It always pay to have a local friend when you visit a new city. You get to check out the non-touristy hangouts of the natives and get a glimpse of their everyday life. Navigating through the local street food scene in Kuala Lumpur was no mere feat, thankfully we have Terrence as our guide to uncover all the sedap makan places. During one of our evenings, he brought us to Pudu Wai Sek Gai (半山芭為食街) aka Glutton Street. Looking around, there wasn’t much Singaporeans around. We have discovered an authentic Malaysian hangout, shiok!
As usual, the stalls with the longest line always capture attention. The queue in front of Lin Brothers Fried Carrot Cake (林氏兄弟炒粿角) looks never-ending. But what to do, Singaporeans are always suckers for long queues – the queue so long equates to the food must be good.
Appearance wise, the carrot cake looked pretty good. In case you are unaware, there is no carrot in the carrot cake. The main ingredient is actually radish cake fried with egg, garlic, spring onion and occasionally garnished bean sprouts. Compared to some of the popular fried carrot cakes in Singapore, we do not find it amazing. I like mine with lots of eggs.
The other stall that had a long queue was 4 Eyed Boy Fried Chicken (四眼仔炸雞). 4 Eyed Boy was a common local term for bespectacled guys.
The hot golden fried chicken was worth every minute of the wait! It commanded a tasty and crispy exterior while retaining the moist, tender white meat on the inside. The secret to finger licking good chicken in Malaysia? Stop using frozen stock!
Chua’s Curry Chee Cheong Fun (蔡家咖哩豬腸粉) is one of the unique finds that you should try. In Singapore, we are all so used to the usual black sweet sauce (甜酱) and having it for breakfast. How about trying the curry version for supper instead?
Despite its fiery appearance, the curry was pretty manageable. It’s more like sweet watery chilli sauce than indian curry. I prefer my sweet dark sauce anytime.
Uncle putting his tauhu (beancurd) on the grill for the preparation of Tauhu Bakar – Grilled stuffed beancurd with julienned yam bean, cucumber before it gets topped with shrimp paste sauce and crushed peanuts.
Do not be fooled by the sight of this seemingly normal grilled cuttlefish stall. This stall has been featured in many gourmet television programs and magazines. In fact, the auntie manning the stall told us ‘You come here, dun try my grilled cuttlefish then come here for what!’
The grilled cuttlefish came in two varieties – the dried and the wet version that’s generously laced with the sweet and slightly spicy sticky dark concoction.
If you still have room for more, the stirred fried Char Kway Teow (炒粿條) makes a pleasing sight on the table. Nothing amazing about it but you just feel happy indulging once in a blue moon especially when overseas.
If you are looking for something light, Century Egg & Minced Meat Congee 鹹蛋瘦肉粥 served with plentiful toppings fit the bill nicely.
Despite feeling extremely bloated, my friend cannot resist the alluring aroma of the Pig’s organ soup (猪杂汤). The flavourful broth is boiled from a mix of sliced pork slices and innards which included liver, heart, intestines, stomach, blood cubes, strips of salted vegetables, Chinese lettuce and a sprinkle of chopped onion leaves and pepper. I like the more peppery Singapore version as it effectively masked the strong smell and taste of the innards.
With restaurants and air-conditioned food courts fast replacing traditional and authentic street food in Singapore, it is nice to turn back the clock in a nearby city and experience eating right off the streets. If you will like to dine under the street lamps in Kuala Lumpur, here are the full information:
Pudu Wai Sek Kai (Glutton Street)
Address: 446, Jalan Sayur off Jalan Pudu 55100 Pudu, Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 4.30pm till late
You may also like to check out my posts on other exciting travel destinations here.
