6 dishes to try in Kuala Lumpur
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
The dining scene in Kuala Lumpur has long reflected Malaysia's rich cultural tapestry, with traditional Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisines as staples. And now, the city is embracing culinary innovation, too. From elevated street food to avant-garde fine dining, chefs are pushing boundaries with fusion dishes and unique ingredients. Here are the best places to experience the Malaysian capital's ever-evolving food landscape.
This dish epitomises chef Darren Teoh's commitment to celebrating local, indigenous and traditional ingredients through creative, experimental cooking. Part of the restaurant's tasting menu, it centres around crackers made from native Malaysian belinjau nuts, crafted to resemble an origami frog. The crackers have a creamy yet mildly crunchy texture and earthy flavour, while a topping of oil from the perah nut, also native to Malaysia, adds depth and richness. A final flourish of caviar represents the female frog's eggs during mating season.
Michelin-starred modern Malaysian restaurant Beta KL puts a contemporary fine-dining spin on humble, rustic dishes, using European and Japanese techniques. The restaurant is best known for its A5 Miyazaki wagyu beef, served in a dark, rich Sarawakian masak hitam sauce made from caramelised shallots, garlic, soy sauce and spices including coriander and cumin. The top-grade beef belies the traditional reputation of masak hitam dishes for being tough and overdone.
Casual dining spot Hai Kah Lang has two locations in Kuala Lumpur — one of which has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand. The focus is on using fresh, high-quality ingredients to make the smart seafood dishes it's become known for. Chefs work directly with fishermen in nearby Kuala Selangor to source prawns, clams and squid for the rice-based seafood porridge, or congee. Cooked over a charcoal fire, the result is a hearty, soothing broth with the flavour of coriander and a subtle smokiness, where the naturally sweet seafood flavours come to the fore.
eka Bar's innovative cocktails earned it a spot on Asia's 50 Best Bars list for 2024, while the sleek, low-lit interiors ushered it into the top three of 50 Best's Bareksten Best Bar Design Award. But the ebi katsu ube sando is another reason to visit, with succulent prawn katsu encased between slices of soft — vibrant purple — ube milk loaf. It's also packed with caramelised cabbage, okonomiyaki sauce and creamy mayonnaise, with a sprinkle of furikake seasoning and pistachio dust for extra texture. The result is a satisfying, umami-packed sandwich.
This bar and restaurant, on the 57th floor of the Petronas Towers, is known for its views of Kuala Lumpur's skyline, but the contemporary Italian menu is equally memorable. The caviar tiramisu is an opulent twist on the classic dessert, made using molecular gastronomy techniques. Velvety mascarpone is layered with espresso-soaked ladyfinger biscuits and crowned with a generous layer of coffee 'caviar', made using a spherification method, with the coffee held in by a thin gel membrane that bursts in the mouth. The dessert is finished with flashes of gold leaf.
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