Life in Pudu is tasty, full stop. Butterkicap team had tried, tasted and we have come to one conclusion: we have no objections. In fact, our tummy and soulfully approved of that. I mean, if a few hours in Pudu is enough for us to accept of that confidently, imagine 24/7! Yums. However, Pudu has not always been tasty. It has a long history of trial and errors, with its history dating back to the 1880s. It has live a decade under the shadow of Petaling Street as its backyard. Whenever it does come under the spotlight, it is always for negative reasons – dirty markets, unpaved roads, or chaotic traffics.
In all honesty, Pudu is more than whatever negative connotations you are reading in the media. It is a vibrant place full of life – folks working hard, foods being tossed and turned and people enjoying their breakfast. It’s a fast pace city underneath a city. Life in Pudu may be busy, but it has always been sweet. That is just how it goes there. Are you ready to PUD-UP with us? If you are, then let’s start slurping!
A Toast
Mornings can be quite hectic in today’s busy world, especially on the weekdays. However, that does not give you a reason for to skip breakfast. For some of you, it can be tiresome and time consuming to prepare a hearty breakfast. I guess you don’t have to worry about compromising the number of hours you sleep to get a delicious breakfast. A Toast is ready to save your morning! Hidden under the pedestrian bridge along Jalan Pudu, the humble store serves a wide variety of appealing fresh sandwiches. Fresh as in everything on the plate is made upon order. If you have an extra time, grab a seat and soak yourself some vitamin D under the morning sun. By chance your schedule is quite full, don’t worry, you can still enjoy the sandwiches on the go.
To fuel us up that morning, we had their signature Black Sesame Toast Sandwich. Sunnyside up eggs with layers of chicken ham sandwiched between soft black sesame toast. Every bite was bursting with the runny egg that oozes along the fresh lettuce, giving some smoky, toasted flavors. Eating the sandwich can be quite messy, and it’s supposed to be! That is why A Toast provides you with a hand plastic gloves for you to embrace the messiness. It’s definitely a sandwich bomb!
C: +601 3277 5654
W: https://www.facebook.com/atoast.my/
L: 291, Jalan Pudu, Pudu, 55200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
M: https://goo.gl/maps/hqBr9ppeUxF2
O: 06.00 am – 03.00 pm (Monday to Friday), 9.00 am – 03.00 pm (Saturday to Sunday)
ICC Pudu
Pudu and Imbi Market is like cookies and milk. They go so well together you can’t think of one without the other. With the mega Tun Razak Exchange project going on, the market has to find another house to shelter on after almost 30 years running. Thankfully, they are now under the better roof of ICC Pudu.
Upon entering the food complex, Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea and Coffee will warmly welcome you. I know, sounds familiar to your ears, isn’t it? Considering how locals have been raving the kopitiam as one of the best breakfast places in Kuala Lumpur that serves authentic Hainan breakfast, it’s a no-brainer you somehow have heard of it. It’s authentic, but authentic is usually closely related to being typical. Well, it is just an ordinary kopitiam which serves kopi, milo, kaya toast, soft boiled eggs and such. But, there’s a but here. It tastes amazing. For once, order their signature Hainanese tea which will not disappoint. Smooth, creamy and rich in flavor, it will turn a non-coffee drinker into one. Bitter and sweet at once.
I remember my first ever popiah experience in Malaysia of which my world has never been the same ever since. I know, some of you might think I’m exaggerating here but let me tell you something. Popiah is one of my ultimate favorite food in Malaysia, to the point where I can eat eight rolls of popiah at once. True story. If you’re wondering which shop turned me into a popiah enthusiast, it’s Sister’s Crispy Popiah. There is something about their popiah which left an everlasting impression on me. Every component is evenly balanced in portions and flavor. It’s spicy, yet it’s sweet, it’s crispy, yet it’s moist. You can find their stalls in malls around Kuala Lumpur, but this is where it all started.
