What to eat in KL?

Haven’t been updating my blogpost and my 2 years stint in HKL is coming to an end.

Hopefully and prayerfully that I pass my exit exam >< but if I don’t, nth much I can say. Just means that I am not ready yet as a specialist. Work harder ssy!

My friends know me as a person who will go all out for food and being a fish-lover myself, I love trying fish dishes esp in sour fish / mala (麻-辣）and boiled fish. Blame Sydney/Kingsford which spoiled me as a uni student. What a shame that WANG WANG has closed despite its flavourful sour fish (酸菜鱼）and 生煎包 (not my favorite).

I am just going to go through the fishes I downed over the course of 2 years.

Sichuan Impression 四川印象

My number one favorite in KL/Selangor area. Their boiled spicy fish (水煮鱼)is so far unparalleled. This restaurant is situated in Kepong/Selayang area known as Sichuan Impression 四川印象. It brings me fond memories of just being transferred to H Selayang 2 years ago where I will head straight for my comfort food when I feel having something warm and soupy.

As shown in the picture above (AND I AM NOT a good photographer to begin with), it’s spicy, hot and the fish is so tender. I continued to frequent the place with my friends even after moving to HKL. It gets crowded very soon around 7ish but if one arrives around 6ish, a seat for 2-3 is definitely within reach. (I am salivating looking at the picture just saying)

Tai Er 太二

This is LF’s favorite because it caters to those who have lower tolerance for spice but not really my liking. Besides its free flow mandarin/roselle tea (my favorite), I find their food mainly the 酸菜鱼too little, fish is no doubt fresh but the taste just wasn’t satisfying for me personally. But because of its strategic location in many malls and the accessbility of TRX with connecting train, it is an easy meet-up place for everybody. The ambience is good, food is not bad, workers are hospitable and with free-flow roselle tea, I guess one can try it for once and see if you like it.

Tanyu 探鱼烤鱼

After work, our girls always hang out in Tanyu Pavillion as they serve (yet again) soupy warm fish with lotsa extra side dishes. It’s just nice to chat over a long table with your friends and colleagues about work and just random stuffs. I can’t find a picture of the BIG FISH because I am always busy eating. But do try it if you like fresh and (slightly) salty fish dripped with spice/enoki mushroom/luncheon meat/potato. I even order personal serving via grab to home whenever i feel an itch. I mean just look at the fresh green chilli with flavoursome fish soup and a bowl of rice. One can never go wrong! But slight warning, the aftertaste of god knows MSG or excessive sodium does linger until the next day. SIGH.

Nong geng ji 农耕记

I have not frequent the physical shop myself even though it’s situated nicely at a corner lot in TRX. But I decided to give it a go by ordering through Grab. Ordered this dish 剁椒鱼and it reminds me of a restaurant back in Kingsford opposite uni called Hu-Nan-Ren with a huge caricature of Chairman Mao who surprise surprise is form Hu Nan himself. This photo probably does not do justice to the food itself but I personally find the noodles super chewy just that I am not a fan of this dish as it is slightly oily and not as flavourful. Maybe less MSG God knows. The fish is again without a doubt fresh and I find this consistent across all restaurants listed today.

 火凤凰 Fire Phoenix 

This is currently my favorite but I dread when thinking of the amount of microplastic going into my tummy and then my brain with each meal sigh.

Again the photo does not do the food justice but the broth is just placed in a plastic bag where you can pour it into the plastic ya plastic bowl while reheating it. I always place it in a bowl and reheat it but doubt it’s going to reduce the plastic at all. It’s just so yummy with the chewy noodles and fish (not as fresh la) and suan cai broth. Another must-eat-dish from this restaurant is its crunchy pork ear. SO GOOD. SO CRUNCHY. SO MUCH COLLAGEN lol.

Ok so this is my first post after putting exams behind (hopefully not coming to haunt me again) and I really love spicy boiled fish and suan cai fish. But to be fair, let’s try to reduce the intake to 1-2 times a month as I don’t think it’s too healthy with the chilli oil and I guess i don’t wanna spike my cholesterol and clog the dang arteries.

Lemme know if you have frequent any of these restaurants!