Another day, another trip to Kuala Lumpur. Being Lion City’s closest neighbour, there is definitely something for everyone, be it with friends or family.
This time, it was a duo birthday trip, so the itinerary was centered on the preferences of a makcik (Malay auntie) who uses social media and is familiar with KL.
Getting There
A Thursday to Monday trip was a great choice to have a pleasant and fuss-free journey.
We took a morning Scoot flight from Changi Airport to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), with only cabin baggage. The immigration was exceptionally fast on both sides since we could now use the e-counters at KLIA.
We wanted the luxury bus experience for our return trip. After some research, we decided on Aeroline, a direct point-to-point service from KL to SG. It was a lot cheaper than a flight, plus the seats had so much leg and butt space; and you get a blanket, a basic lunch bento set, a tea break, and even on-board entertainment (movies, games, music).
For the price point, it was great and comfortable. My only complaint was the booking system—there were two separate booking sites based on your starting point, and the single-seat option turned out to be a two-seater row.
Traffic was so exceptionally smooth on a Monday that it took about the same time if we flew overall. The drop-off point for Aeroline was at Harbourfront, but you could make your own option to depart from Tuas directly. Once we cleared immigration at Tuas, we informed the driver that we would be departing from there. Then, we took our luggage and boarded the public bus at one of the berths.
Accommodation
We wanted a within-budget-but-luxury accommodation as part of the birthday treat. There were many high-end hotels at Bukit Bintang, but the price was too steep for my liking.
Our stay of choice was Westin Kuala Lumpur.
We arrived during lunch time, and they checked us in immediately. The basic room was large, spacious, and clean, even the toilet. It also had a view of the KL Tower, which lit up at night, and I also personally enjoyed watching the Bukit Bintang traffic from the room. The bed was soft and comfortable, and you could call housekeeping to request different types of pillows, subject to availability. The room also came with lavender balm for you to sleep well.
The hotel automatically sent a birthday cake to our room on our birthday. Staff were all kind, friendly, and helpful and were glad to give recommendations if we asked.
As the trip objective was a short, relaxing getaway, we did hang out in the room a lot, so the luxurious room (by our standards) was worth the purchase.
Jom Makan (Let’s eat)
This was our other trip objective: to eat as much food as possible.
Note: Not all food that we tried turned out great.
Zus Coffee
The first order of business when we landed was to quench our thirst. So, we stopped by for a drink from a Malaysian coffee chain, Zus Coffee.
Address: Level 2M, gateway@klia2, Next to Aerotel KL, Terminal 2, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, 64000 Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Pavilion KL
Food Republic
After we checked in, we headed to Pavilion for lunch. We made our first visit to Food Republic; there were lots of options, but we eventually decided on nasi padang. It was self-service, so we scooped our own dishes onto our plates. Overall, food was rich in taste, and there were some dishes that were difficult to find in Singapore, but unfortunately they were too spicy for us. We spent about RM102.
Address: Lot 1.41.00 – 1.51.00 & P1.13.00 – P1.20.00, Level 1, Gourmet Emporium
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Dipndip
Dipndip is the ultimate chocolate haven that comes with many dessert options. They used some high-quality Belgian chocolate, and the size was great for sharing. Bought the crepe, which came with strawberries, cream puffs, and brownies as the fillings, coated with milk chocolate and cereal pops—10/10!
Address: Lot 7.103.01 & S7.107.00 Level 7, Pavilion Elite No. 166, Jln Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 10.30am – 11.30pm
KyoChon
Was a bit lazy to head out, but craved something chewy and spicy, so ordered Korean snacks through Grabfood (the store was located right across the hotel). This meant that the food was still warm enough to eat for supper. Serving was a little small, but all good.
Address: Lot 1.54.00 – 1.58.00, Level 1, Gourmet Emporium
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Tealive+
The tealive here is not just a takeaway spot but has seating. With a lot more variety of beverages, we were spoilt for choice. Always a go-to for bubble tea in Malaysia!
