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• Eating out in Kuala Lumpur

Eating out in KL can be very, very cheap. Street vendors are all over the city and dish out what is known as ‘hawker food’. This is portions of rice, noodles or soup which are served in small, medium or large portions. Extra portions of ingredients such as prawns can cost extra.

If you don’t fancy eating from a plate in the middle of the street, the best parts of the city to dine out in are Chinatown and Little India. There are thousands of both nationalities living in the Malaysian capital so you know what you are getting it authentic.

Like most South-East Asian cuisines, ingredients such as coconut, lemon grass and chilli are all strongly evident. Some of the country’s most popular dishes are Ayam Goreng which is chicken marinated with various spices, Nasi Dagang which is rice and coconut cream, and Keropok Lekor which is fresh meat ground to a paste and mixed with sago.

Street eats

You'll never starve in South-East Asian cities due to the amount of food stalls on the streets. These are usually loaded with chicken skewers, noodles, pancakes and other snacks. In KL, the best places to feast on streets are Jalan Alor in the Golden Triangle, and all over Chinatown and Little India. Food sometimes may not look the most enticing, but it can be devilishly tasty sometimes, and frightfully cheap.

Restaurants in Kuala Lumpur

• Estana Curry House

  Jalan Nagansari, Golden Triangle, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  Curries or noodles are what you should try here. If you want a typically Malaysian dish opt for 'nasi goreng kampung' - fried rice with prawns, egg and chicken.
  
  Open daily from 12 noon-midnight.

• Chopstick Noodle House

  Lot F 003, First Floor, KL Plaza, 179 Jalan Bukit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  With a menu that comprises of over 20 kinds of noodles, Chopstick’s is a great place to grab some food – and at a great price also. Noodles are mixed with a range of different ingredients which include barbeque duck or pork, seafood and beef.

• Chow Kit Market

  Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  Situated at the northern end of Jalan Tar, this food market is KL’s largest and has numerous outlets serving all types of food, and all at very cheap prices. This doesn’t mean that the quality of food isn’t high. You are guaranteed to be filled with some of the tastiest food in the city. One big bonus is that there is always a great atmosphere here and the whole place is buzzing!

• Wei Kee Restoran

  50 Lorong Yap Hin, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  The Wei Kee has an excellent choice of Cantonese main course, and its speciality is its goose dishes. A good option if you are looking for something a little bit different, without having to splash out.

• Scalini's la Piccola Italia

  19 Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  There aren’t too many restaurants in South-East Asia that can serve authentic pizzas. Thanks to four Italian chefs now living in the Malaysian capital, this restaurant can. There is also a good selection of seafood and pasta.

• Planet Hollywood

  179 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Ground Floor KL Plaza, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  The Malaysian branch of Planet Hollywood is the best place in the city to get a good old fashioned American-style burger. It is very big and there is always lots of things happening as the staff are very energetic and the music is loud.

• Meng Kee Grill

  39 Jalan Alor, Golden Triangle, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  It's hard to walk down Jalan Alor without being approached by at least one hawker. If those working here coax you inside you won't be disappointed. The speciality here is grilled fish, and you can choose from swordfish, stingray and others. There are meat and veggie options too.
  
  Open Wed-Mon 6pm-3am.