Lonely Planet Kuala Lumpur, Melaka & Penang Read online

  Saravana BhavanINDIAN$$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-2698 3293; www.saravanabhavan.com; Selangor Mansion, Jln Masjid India; meals RM10-20; h8am-10.30pm; v; LRT Masjid Jamek)

  This global chain of restaurants offers some of the best-quality Indian food you'll find in KL. Their banana-leaf and mini-tiffin feasts are supremely tasty and you can also sample southern Indian classics such as masala dosa (rice-and-lentil crepe stuffed with spiced potatoes).

  5Chow Kit & Kampung Baru

  oIkan Bakar BerempahHAWKER$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jln Raja Muda Musa; mains RM5-10; h7am-10pm; LRT Kampung Baru)

  This excellent barbecued-fish stall sits within a hawker-stall market covered by a zinc roof and is one of the best places to eat in Kampung Baru. Pick your fish off the grill and add kampung-style side dishes to it off the long buffet.

  Kak SomMALAYSIAN$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jln Raja Muda Musa; meals RM10-15; h8am-3am; LRT Kampung Baru)

  Specialising in east coast Peninsular Malaysian dishes such as nasi kerabu (blue rice), this is a good place to dine inexpensively on the main Kampung Baru restaurant strip. Take your rice and pick of items from the buffet along with rice and the waitstaff will come to take a drink order and tally up your bill.

  Mungo JerryCHINESE$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 292 Jln Raja Laut; dishes RM8-12; h6pm-2.30am; LRT Sultan Ismail)

  This late-night supper hotspot on the edge of Chow Kit is a bare-bones joint famous for its thicker take on bak kut teh (chilli-infused pork curry stew), as well as for the original, more soupy version.

  LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

  BAZAAR BARU CHOW KIT EATS

  Great hawker food is found inside Bazaar Baru Chow Kit; the atmosphere is lively, the food is tasty and cheap, and you can pick up an astonishing variety of tropical fruit for dessert. Look out for these stalls:

  Murtabak AnaHAWKER$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %012-255 5774; Bazaar Baru Chow Kit; murtabak RM3; h8am-4pm; DChow Kit)

  You'd be hard-pressed to find a cheaper, more filling meal than a freshly made murtabak (Indian-style pancake stuffed with chicken or mutton) from this stall.

  Pak Ngah Bihun SupHAWKER$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Bazaar Baru Chow Kit, Jln TAR; noodles RM5; h10am-7pm; DChow Kit)

  Not for the faint-hearted: the intensely flavoursome broth for these noodles is drawn from a cauldron in which cows' livers bubble ominously. Ask for it spicy and pay a little more if you want an extra topping of offal. At the north end of the market on the main cooked-food alley.

  Nam KeeCAFE

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Bazaar Baru Chow Kit; h7am-6pm; DChow Kit)

  Buried at the eastern back of the market, this is one of a series of tiny coffee stalls that are like time capsules transporting you back decades to old Kuala Lumpur.

  5Titiwangsa & Sentul

  D’Istana Jalamas CaféMALAYSIAN$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jln Tun Razak; mains RM5-10; h7am-8pm Mon-Fri; DTitiwangsa, LRT Titiwangsa)

  A good eating option in the Titiwangsa area, this cafe at Istana Budaya, the national theatre, offers an appealing serve-yourself buffet of Malay and mamak (Indian Muslim) favourites such as fish-head curry, as well as salads, snacks and fresh fruit. Try the local coffee: it's filtered here and not simply a powdered mix. Balcony seats are shaded by trees.

  SamiraTHAI$$

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-4042 3880; www.samiraasianterrace.com; Sentul Park, Jln Strachan; mains RM20-90; hnoon-3.30pm & 6-10.30pm Mon-Fri, noon-10.30pm Sat & Sun; dSentul)

  Overlooking the koi pond and lake at Sentul Park, and very romantic at night when lit by flickering candles, Samira serves good Thai and Vietnamese food. Can get booked up in advance when there is a show on at the nearby KL Performing Arts Centre.

