Bak Kut Teh

What is the most famous food in Malaysia if it's not other than Bak Kut Teh? Orginated from Klang, this non-halal dish is gaining global popularity among Chinese community around the world of its unique taste and medical properties of various Chinese herbs used.

Original quote from Wikipedia:

Bak kut teh (Chinese: 肉骨茶; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bah-kut-tê) is a Chinese soup popularly served in Malaysia, Singapore, Mainland China, Taiwan and the Indonesian island of Riau (where there is a predominant Hoklo and Teochew community) and also, cities of neighbouring countries like Batam of Indonesia and Hat Yai of Thailand.

The name literally translates as "meat bone tea", and, at its simplest, consists of meaty pork ribs simmered in a complex broth of herbs and spices (including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dang gui, fennel seeds and garlic) for hours.^[1] However, additional ingredients may include offal, varieties of mushroom, choy sum, and pieces of dried tofu or fried tofu puffs. Additional Chinese herbs may include yu zhu (rhizome of Solomon's Seal) and ju zhi (buckthorn fruit), which give the soup a sweeter, slightly stronger flavor. Light and dark soy sauce are also added to the soup during cooking, with varying amounts depending on the variant. Garnishings include chopped coriander or green onions and a sprinkling of fried shallots.

Bak kut teh is usually eaten with rice or noodles (sometimes as a noodle soup), and often served with youtiao / cha kueh [yau char kwai] (strips of fried dough) for dipping into the soup. Soy sauce (usually light soy sauce, but dark soy sauce is also offered sometimes) is preferred as a condiment, with which chopped chilli padi and minced garlic is taken together. Chinese tea of various kinds (the Tieguanyin variety is especially popular in the Klang Valley area of Malaysia) is also usually served in the belief that it dilutes or dissolves the copious amount of fat consumed in this pork-laden dish. Bak kut teh is typically a famous morning meal. The Hokkien and Teochew are traditionally tea-drinking cultures and this aspect runs deep in their cuisines.

Source: Wikipedia

Travelling around Kepong area, it is not hard for you not to spot any Bak Kut Teh stalls along the road. Jalan Kepong itself has at least 4 BKT stalls with different style and taste to be choose from.

List of Bak Kut Teh stalls available around Kepong Area

• Heng BKT - Taman Kepong
• Heng Kee Hock Kien Klang BKT - Menjalara
• Hing Kee (Dry) BKT - Jalan Kepong
• Ka Ka BKT （家家） - Jalan Kepong
• Kim Tek BKT - Taman Kepong Indah
• Liong Kee BKT - Taman Kepong
• Mo Sang Kor BKT （毛山稿）- Metro Prima
• Seng Lee Claypot BKT - Taman Bukit Maluri
• Pao Xiang BKT - Metro Prima
• Yap Tong Klang BKT - Aman Puri
• 顺香 Shun Heong BKY - Jinjang Selatan
• More adding soon!

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Yong Tau Fu

Yong Tau Fu is a famous Hakka dish favourited by Chinese people as well as other ethnics in Malaysia. It is so famous until I need a special post for it instead of grouping it together in the restaurant post. While Kepong area has famous Jalan Ipoh Hakka Yong Tau Fu, there are also many other good YTF restaurants that are recommended for all Kepong folks to try. The price for each piece may vary from RM0.80/piece till RM2/piece, while the portion is very subjective.

As quoted in Wikipedia:

Yong tau foo ( also spelled yong tao foo, yong tau fu, or yong tau hu yong tofu) is a Chinese soup dish with Hakka origins commonly found in China, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. There are also Teochew and Hokkien variations.

In Malaysia, the Ampang region of Kuala Lumpur is particularly famous for this dish. It is ubiquitous in Singapore food courts, too. Essentially the dish originated in the early 1960s in a restaurant called "Chew Kuan" as tofu stuffed with a meat paste of fish and pork, thereby earning the dish its name "Yong Tau Foo," which means "stuffed bean curd." Since then all variety of vegetables and even fried fritters have been similarly stuffed, and the name Yong Tau Foo has thus been used liberally to apply to foods prepared in this manner.

Yong tau foo is essentially a clear consomme soup containing a varied selection of food items including fish balls, crab sticks, bittergourds, cuttlefish, lettuce, ladies fingers, as well as chilis, and various forms of fresh produce, seafood and meats common in Chinese cuisine. Some of these items, such as bittergourd and chili, are usually filled with fish paste (surimi). The foods are then sliced into bite-size pieces, cooked briefly in boiling broth and then served either in the broth as soup or with the broth in a separate bowl. The dish is eaten with chopsticks and a soup spoon and can be eaten by itself (served with a bowl of steamed rice) or with any choice of egg or rice noodles, or bee hoon (rice vermicelli). Another variation of this dish is to serve it with laksa gravy or curry sauce. Essential accompaniments are spicy, vinegary chili sauce, similar to Indonesian sambal oelek, and a distinctive brown sweet bean sauce or hoisin sauce for dipping.

