Malaysia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 427

Tropical Guesthouse 2 Tengkat Tong Shin T 03 2141
1168, W tropicalguesthousekl.com; map p.427. This
pleasant guesthouse is decorated with leafy bamboo and
pebble walkways; rooms are on the smallish side but are
kept clean and tidy. Couples can opt for the int eresti ngly
named “sexy room” or the “horny room”. Double RM79

well as a selection of cakes and pastries (RM9). Mon-Sat
7.30am-5pm.
Old China Café 11 Jln Balai Polis; map p.424. Step back
into the Chinese community's former social life at this old-
world café serving traditional dishes such as nasi lemak
(RM10.90). Daily 11.30am-10.30pm.
Shin Kee 9 Jln Tun Tan Cheng Lock; map p.424. This great
little place specializes in superb bowls of mixed beef
noodles (RM7). Thurs-Tues 10.30am-8.30pm.

EATING
The best-value Chinese food in KL is to be found at the
rowdy, chaotic outdoor food stalls of Jln Alor, a couple of
streets behind Jln Bukit Bintang. At the top of Jln Alor,
Changkat Bukit Bintang serves every national cuisine
imaginable, from Thai and Japanese to Russian. A roaring
Indian food market can be found on Jln Masjid India. All of
the shopping malls have extensive food courts, which
serve all manner of cuisine - a good choice for a cheap
meal throughout the day. The trendiest area to eat and
drink is the expat area of Bangsar, around 4km west of the
centre; take the Putra LRT line from KL Sentral to Bangsar
and then walk for ten minutes.

6

GOLDEN TRIANGLE
Jln Alor is lined with garrulous Chinese restaurants
specializing largely in seafood, and you're guaranteed a
good meal at any one that looks popular.
Albion 31 Jln Berangan; map p.427. Exceptional authentic
Sunday roasts with Yorkshire pudding and all the
trimmings at this Modern British restaurant also serving
great slow-roast pork belly (RM41). The weekday Express
lunch menu (RM22-28) is great value. Tues-Sat noon-
3pm & 5-11pm, Sun noon-10.30pm.
Din Tai Fung Level 6, Pavilion KL; map p.427. Watch the
chefs at work as your dumplings (RM10-15) are rolled out
and stuffed, then steamed in front of your very eyes. Daily
10am-10pm.
El Cerdo 43 & 45 Changkat Bukit Bintang; map p.427.
Make sure you head to this hugely popular restaurant with
a hungry belly; it specializes in pork dishes (their motto is
“nose to tail eating”) and the half piglet (RM188) goes
down a treat (mains from RM42). Mon-Sat noon-2.30pm
& 6-10.30pm. Sun dinner only.
Food Republic Pavilion KL; map p.427. One of the best
food courts you'll find in a KL mall, with a huge range of
cuisines, from Korean and Sarawakian to dim sum and
steak, as well as a fresh fruit-juice stall doing a roaring
business. Daily 10am-10pm.
Havana Changkat Bukit Bintang; map p.427. A great place
for meat lovers, with an outdoor courtyard and an open-
plan steak and grill bar offering juicy burgers (RM28),
tender steaks (RM46) and racks of beef ribs (RM45). The
upstairs bar and club really kicks off on weekends (see
opposite). Mon-Fri 4pm-3am, Sat & Sun 4pm-2am.
The Magnificent Fish & Chips Bar 28 Changkat Bukit
Bintang; map p.427. This authentic chippie serves
excellent fish & chips wrapped in newspaper (RM27) and
Sunday roasts (beef, lamb or chicken; RM48) in a cool and
stylish setting. Upstairs, there's a balcony and bar with
British memorabilia. Daily 9.30am-2am.
Neroteca 8 Lorong Ceylon; map p.427. This stylish
restaurant and wine bar has floor-to-ceiling shelves
stacked with wine bottles and offers popular Italian
dishes. The deli counter displays meats and cheeses, while
the home-made pasta (RM26) is served with exquisite
sauces. Daily 11.30am-11.30pm.
Passage Thru' India 4 Jln Delima; map p.427. An Indian

AROUND KL SENTRAL
Legend's Claypot Briyani House 50 Jln Vivekananda;
map pp.422-423. Half a block up the street from PODs ,
this canteen-style local favourite specializes in delicious
claypot biriyanis (from RM14.90) as well as inexpensive
banana-leaf meals (RM7.50), with lots of vegetarian
dishes. Daily 7am-10.30pm.
Old Town White Coffee Jln Tun Sambanthan at Jln
Thambipillay; map pp.422-423. Right near My Hotel , this
popular chain attracts plenty of locals who come here to
socialize over the sought-after coffees (RM3.80) and decent
grub that includes nasi lemak (RM10.50). Daily 24hr.

CHINATOWN AND LITTLE INDIA
Betel Leaf 77A Leboh Ampang; map p.424. This
authentic Indian restaurant serves wonderful curries
(RM12) and kebabs (RM15) in an a/c setting. There's plenty
on offer for vegetarians, too. Daily 11am-11pm.
Lokl Coffee Co. 30 Jln Tun H.S. Lee; map p.424. This cute
welcoming café offers a range of savoury dishes, such as
chicken chops (RM21.90) and beef burgers (RM20.90), as

TREAT YOURSELF
Marini's on 57 57th Floor, Menara 3
Petronas Tower W marinis57com; map
pp.422-423. Instead of paying to go up to
Sky Bridge at KLCC, head up to Marini's at
sunset and soak in the spectacular views,
cocktail in hand (from RM30), from this chic
57th-floor bar with floor-to-ceiling glass
windows. Dress up or you may be refused
entry. Daily 5pm-late.

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