  Tommy Le BakerBAKERY$$

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-4043 2546; www.tommylebaker.wordpress.com; A-1-3A Viva Residency, 378 Jln Ipoh; sandwiches RM16-26; h8am-6pm Tue-Sun; dSentul)

  You're not going to meet anyone in KL as passionate about sourdough and baking as Tommy Lee, aka Tommy Le Baker. Trained in Paris, Tommy now bakes amazing breads and pastries at this tiny Sentul outlet tucked around the back of the Viva Residency complex. It also serves good coffee and hearty sandwiches.

  6Drinking & Nightlife

  Coliseum CafeBAR

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.coliseum1921.com; 100 Jln TAR; h10am-10pm; LRT Masjid Jamek)

  The kind of bar in which colonial planters and clerks would have knocked back stouts and G&Ts, this retro watering hole (in business since 1921) oozes nostalgia. The bar is worth visiting even if you don't eat a meal at the adjoining grill room, where little seems to have changed since Somerset Maugham tucked into its famous sizzling steaks.

  Butter & BeansCAFE

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-2060 2177; www.facebook.com/butterbeans.my; 42 Jln Doraisamy; h7.30am-11pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-11pm Sat & Sun; DMedan Tuanku)

  Jln Doraisamy's reinvention as the Row has thrown up a few cool cafes and restaurants to hang out in, including this one, handy for cold-brew coffee and other drinks. Next door is Slate, a space where events and music performances are held.

  Bistro RichardBAR

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-4041 3277; www.bistrorichard.com; Lot 268 Jln Strachan; h5-11pm Tue-Fri, noon-11pm Sat & Sun; W; dSentul)

  A French-style cafe-bar, complete with checked red tablecloths, in the surrounds of a Japanese Zen rock garden is slightly culturally confusing. Nonetheless, this bistro is a very pleasant place for a drink, whether or not you happen to be attending a show at adjacent KL Performing Arts Centre.

  3Entertainment

  oKuala Lumpur Performing Arts CentrePERFORMING ARTS

  (KLPAC; GOOGLE MAP ; %03-4047 9000; www.klpac.org; Sentul Park, Jln Strachan; dSentul)

  Part of the Sentul West regeneration project, this modernist performing-arts complex puts on a wide range of progressive theatrical events including dramas, musicals and dance. Also on offer are performing-arts courses and screenings of art-house movies (noncensored). Combine a show with a stroll in the peaceful leafy grounds and dinner. Sentul Park is 2.5km west of Titiwangsa Lake Gardens.

  A variety of performing-arts courses – including in traditional instruments such as those used in a gamelan (traditional Malay orchestra) – are on offer here.

  oIstana BudayaPERFORMING ARTS

  (National Theatre; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-4026 5555; www.istanabudaya.gov.my; Jln Tun Razak; tickets RM100-300; DTitiwangsa)

  Large-scale drama and dance shows are staged here, as well as music performances by the National Symphony Orchestra and National Choir. The building's soaring roof is based on a traditional Malay floral decoration of betel leaves, while the columned interior invokes a provincial colonialism. There’s a dress code of no shorts and no short-sleeved shirts.

  Sutra Dance TheatreDANCE

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-4021 1092; www.sutrafoundation.org.my; 12 Persiaran Titiwangsa 3; DTitiwangsa)

  The home of Malaysian dance legend Ramli Ibrahim has been turned into a showcase for Indian classical dance as well as a dance studio, painting and photography gallery and cultural centre near Lake Titiwangsa. See the website for upcoming events.

  Also offers courses in Odissi and other forms of classical Indian dance.

  Coliseum TheatreCINEMA

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 94 Jln TAR; jMasjid Jamek)

  One of KL's oldest still-functioning cinemas, this art deco–style building dates back to 1920 and screens Tamil and other Indian-language movies.

  7Shopping

  oLeague of CaptainsFASHION & ACCESSORIES

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.facebook.com/leagueofcaptains; Lot 42-50 the Row, Jln Doraisamy; hboutique noon-9pm; DMedan Tuanku)

  T-shirts and caps by local label Pestle & Mortar Clothing and accessories by other hip young designers are artfully displayed at this boutique. It doubles as a cafe selling excellent coffee, homemade cakes and beef rendang pie.

  Rattan Art EnterprisesARTS & CRAFTS

 
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %017-622 2530; www.gekguan.com; 343 Jln Tuanku Abdul Rahman; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat, to 4pm Sun; DMedan Tuanku)

  Handmade rattan rocking chairs, baskets, bags and mats.