In Malaysia, the Malay Muslims have taken to yong tau foo in a big way. As pork consumption is prohibited for Muslims, halal yong tau foo is generally soy based or stuffed vegetable fritters or steamed bean curd with fish paste stuffing. To prepare the dish, these, a steamed rice-flour roll (similar to that used for chee cheong fun) and a vegetable called kangkong are boiled to heat and soften them. The food items are drained and eaten with sprinkled toasted sesame seeds, chili sauce and a hoisin based sauce. Another version commonly found in Perak state is the soup type where the food items are served in a broth and provided with chili sauce and hoisin based sauce dipping. Halal yong tau foo is normally sold by Malay vendors at night markets (pasar malam) and at halal food courts by non-Muslim vendors.

Source: Wikipedia

List of Yong Tau Fu restaurants available around Kepong Area

• Chan Chan YTF - Menjalara
• E Sou YTF - Menjalara
• Kepong Baru Hakka YTF - Kepong Baru
• Jalan Ipoh YTF - Jalan Ipoh
• Jalan Ipoh YTF - Jinjang
• Jalan Ipoh YTF - Metro Prima
• More adding soon!

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Steamboat

Steamboat restaurants has become a hit recently especially in Kepong with many restaurants starting their business by introducing many different kinds of steamboat, be it buffet or non-buffet style. Majority of the steamboat restaurants located at Menjalara and Metro Prima. Good and bad reviews are all available through various food blogs and can be your reference in choosing the best steamboat restaurant that suits your need. The list of steamboat will be break down into buffet style or non-buffet style for easy navigation.

List of Steamboat restaurants available around Kepong Area

Buffet Style

• Happy BBQ Steamboat - Metro Prima
• Momo Paradise - Menjalara
• QQ BBQ Steamboat - Metro Prima
• More adding soon!

Non-Buffet Style

• BBQ Plaza - Jusco Kepong
• Happy City Steamboat - Metro Prima
• Ho Ho Steamboat (Pulau Ketam) - Menjalara
• Hometown Steamboat - Menjalara (New!)
• Jonny's Steamboat - Jusco Kepong
• Ketam Steamboat - Menjalara
• Ketam Village - Desa Park City
• Tai Tao Steamboat - Menjalara
• The Wharf Steamboat - Menjalara
• Yen Shabu-shabu - Menjalara
• More adding soon!

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Restaurant

Restaurants will never be less in a heavily populated residential area like Kepong. I will break down the list of restaurants according to type of food and hopefully the list can be as complete as possible and easy to navigate.

List of Restaurants available around Kepong Area (According to Food Type)

Chinese Cuisine

• Big Big Bowl (Hakka) - Metro Prima
• China Man Restaurant - Metro Prima
• De Foodland Seafood Restaurant
• Fat Boon Restaurant （肥仔文）- Jalan Kepong Baru
• Fatt Kee Restaurant （发记甲洞饭店）- Menjalara
• Hee Loi Den Restaurant （喜来登酒楼）- Jinjang Utara
• Hoi Kee Restaurant （海记）- Jinjang Utara
• Huan Kee Restaurant （焕记）- Jalan Kepong Baru
• Lui Cha King Restaurant （客家擂茶）- Kepong Baru
• Must Love Restaurant （人人爱）- Menjalara
• Nice Soup Gang Restaurant （炖汤）- Taman Daya
• Sai Kong Restaurant （西公）- Kepong Baru
• Siong Ben Soup House （上品炖汤饭店） - Menjalara
• Sin Choi Wah Restaurant （新翠华）- Menjalara
• Tai Dee （大弟海鲜饮食店） - Bukit Sri Bintang
• Tai Hau Fook Restaurant （大口福）- Metro Prima
• Tai Thong Odeon Restaurant （大同酒家）- Kepong Baru
• Thong Lung sang Seafood Restaurant （隆记海鲜饭店） - Metro Prima
• Yuan Kee Seafood Restaurant （源记）- Jalan Kepong Baru

Indian Cuisine

Indonesian Cuisine

Japanese Cuisine

• Niji Sushi Restaurant - Menjalara

Korean Cuisine

• Daorae Korean BBQ Restaurant - Metro Prima
• Or-ju Korean Restaurant - Metro Prima (shifted to Rawang)

Malay Cuisine

Nyonya Cuisine

• Red Door Cafe & Restaurant - Jusco Kepong

Thai Cuisine

• Janwa Thai Restaurant - Menjalara
• Krua Thai Restaurant - Metro Prima
• Thai Garden Village (TGV) - Kepong
• Yee Wen Thai Restaurant - Kepong Baru