Address: Lot 1.10.00, Level 1, Pavilion KL, 166, Jln Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Restoran Hamza Cafe vs Kandar
On Day 2, we roamed the streets behind the hotel for a no-frills breakfast. We spotted street vendors selling nasi lemak and noodles and various restaurants. Eventually decided on this mamak shop, which looked clean and served a variety. Of course, we had to get the roti canai from an Indian Muslim restaurant!
Two telur bawang (egg with onion), one telur cheese (egg with cheese), and 1 kosong (plain) and two drinks cost RM25.40.
Address: Lot D8, Ground Floor, KL Plaza, Fahrenheit 88, Block D, No. 179, Jln Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 24 hours
These were other recommendations for nearby food at Bukit Bintang by the bellboy:
| Restaurant | Food Type | Address |
|---|---|---|
| 33 Food Court | Nasi Campur | Lobby 1st Floor, 56 & 58, Jln Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 50250 Kuala Lumpur |
| NASI LEMAK JALAN ALOR | Nasi Lemak | Biside Parking, Bukit Bintang, 53000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Zul Nasi Lemak Jalan Imbi | Nasi Lemak | 124, Jln Imbi, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
Tutti Frutti
There was always room for dessert, even at 10.30am! Tutti Frutti was a standalone glass-covered shop along the busy streets of Bukit Bintang. They offered multiple cool flavors like pomegranate rose, yuzu, etc., along with a variety of toppings and sauces. We got the apricot flavor, which came with three toppings of your choice for RM17.90. We can’t find this brand anymore in Singapore, sadly.
Address: 179, Jln Gading, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 10am – 12am
Juice Works
After walking all the way to KLCC and finding out the viral pineapple tarts we wanted were sold out, we rested and got a quick sugar boost to continue exploring. You would be spoilt with choices of various juices and smoothies, and the staff were nice and friendly. The only thing was the lack of seats and it was located beside the escalator.
Address: Concourse Level, Petronas Twin Tower, OSC01 50800 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 8.30 am 10.30 10.30pm
Finest Bake
This unassuming cart located right beside the escalator at KLCC was where you could get the viral ‘Melting Pineapple Tarts’. It is only available here and sold in limited quantities daily, so people (locals and tourists) would queue early before the mall opened. I went to queue half an hour before the cart opened, and there was already a line.
There is a limit to the number of boxes each person could purchase for the pineapple tarts, but no limit to their other cookies, which included coffee and sugar cookies. The pineapple tarts would usually run out by 11am. A box contained 25 pieces, which cost RM26.
Overall verdict: I can understand why they went viral; the tart’s sweetness was balanced, and the tart’s texture was crumbly and not too soft at the same time. It was easy to eat and was not dry to get stuck at the throat. But would I queue again? 50/50, only if I am craving it.
Address: Concourse Level, Petronas Twin Tower, 50800 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 10am – 8pm
Pertama Complex | First Shopping Center
This was not our intended destination, but our Grab driver made a wrong turn and dropped us here. Then it started raining heavily, so we made a pit stop here. There was a mini food fair outside the mall, and we bought some fritters. Alas, it was a regretful choice.
Address: Pertama Complex, Lot RG-B, RG Floor, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, 50100 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Food at Sogo KL
Nyonya Cendol
We bought the Penang prawn mee, cendol and a honey lemon drink for RM29.95. We learnt from Day 1 that the spicy here could be too hot to handle, so we asked for less spicy broth, and it tasted perfect! The cendol was pretty good, filled with juicy cendol with a pandan smell.
Street Churros Malaysia
Think the shop recently opened at that point of time, so they were having promotions. It was next door to the Nyonya Cendol shop, so while we were eating, we observed how the staff were introverted but also really keen to make sales. We eventually decided to buy from them, and they served piping hot churros.