On the other end is the crowd pleaser Ah Fook Chee Cheong Fun. After picking a few variations of my favorite yong tau foo items along with their house-made signature sauces, I can understand why. Everything on the plate is perfectly balanced, flavor to texture. It’s a firework in the mouth, with a hint of savories, sweetness, and kick of spiciness at every bite. The fried items were splendid, crispy on the outside and a little soft and chewy on the inside. However, if anything, I believe all the glory goes out to their signature sauces. You know a excellent chee cheong fun when you see one. I saw it on their freshly made chee cheong fun which was silky and soft. I always ask the uncle to mix the thick brown sauces with curry broth, nothing like you’ve ever had before. I’m more than up to go for the chee cheong fun again!
Of course, what is a meal without ending it with something sweet? Thankfully, the sought after Imbi Fried Nian Gao has just fried up a fresh batch of kuih bakul. Yes, a fresh batch of piping hot nian gao! Imagine a thick, crispy batter coating a thinly sliced sweet potato and yam sandwiching a generous gooey nian gao. Dip into hot oil until golden brown and what you get is an addiction that will keep you coming back for more. Sweet and salty, you name it. You can find fried glutinous rice cake, banana fritters, fried sweet potato, fried yam and many more.
C: +603 2111 1111
L: Jalan Kijang, Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
M: https://goo.gl/maps/EfdDTPXQcGr
O: 09.00 am – 06.30 pm daily. Closed on Mondays
Ding Heong Apam Balik
Wherever you go, the road will always lead you back home. In this case, home is apam balik. You can’t seem to be able to escape from its presence, nor do you ever plan to. Ding Heong Apam Balik can never go wrong, especially when it comes off the pan piping hot, fresh and crispy. If original apam balik is way, way too mainstream for you, I don’t think Peanut Butter and Marshmallow is (unless we’re on a different level of hipster here). Of course, you can still expect traditional filling such as peanuts, sugar and sweet corns, but you can also opt for Nutella, tuna, oreo and many others. Here, they make your dream Apam Balik come true. If my dream of chicken ham with oozing cheese, spicy chicken floss, egg and traces of spring onion can come true, I’m pretty sure yours can too!
With such high-quality ingredients, you would think it will swallow down your pocket. But no. They are very much pocket-friendly to the wallet and stomach. Each bite is accompanied by thick layers of chicken ham and melted cheese which accompanies the crispy batter. The uncle allows no stinginess in his stall. Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch or Snack, it is definitely a delightful swirl of meal.
C: +601 7223 9689
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Ding-Heong-Golden-Apam-Balik-121770054546958/
L: 2, Jalan Cengkeh, Taman Cheras, 56100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
M: https://goo.gl/maps/uwwb5uW7B9B2
O: 10.30 am – 06.00 pm daily. Closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Jalan Landak
Temptations, temptations, and temptations. It seemed that with every step we took on Jalan Landak, we came across food begging to be eaten. Of course, you could already tell that we gave in to temptations. Right in front of kedai gunting rambut Marina, we ordered a plate of murtabak sardine to share. With everything made from scratch right in front of us, what more can we expect? A soft murtabak with generous sardine filling.
One thing for sure, we never learned our lesson. Initially, we decided to walk around again to digest the food and let all the food down. Then, Soya King came along and what were we supposed to do in that situation? We could walk away or buy a refreshing bottle to tone down the heat. It wasn’t a hard decision before we bought a bottle. We requested ours with less brown sugar, but if you’re a sweet tooth, their regular sugar serving size would be spot on.
As we walk a little further down, a food truck selling the freshest you tiao was waiting for us. As some of you know, you tiao is usually served with a cup of soy milk. I had my soy milk already, so it only makes sense if I had you tiao on my right hand. Despite the shiny golden brown exterior of the youtiao which was crispy, the interior was very airy and soft. That, my friend, makes a perfectly balanced diet – soya milk on the one hand and you tiao on the other.
L: Jalan Landak, Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
M:https://goo.gl/maps/p1YWeewfaw82
Exploring Pudu is, by all means, no ordinary feat. One should be ready to forget their calories counters and let it all out. As a real story illustration, we’ve eaten so much food yet so much more on the list that we have yet to discover. I have heard so much of the curry mee, wantan mee, and beef noodles. Perhaps this is a sign for another trip? By all means, what would you recommend us to eat? What is your favorite meal in Pudu? In Pudu, we’ll always be a bunch of jolly foodies.