  Semua HouseDEPARTMENT STORE

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Jln Masjid India & Jln Bunus 6; h10am-10pm; LRT Masjid Jamek)

  Two floors of Indian wedding shops can be found at this department store, right in the heart of Masjid India and the Saturday night pasar malam.

  Clothing stall, Jln Masjid India | ABD. HALIM HADI/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

  WORTH A DETOUR

  ROYAL SELANGOR VISITOR CENTRE

  Located 8km northeast of the city centre, the Royal Selangor Visitor Centre ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-4145 6122; www.royalselangor.com/visitor-centre; 4 Jln Usahawan 6, Setapak Jaya; h9am-5pm; LRT Wangsa Maju) is the main factory of the world's largest pewter manufacturer. For sale in the centre's galleries are some very appealing souvenirs made from this malleable alloy of lead and silver, as well as the company's silver pieces under the Comyns brand and its Selberam jewellery.

  You can tour the factory and sign up for one of the centre's pewtersmithing workshops ( GOOGLE MAP ; %03-4145 6122; www.royalselangor.com/visitor-centre; 4 Jln Usahawan 6, Setapak Jaya; 30min class RM63.60, 60min class RM159; h9am-5pm; LRT Wangsa Maju). Try your hand at creating a pewter dish at the School of Hard Knocks or designing and making your own jewellery at the Foundry. The centre is fronted by a nearly 2m-tall pewter tankard and has an appealing cafe. If you don't make it out here, Selangor's products are sold at its retail outlets in Kuala Lumpur's malls, including Suria KLCC and Pavilion KL.

  2Sports & Activities

  Kampung Baru Walking TourWALKING

  (Jalan-Jalan at Kampung Baru; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-2698 0332; www.visitkl.gov.my/visitklv2; h4.15-7.15pm Tue, Thu & Sun; DMedan Tuanku)F

  This free walking tour from Visit KL takes you into the heart of the traditional Malay village at the centre of a modern metropolis. The route takes in not only the neighbourhood sights – the Masjid Jamek, Sultan Sulaiman Club and beautiful old wooden houses – but also traditional shops, popular dishes and food venues, and Malay customs. Tours start at the Sultan Sulaiman Club.

  Dress conservatively and bring an umbrella.

  KL Sky TourSCENIC FLIGHTS

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %019-258 6818; www.cempaka.com.my; Titiwangsa Helipad, Titiwangsa Lake Gardens; 6/15/30/45min tours for up to 3 people RM600/1500/3000/4500; h10am-6pm; DTitiwangsa)

  Departing from a helipad on the edge of Titiwangsa Lake, KL's new helicopter tours allow you to swing between the city's skyscrapers in style. A six-minute whizz around the lake gardens will set you back RM600 for up to three people; if you go for the 15-minute tour (RM1500) you'll get as far as Batu Caves.

  Note that flights are weather dependent.

  TubesterBOATING

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-7733 4181; www.tubesterinc.com; Titiwangsa Lake Gardens; 20-min rides adult/child RM35/25; h10am-7pm Tue-Fri, 9am-7.30pm Sat & Sun; DTitiwangsa)

  Get taken for a 20-minute spin on the lake with a Tubester boater, or hire one of the six- or 10-seater motorboats and sail it yourself (from RM60 for 30 minutes). Life jackets are provided.

  Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar

  Sights

  Eating

  Drinking & Nightlife

  Entertainment

  Shopping

  Sports & Activities

  Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar

  Neighborhood Top Five

  1Islamic Arts Museum Admiring the beautiful objects and artworks gathered from around the world in this top-class museum, which occupies an impressive building embellished with decorative domes and mosaic tiles.

  2Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park Strolling around the leafy gardens and visiting the park's attractions, including the KL Bird Park.

  3Buddhist Maha Vihara Exploring this peaceful complex of Buddhist temples and the neighbouring places of worship in Brickfields.

  4Thean Hou Temple Marvelling at the architectural detail and the views from its elevated terraces.

  5Bangsar Sampling some of KL's top food and fashion picks, and relaxing over a coffee or cocktail in Bangsar Baru.

