Kuala Lumpur Food Guide: Nasi Lemak, Char Kway Teow & Hawker Centres

Kuala Lumpur is arguably Southeast Asia's most diverse food city — a metropolis where Malay, Chinese, Indian, Peranakan and Mamak cuisines have coexisted and cross-pollinated for 150 years. Eating here is an adventure in cultural complexity, and the prices are extraordinary value.

Essential KL Dishes

• Nasi Lemak — Malaysia's national dish: coconut rice with sambal (chilli paste), fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and a hard-boiled egg. Eaten at breakfast or anytime. The best is from a banana leaf parcel at a morning market stall.
• Char Kway Teow — wok-fried flat rice noodles with Chinese sausage, cockles, eggs, bean sprouts and dark soy. A smoky charcoal-wok masterpiece.
• Roti Canai — flaky flatbread with dhal curry dipping sauce. The definitive Mamak (Indian-Muslim) breakfast. Available 24 hours at Mamak restaurants.
• Bak Kut Teh — pork rib soup in herbal broth. Sunday morning institution in KL's Klang suburb (the dish's birthplace, 45 min from KL).

Best Hawker Centres

• Jalan Alor (Bukit Bintang) — KL's most famous street food strip, packed nightly with Chinese seafood stalls
• Petaling Street (Chinatown) — daytime market, excellent char siu and dim sum
• Bangsar Food Court — popular with locals, wide variety at good prices