Although a well-established practice in many other southeast Asian countries, particularly Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, eateries run on charitable principles are rather thin on the ground in Kuala Lumpur. This is partly because the city has less desperately poor people than say Phnom Penh or Bangkok. It is also down to cultural attitudes towards charity. … read the full post

Every year, Kuala Lumpur plays host to a global halal conference, an indication of how important the Malaysian government views the international market for products that comply with Islamic rules. The event covers everything from food to financial services, which probably comes as a bit of a surprise to anyone who thinks the term only refers … read the full post

Yut Kee is a Kuala Lumpur culinary institution, although sadly not one many visitors will have heard of. It’s been serving up tasty food and drink for 83 years, making it one of the city’s very oldest eateries. In that time, this traditional Chinese coffee shop has survived a world war, several recessions, umpteen floods, the … read the full post

As I may have mentioned before, Malaysians like their food. It’s one of the few things which cuts across all the main ethnic groups in the country. One big difference between the races though, is that while fantastic Chinese and Indian food is easily accessible to tourists, good Malay cooking is far more difficult to … read the full post

Tea drinking has been part of Malaysian life for hundreds of years, although exactly when the habit started is unclear. The most likely explanation is that it was brought to the country by traders from China. The word for tea in Malay is teh, derived from Hokkien, the dialect spoken in the Chinese province of … read the full post

One of the undoubted culinary highlights of Kuala Lumpur is south Indian food, done with a distinctive Malaysian twist. The eateries can be divided into two main categories: those run by Hindus, and those run by Indians who have converted to Islam, known as Mamaks. Although many dishes turn up at both types of establishment, … read the full post

Malaysia is one of the few places I can think of that has a deeply ingrained culture of both tea and coffee drinking. For the most part, coffee (like tea come to think of it) is served up strong, milky and sweet; an anti-skinny decaff latte if you like. The quality is higher at traditional … read the full post

When I first came to Kuala Lumpur, a workmate of mine offered to take me to their favourite Chinese eatery. I readily accepted the offer, but as we entered the place, I began to have second thoughts. Our “restaurant” was a collection of plastic tables and stools, located inside a car park. Once the food … read the full post

Banana leaf curry is an Indian thali, done with a distinctive Malaysian twist, and it’s something visitors really should try at some stage during a trip to Kuala Lumpur. I decided to check out a few places in order to find the best spot to indulge in the delicious meal. Popularity may not be everything … read the full post

Kuala Lumpur is not so much the city that never sleeps, as the city that never stops eating. To say that the city’s residents like their food is a serious understatement. They are obsessed with it. Day to day life is planned around meals, not the other way round. And while the sheer volume of … read the full post