Indian Snack Shop
We bought some steamed peanuts and chickpeas from a stall at the lower ground level. They were a great choice to drink with tea at the hotel.
Address: Kompleks Sogo, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, 50100 Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Satay Capital 1951 Warisan
This roadside satay stall has been operating for 73 years and is well known for its charcoal-grilled satay. It also popped up on TikTok if you search for Satay recommendations. The best thing was we could order it on GrabFood.
Since they had stayed in business for that long, the quality did not disappoint. We bought two sets through Grabfood for RM51.80; each set comes with 10 satay sticks, 2 ketupat, cucumber and onions, gravy, and bottled water.
Address: No. 1, Jalan Haji Hashim, Kampung Baru, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 3pm – 12am, closed on Sundays
Banglo 289
Think this was another shop that appeared on TikTok, and we could see why when we arrived. Located literally at a bungalow house at lot 289, it is a buffet spread of food cooked and prepared on the spot. A new dish might appear any time, depending on the chefs.
We ordered drinks with the staff, and they will note down what we picked for our food. They count the dishes by portion, so it won’t matter if you only scoop a little. Head to the counter to make payment after you are done eating. Our lunch cost RM 74.30 for two.
Overall, food was pretty good, except the sambal tumis udang with petai. My mom enjoyed their lemak siput sedut the most.
My only complaint was the chaotic system, because even though there was a notice at the entrance that said to wait to be seated, you had to find your own tables. Moreover, because the food area was right in front of the entrance, the flow of customers was really messy.
Address: 289, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon, 50200 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 7am–11.30pm or 5pm–11.30pm
BEAN BROTHERS KL
I met up with a friend during teatime. I shared about the Linc in my previous post, but this was the first time eating at the cafe. We got some drinks, truffle fries, and a brownie. The place was designed with a grunge concept, so the atmosphere felt more business-like. Overall, it’s like your average franchise cafe to chill at.
Address: G-1, THE LINC No. 360, Jln Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 8.30am – 8pm
Masjid India
While Masjid India refers to the mosque on that street, a market opens up along the road in that area on weekends. I think I wrote about this place in every KL post of mine (because it was that fun to explore the streets here!)
The food options contained both old-school and trendy food, so there were things like the viral ball-flavored jelly on a stick and corndogs. You could still find the usual kebabs, fritters, kuih, rice, noodles, and more. This time round, options were more heavily centered on grilled meat, and you couldn’t find the OG ayam percik anymore 😥
Address: Jalan Masjid India, City Centre, 50100 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: Evening on weekends
Jalan Alor Food Street
Dino’s Thai Food
There were lots of seafood restaurants, but you had to walk a lot further in to reach the halal ones. So even if the staff spoke Malay and said the restaurant is halal, do look out for the halal sign to be certain.
Unfortunately, the food here was not my type.
Address: 34, Jln Alor, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 3pm – 3am
Durian + Tanghulu
Expect a lot of snacks along Jalan Alor food street. There were multiple durian shops, but we observed that the prices and quality were better if you walked further instead of those by the entrances.
In Malaysia, the price is charged based on the weight of the durian. The Musang durian had a high-quality creamy texture, which was delicious and filling even when we just bought one. We also bought some other types.
There were also quite a few tanghulu shops, and I was curious about how it tasted. I bought a stick to try, and I understood the appeal, if you enjoy sweet and sour taste.
Address: Jln Alor, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 2.30pm – 12am
Sup Haji Abu & Nasi Kandar Jamal Mohamed (Bawah Pokok) (KLCC)
This was our last stop in KL before taking the bus back to Singapore! It was a short walk away from the pick-up point, and we arrived early, so we ate breakfast here.
Address: Lot G Floor, De King Boutique KLCC, No 160, Jln Ampang, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 24 hours
Remaining Foodie List
The list below was part of our bucketlist that we wanted to try out too but did not have the opportunity to:
The Exchange TRX
This is one of the newer high-end malls in KL, with many international brands and also where celebrities get invited to events. Besides that, there was also a variety of halal food options to try, like K Fry Urban Korean, Yakuniku Kuro, Thai Boat Noodles, Madam Kwan, and more.
