10 Favourite Eating Places

This is not a food review, simply because we are not food connoiseurs and we are not qualified to be food critics. This is simply a list of our favourite eating places in KL/PJ. As I am not a good cook, eating out is sometimes a necessity. We have some eateries that we visit repeatedly. When we eat out, we look chiefly at a few criteria:

1. Convenience (a short drive, minimal traffic jam, lots of parking and fairly safe)
2. Tasty food
3. Good value for money
   

1 Kim San Kinchi Japanese Restaurant

There is no better place for fresh sashimi at reasonable prices. The best deal on the menu is the sashimi set which costs just RM22. If one only wants to eat fresh salmon sashimi, a plate of 10 succulent pieces costs RM35. Other favourites are the ebiko sushi and the beef sukiyaki. We bring friends and relatives from Singapore here and they invariably go home satisfied and happy. It is not surprising that the restaurant is a firm favourite of ours. We know of people who travel from afar to this eatery at Desa Sri Hartamas for its good value-for-money Japanese fare.

2 Wok Hei

The eatery at the Hartamas Shopping Centre serves local cooked-to-order dishes that are home-styled. We each have our own favourites but collectively our familiar favourites are the kum-heong la-la (legendary!), sambal belacan kangkung, deer meat with ginger and onion, teo-chew steamed fish and the salted vegetable soup. This is normally where we head for when we come back from a long journey, like driving back from Singapore - it's comfort food at affordable prices.

3 Hartamas Square

This is a food court that caters to the cosmopolitan crowd from the nearby Mont Kiara residential area. Many of the customers are expatriates or the young trendsetting in-crowd that have migrated over from Bangsar. There is free wi-fi access and large projection screens that show live EPL football matches. But we are here mainly for the food. The lamb chops are to-die-for. So are the wood-fire pizzas and creamy pastas. Other recommendations are the Thai food outlet and the char kuay teow.

4 Nam Heong Chicken Rice

To tell the truth, the chicken rice here is not as good as those that we get from Singapore. But it is good enough and the children love it all the same. This is the place that they think of for their chicken rice fix.

5 Modestos Pizza

For a quick meal in air-conditioned comfort, the boys would choose to come here where ready-made pizzas are sold by the slice. It is fast and delicious. Just right for these impatient youngsters.

6 Little Penang Cafe

This remains our favourite place for Penang food. When we are in Mid-Valley, this will be the top pick. Each of us has a firm favourite: Son No 1 - Char Kuay Teow, Son No 2 - Chicken Nasi Lemak, Son No 3 - Har Mee, Spouse - Assam Laksa. As for yours truly, I love them all.

7 Ho Weng Kee

This eatery in SS2 has received excellent reviews from food critics. The noodles are just the right consistency and springy-ness. We love the dry noodles with mushrooms, char siew or chicken.

8 Cheow Yang

The coffee shop has been re-named but we still call it fondly by its old name, Cheow Yang, which in its heyday was a famous landmark for SS2. Stalls come and go but there are a few stalls that have been around. When we come here for dinner, we go for the black-sauced Hokkien mee and loh mee, the belacan grilled fish, the deer meat rice and char kuay teow. Guarantees a satisfying meal.

9 Pantai Seafood Damansara

Our whole family loves crabs. But nowhere in KL serves the black pepper crab the way it's done in Singapore. We have yet to get used to the tastes that are considered the specialty here, such as crab with salted egg yolk or marmite crab. So, over here, we tend to go for the steamed crab with egg white. Other favourites are the poached prawns and the steamed fish. Downside to this place is the slow service and waiters who tend to forget your requests. But lots of parking space. Oh well...

10 Monte's

When we feel like a good juicy steak, we like to come to Monte's at the Bangsar Shopping Center. The ambience is pleasant and relaxing - a great place for conversation - and the service excellent. It does not cost us an arm and a leg to enjoy the dining experience. Very good value for money.

There you are, our top 10 favourite eating places. Note that I have deliberately left out the ubiquitous McDonald's and KFCs which are no-brainers - kids love them no matter what.

Well, bon apetit!