Vegetarian

• Ba Xian Vegetarian Restaurant - Jalan Kepong Baru
• Shui Yuan Vegetarian Restaurant - Kepong Baru

Vietnamese

• Kah Hing Restaurant - Taman Sri Sinar

Western Cuisine

• Bel Pestro Pizza Itallian Restaurant - Metro Prima
• Block House - Menjalara
• Bull Run Corner（牛魔王） - Menjalara
• D'Fortune - Menjalara
• Silver Spoon Trattoria - Menjalara

Others/Speciality

• Brilliant Nasi Lemak House - Metro Prima

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Pastries and Bakeries

Cakes and breads always best paired with tea during tea breaks. There are a few pastries and bakeries where Kepong people can buy their favourite pastries for breakfast or tea time. Some bakeries also provide chill out places for people who opt to sit down and enjoy fresh pastries instead of buying it back, with a cup of coffee.

List of Pastries/Bakeries available around Kepong Area

• Baker's Cottage - Desa Jaya
• Bisgood Food - Laman Rimbunan, Metro Prima
• De Pastry - Menjalara
• King's Confectionery - Kepong Baru
• King's Confectionery - Taman Kepong
• King's Confectionery - Jinjang Utara
• Secret Recipe - Bandar Sri Damansara
• Secret Recipe - Desa Park City
• Secret Recipe - Jusco Kepong
• Sweetly - Jinjang Selatan
• Tong Kee - Kepong Baru

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Food Court

Food court has always been one of the places that people will go for their meal due to the wide variety and reasonable prices for individual, as well as a group of people, be it family or friends. Kepong has never lack of food courts as many new food court emerges and many old food court closes as well. Only a few old food court that are still operating, as they are well established in the heart of Kepong folks. 

One of the signature food court in Kepong is located at Jalan Kepong Baru (as known as Wai Sik Gai). The old food court still has a few hawker stalls that are remaining and trying to survive under tight competition from Metro Prima's food courts. Compare to the old times where people need to wait for seats, this old food court is showing its age.

With the vast development of Kepong and Metro Prima, many new food courts has been established around Kepong. However, it is disappointing that most of the stalls inside these new food courts were operated by foreigners, which in my opinion, lack of the taste that we can find in old food court. Probably that's the reason why some old food courts still standing strong despite the old and aging environment.

List of Food Courts available around Kepong Area

• Happy City Food Court - Metro Prima
• Kepong Food Court - Metro Prima
• Old Kepong Food Court - Jalan Kepong Baru
• Pusat Penjaja Metro Prima (Malay) - Metro Prima
• WSG Food Court - Jalan Kepong Baru (New!)
• Many other food courts that names are not known yet.

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Fast Food

Variety of fast food available in Kepong has never decrease and in fact getting more and more with many new shopping malls built and commercial areas developed over the years. I still remember we only have very limited choices of fast food when I was young, with only KFC and McDonalds avail in Kepong.

List of Fast Food restaurants available around Kepong Area

• A&W - Tesco Kepong
• Ayamas - Bandar Sri Damansara
• Ayamas - Desa Jaya
• Domino - Bandar Sri Damansara
• Domino - Shell Station, Jalan Kepong
• Marry Brown - Jusco Kepong
• McDonald's - Desa Jaya
• McDonald's - Bandar Sri Damansara
• McDonald's - Aman Puri
• KFC - Carrefour
• KFC - Jusco Kepong
• KFC - Metro Prima
• KFC - Sri Sinar
• KFC - Tesco Kepong
• Pizza Hut - Carrefour, Kepong
• Pizza Hut - Metro Prima
• Subway - Tesco Kepong

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Dim Sum

Dim Sum has always been a favourite food for Chinese people around the world with Hong Kong style Dim Sum representing the best of the best.

Wikipedia quoted Dim Sum as

Dim sum is a Cantonese term for snack. However, dim sum more typically refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food, traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates. Dim sum is also well known for the unique way it is sometimes served in some restaurants, where fully cooked and ready-to-serve dim sum dishes would be pushed around on steam carts by servers who go around the restaurant offering the dishes to customers and marking orders on a card on each customer's table.

Source: Wikipedia

For sure you will still be able to find good Dim Sum at highly Chinese populated Kepong area, even if it's not the best in KL.

List of Dim Sum restaurants available around Kepong Area

• Eden Dim Sum - Menjalara
• Ful Lai Dim Sum （富俫）- Menjalara
• Hong Kee Dim Sum - Aman Puri
• MCY Restaurant Dim Sum - Aman Puri
• Mi Wen Dim Sum （米纹） - Jalan Ipoh
• Sin Choi Wah Restaurant Dim Sum （新翠华） - Menjalara
• Six Happiness Restaurant Dim Sum （六福）- Kepong
• Tuck Kee Dim Sum （德记）- Taman Bukit Maluri
• Other DIm Sum restaurants that names are not known yet.

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