  Explore Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar

  The Lake Gardens were created in the late 19th century as an urban retreat for the colonial Brits to escape the hurly-burly of downtown. Now named the Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park after Malaysia's second prime minister, this lush, landscaped area continues to act as KL's green relaxation zone and includes three museums, six themed parks and other monuments and sights.

  Following devastating fires in the late 19th century, KL’s colonial administration decreed that bricks would henceforth be used to construct the city’s buildings. The area where they were manufactured became known as Brickfields. Many Indian labourers, mainly Tamils from southern India and Sri Lanka, settled here, giving the area its still-predominant Indian atmosphere – that's why it's KL's official Little India. However, in this ethnically diverse suburb you'll also find a Chinese temple and various Christian churches alongside the Hindu and Buddhist shrines. All are overshadowed by the skyscrapers of KL Sentral, the city’s transportation hub, around which several new shopping complexes and offices towers have sprouted.

  To the south ripple the green hills that are home to KL’s main Chinese Cemetery as well as the spectacular Thean Hou Temple and the old Istana Negara, now the Royal Museum. North of here is Bangsar, a century ago a rubber plantation, now an upscale residential area of luxury bungalows and condominiums. Its commercial hub, Bangsar Baru, is one of KL's most pleasant places to eat and shop.

  Local Life

  AMalls Join the locals as you browse the shops at Mid Valley Megamall, Bangsar Village or Bangsar Shopping Centre.

  AMarkets Go grocery shopping and enjoy great hawker food at the Bangsar Sunday Market.

  ADrumming Join the Tugu Drum Circle as they bang out some beats near the National Monument every Sunday evening.

  Getting There & Away

  ATrain, monorail and LRT KL Sentral, the city's transport hub, is close to both Brickfields and the Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park; Bank Rakyat-Bangsar is one stop southwest on the LRT.

  AWalking Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park can easily be accessed by foot from Chinatown.

  ABus The KL Hop-On-Hop-Off bus stops at Masjid Negara, KL Bird Park, the National Monument and the National Museum. The GOKL free city bus red line stops at KL Sentral, Masjid Negara and the National Museum.

  ABicycle Pedal around the Lake Gardens area with a rental bike from KL By Cycle ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-2691 1382; www.myhoponhopoff.com; Dataran Merdeka Underground Mall, Merdeka Sq; per hour RM10, deposit RM100; h9am-6pm; LRT Masjid Jamek).

  Lonely Planet's Top Tip

  The Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park is huge, and in KL's heat and humidity getting to and from the sights can be a slog. The free GOKL city bus red line links KL Sentral with Masjid Negara, the National Museum and Merdeka Sq.

  Best Places to Eat

  A Rebung

  A Restoran Yarl

  A Lawanya Food Corner

  A Ganga Cafe

  A Jaslyn Cakes

  Best Places to Drink

  A Coley

  A Mantra Bar KL

  A Mai Bar

  A Pulp by Papa Palheta

  A Ril's Bangsar

  A Sino The Bar Upstairs

  Best Shopping

  A Thisappear

  A Shoes Shoes Shoes

  A d.d.collective

  A DR.Inc

  A Lonely Dream

  A Fabspy

  TOP SIGHT

  Islamic Arts Museum

  ALIZADA STUDIOS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

  On the southern edge of the Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park, this outstanding museum houses one of best collections of Islamic decorative arts in the world. Aside from the quality of the exhibits, which include fabulous textiles, jewellery, calligraphy-inscribed pottery and scale architectural models, the
building itself is a stunner, with beautifully decorated domes and glazed tile work on its facade.

  The Galleries

  Spread over four levels, the museum has 12 permanent galleries and two galleries for special exhibitions. Start on the 3rd floor in the Architecture Gallery, which has scale models of important Islamic buildings, including Islam's holiest mosque, the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. There's also a re-creation of a mosque interior. On the same floor, in the Quran and Manuscripts Gallery, look for the 19th-century Qurans from Malaysia's east coast decorated in red, gold and black, as well as a full kiswah (an embroidered door panel from the holy Kaaba in Mecca).

  Other highlights include the Ottoman Room, a magnificent reconstruction of an 1820s decorative room from Syria; Chinese calligraphy scrolls; the weft silk ikat limar, a fabric patterned with Islamic calligraphy and no longer made as the tradition has died out; and Uzbek pectoral plates.

  The Museum Building