a soft, flaky, lovely roti canai for just one ringgit, but Lan Roti Canai is one of them. Served with a rich dhal and sambal with some kick, Lan Roti Canai does brisk business during breakfast time, between 7am and 9am. Come here outside of these hours if you want to take your time over your bread breaking.

Char Kway Teow (No. 432)

Wok hei at levels that will make you swoon, prawns and cockles to warm your heart. Char Kway Teow is what a Malaysian’s stir fried dreams are made of.

Tai Wah Kopitiam

(Opposite Old Town Wet Market, Next to United Optical

and Perniagaan Wah Sing) 90, Jalan Othman, Old Town,

46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

6.30am - 2pm, 6pm - 10pm (Closed on Wednesdays)

The Char Kway Teow stall that operates within this Kopitiam is fairly new, but the husband and wife team serve up a great plate of the stuff that just gets better. Pair it with a Kopi Peng kow (kurang manis, for preference) for a brilliant breakfast.

Kedai Kopi Lai Foong

140, Jalan Tun HS Lee, 50480, Kuala Lumpur

6.30am - 9.30pm

Served in an authentically nostalgic coffee shop, set on a busy street in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the Char Kway Teow smells amazing, and tastes just as good as the aroma promises. Despite the central location, you’ll still feel a little secluded inside this place, ensconced in the ambiance.

Bonus Tip: The Beef Noodles at this coffee shop is also well-worth a try.

Durian (No. 445)

In its heyday, SS2 used to be home to the stinkiest heaven there was, in Durian Street. Now all the stalls are still within the vicinity of SS2, just scattered about instead of concentrated in one location. Just follow your nose, or GPS.

Donald's Durian

15, Jalan 19/29, Seksyen 19, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

1pm - 12am

One of the first stalls to offer Durian Buffets, Donald’s Durian is a family owned and run shop, a comfortable spot to indulge.

The founder Donald was instrumental in branding the old spot as Durian Street, even working with the government to encourage tourism from China to the location. Today, his family carry on his legacy by only selling the best durians selected fresh from the orchards.

DurianSS2.com
193, Jalan SS 2/24, SS 2, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
12pm-12am

Also one of the original stalls, it is the only one left standing at the former durian hub. DurianSS2.com has expanded from a small stall to taking over a large portion of the surroundings. The owner has big dreams of further expanding, and one day offering premium durian buffets in air-conditioned comfort.

Sinnaco Durian Specialist
No 60, Jalan 19/3, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

12.30pm - 12am

He sells Musang King at RM19 per kg. What a steal! But Sinnaco is better known for its selection of quality durian types. Expect to get what you pay for -- consistently custardy and flavourful durian.

Hokkien Mee (No. 464)

One of the best places to get the thick, dark, glossy noodles that is the KL version of Hokkien Mee is in Damansara Uptown. Of course if you’re of the opinion that what KLites call Hokkien Mee is blasphemy, then you’ll want to head to Jalan Burma in Penang which has a couple of great places. Penang, of course, is full of great places to eat, scattered all over the state.

Restoran Damansara Uptown Hokkien Mee

Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Uptown, Selangor

5pm - 2.30am

A long-time favourite, the Hokkien Mee here is noodly and filled with blasphemy, err… wok hei. Add on some choy sum for greens, or chicken wings for your protein needs.

Restoran Kam Heong

10, Jalan Tengah, Bandar Baru Petaling Jaya,

46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia,

6am - 11pm

If you can bring yourself to say ‘Prawn Mee’ instead of ‘Hokkien Mee’ while you order, then you can "makan" a delicious bowlful of what your Penangite heart desires, in Petaling Jaya.

Bak Kut Teh (No. 468)

The best area for Bak Kut Teh is in Klang, everyone’s favourite place to go for the herbal, porky, brothy experience in a bowl.

For those who do not eat pork, there are also the seafood version of Bak Kut Teh (called Seafood teh) or the chicken version (Chi Kut Teh) joints in Klang. It’s deliciously inclusive.

Nourish your soul at these places:

Restoran Kee Heong

7, Lorong Kasawari 4a, Taman Eng Ann, 41150 Klang

7am - 9.30pm

Their soupy bak kut teh is rich in flavours from the herbs, pork and layers of collagen while their dry bak kut teh is spicy and aromatic. It is said to be the shop Klangites rely on to entertain outsiders for its consistently good food.
 

Fong Keow (Pottery) Bah Kut Teh

53, Jalan Batai Laut 4, Taman Intan, 41300 Klang

8am - 9pm

Cooked to perfection, this Bak Kut Teh features tender pork meat and that irresistible herbal hint. Surrounded by famous, and popular competitors, this place is well worth a try, and may become one of your favourites.

The Lonely Planet list of 500 best food experiences in the world was curated by writers, bloggers and staffers who named their most loved and authentic gastronomic memories.

The list was ranked by food editors and a panel that included Malaysian-born chef, television presenter and MasterChef Australia season two winner Adam Liaw.