I recently published a review of the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur and mentioned that contrary to habit, my brother and I ventured out for dinner.
Malaysia and certainly Kuala Lumpur has great food. Walk through Bitbang and you’ll find streets lined with restaurants serving savory local delicacies. But you have to understand that I am a very eccentric eater. Were it up to me, I’d have Mexican food every day for lunch and Mediterranean for dinner. No joke, it is what it is.
So what kind of restaurants do suppose we set out to find while in K-L?
1. Loco Restaurant and Bar (Mexican)
Located on Changkat Bukit Bintang, a street with a diverse mix of international cuisine and trendy bars in the busiest part of town, we found some Mexican food. When I say I like Mexican food, I mostly mean I like Tex-Mex. This restaurant did not disappoint. First up was tortilla chips with guacamole and salsa.
My brother ordered a chicken burrito while I ordered a chicken quesadilla. Both were tasty because the restaurant had the right blend of cheese, a common problem in finding decent Mexican food in Europe and Asia.
While the food is not incredible, if you’re in the mood for Mexican comfort food you will not go wrong here.
- 22, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- +60 3-2142 8260
- 11AM-3AM (daily)
2. Al-Amar (Lebanese)
Next night we had Lebanese at Al-Amar, a restaurant on the sixth floor of the Pavillion KL (adjacent to the busy Starhill Gallery).
Upon sitting down, a plate of peanuts and a rack of bread with olive oil was placed at our table.
We ordered hummus to start with fresh baked pita which came out piping hot from the oven.
For our main course, we each ordered a mixed grill which came with a lamb, beef, and chicken kabob. It was lovely, though the tahini left a strong garlic taste that took a couple days to fully dissipate.
- Lot 6.10, Level-6, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
- Phone : +6 03-2166 1011
- Hours: 10AM-2AM
Both restaurants were reasonably priced (~$10-12) and hit the spot. While you can get cheaper and more authentic local and regional cuisine throughout the city, if you need a fix of comfort food these two restaurants will serve the purpose.
What would you recommend for Malaysian cuisine ? Thanks.
That hummus looks delicious!
And yes, your love of Tex Mex is clearly documented. You seems to find chips & salsa in nearly every corner of the globe!
Try Roast Chicken rice, Penang Char Kuey Teow and Roti Bomb with Teh Tarik….Yum! There is so much good food in Malaysia, don’t waste a single meal on other things when you are there! It is close to “sacrilege” – IMHO
As a native Texan, I can assure you that what you had was most certainly not Tex-Mex. You Angelenos need some remedial education in good Mexican food! 😉