Address: L1.40 The Exchange TRX, Persiaran TRX, Tun Razak Exchange 55188 Kuala Lumpur 14
Thong Bowl Publika
The restaurant is known for serving HUGE bowls of food and drinks. It looked crazy and ingenious at the same time! But since the place was a bit further out from the city center and we were only a pax of two, it felt like we would not be able to enjoy the full experience of the restaurant. Video for reference.
Address: Lot 35, Level G2, Block C5, Publika Shopping Gallery, Solaris Dutamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Mochi @ Jalan Teman Setiawangsa
Really wanted to try this dessert—fresh daifuku mochi! It is a takeaway streetside booth opposite Taco Bell at Steiawangsa, and it looked really good.
Address: 36-g & 36-1, Jalan Setiawangsa 10, Taman Setiawangsa, 54300 Kuala Lumpur
Village Park Restaurant
I think the bellboy also recommended this place as well for its delicious nasi lemak with ayam goreng. Both locals and Singaporeans were in love with the food here, including a line of famous Malaysian personalities who frequent this place, including Malaysian badminton star Lee Chong Wei1.
Address: 5, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia 47400
Kg Baru Bazar Ramadan
Another recommendation by a Grab driver was the pasar malam at Kampung Baru! Locals said that was one of the markets that has a wide spread of dishes, from roasted whole chicken or lamb to traditional Malay food and other international dishes.
Address: 45, Jln Raja Alang, Kampung Baru, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
Places That Might Interest You
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
The mall has a good mix of local and international brands, which was what I really appreciated. Most of the shops also close relatively late and are well connected to many other places of attraction through the pedestrian bridges. Some cafes are also opened early in the morning for early risers.
Address: Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Bukit Bintang/Farenheit 88
The streets here are always busy, but somehow the malls weren’t. We spotted a Beryl chocolate shop, which showcased a lot more variety of sizes and chocolates as compared to the supermarkets. The brand has grown a lot!
A random observation was that UNIQLO was more expensive here than in Singapore.
There were also some self-photo studio booths along the street, so we did one for fun. You can also enjoy the busking at night.
Address: Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Suria KLCC
We did not intend to shop here, so we explored the KLCC park in the Esplanade area. KLCC Lake Symphony Light and Sound Water Fountain showtimes are 8pm, 9pm, and 10pm daily.
Address: 241, Petronas Twin Tower 50088 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
SOGO KL + Mis Claire @ SOGO KL Plus Size Fashion Store
Similar to BHG or Tangs, SOGO housed a mixture of stores including fashion boutiques, household furniture, shoes, perfumes, lifestyle, etc. You could actually find pretty good deals. We also checked out a shop that sold plus-sized clothes, but the range was limited.
The area outside SOGO was also a hotspot for buskers in the evening.
Address: 3rd Floor, SOGO KL, Sports & Lifestyle Department, 190, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, City Centre, 50100 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
KWC Fashion Wholesale (Kenanga Mall)
This mall is a shopping haven for all ages and sizes. With 9 floors and over 800 outlets, you can find many fashion, textile, & accessory wholesalers. The prices are usually at wholesale prices and would be even cheaper if you bought in bulk.
There are shops that sell the same type of clothes, but not all would have the same quality. There were also different types of jeans cut and fake branded clothing. There are lots of children clothes, plus-sized clothing, and Muslimah clothing as well. Not sure if this is a good reference, but 8 pants, 4 blouses, 3 scarves, and 3 brooches came out to be RM475.15.
Address: 2, Jalan Gelugor, Pudu, 55200 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 10am – 7pm on weekdays, till 8pm on weekends
There you have it! KL is always a fun place to visit, as there will always be new things popping up based on becomes viral.
Uminsummer 