Best Halal Food Kuala Lumpur: Halal Certification Tips, Iranian Rice, Burgers and Ampang Coffee
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Kuala Lumpur halal food map issue 8 explains how halal certification works in Malaysia, then follows the author through desserts, Vietnamese food, Lebanese food, Iranian rice, burgers, pastries, coffee, and family-friendly Muslim dining around Ampang.
In previous issues of my Kuala Lumpur Halal Food Map, I've covered how to find halal restaurants in Malaysia. This time, I'll focus on explaining it further. Very few restaurants in Malaysia have official halal certification. Usually, only large chains or big establishments display the certification mark. Most small street-side eateries don't have it. This is because Malaysia doesn't allow private businesses to self-certify as halal. To get certified, you have to pay a fee. The official price is only a few hundred Malaysian ringgit. But if you go through an agent, it can cost tens of thousands. You can guess why there's such a big difference.
So, to save money, many restaurant owners hint that their place is halal in other ways. They might hire waitstaff who wear headscarves or write 'no pork' on the menu. Malaysians know this is common practice and don't only eat at places with official halal certification. Of course, some Malaysians do only eat at certified places. I don't get too hung up on this issue myself. I also don't think it's necessary to question the halal status of food too deeply. For more on this, see the article 'Egypt's Grand Mufti: Don't Be Overly Inquisitive About Whether Meat is Halal.' I've also discussed food issues in my video series.
Here's the list of restaurants featured in this issue:
1. Sugirl Desserts (Malaysian desserts)
2. RUYI ONE (Vietnamese)
3. AL-Amar (Lebanese)
4. MODU (Korean)
5. NASI KANDAR UMAR (Indian)
6. WALLANCE (Fast food)
7. Hai Ji Beef Pan-Fried Buns
8. piccoli lotti (Italian ice cream)
9. Jibby chow (Cantonese dim sum)
10. UNIVERSAL BAKEHOUSE (Bakery)
1. Sugirl Desserts
Mid Valley Megamall is the hardest mall to find parking at in Kuala Lumpur. I came here on a quiet Thursday afternoon and spent over an hour circling before finding a spot. I highly recommend taking public transport if you visit. This small Nanyang-style dessert shop is located at the top of the stairs on the third floor of the mall. It's not too crowded here, making it a nice spot to relax.
This dessert reminds me of the dessert chain Honeymoon Dessert back home. Its flavor is light and sweet, but this shop's desserts have more of a Southeast Asian flair.
Address: Lot T-045A, 3rd Floor, The Boulevard Office Mid Valley City, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
2. RUYI ONE
A new shopping district has opened in Ampang’s education hub. We’ve been here many times; the Spanish restaurant we ate at last time is in this area. It’s not too crowded yet, and there are many boutique shops to explore. This place is one of them, serving Vietnamese food.
We came to this small shop because we wanted to drink Vietnamese coffee and have a casual meal.
This restaurant serves no pork and no alcohol. The coffee is delicious.
I visited Vietnam once and had a wonderful time. There are no halal Vietnamese restaurants in Beijing yet, so finding one in Kuala Lumpur is a must-try.
Vietnamese cuisine has a few signature dishes. The first is the Vietnamese sandwich, along with spring rolls and pho.
The spring rolls and pho here are quite authentic. After all, Malaysia and Vietnam are neighbors, so the flavors aren't too different.
Address: Unit G-15, Ground Floor, The Campus Ampang, Lot 7706, Jalan Kolam Air Lama, Mukim, Hulu Kelang, 68000 Ampang, Selangor
3. AL-Amar
This is a Lebanese restaurant on the sixth floor of Pavilion mall, decorated exquisitely. Pavilion is a popular shopping area swarming with tourists and is very lively.
When taking children out to eat in Kuala Lumpur, I prefer Arabic restaurants. The Mandi rice or grilled chicken here are suitable for kids because they aren't spicy.
Lebanese salads are also good for children. Fahim, for example, loves the cucumbers and tomatoes in the salad.
This is a small portion of Mandi chicken rice. The chicken is especially tender, and it comes with cashews and raisins. The children really like it.
Address: Lot 6.10, level 6, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168, Jln Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4. MODU
MODU is a new Korean restaurant in the TRX mall that's really popular right now. You'll probably wait about an hour for lunch, but you can grab a number at the counter and explore the mall. Your phone will get a notification when your table is ready, and the staff will also call you.
This halal sign means they're applying for certification, but it hasn't been approved yet.
Looking at the menu, it's hard to tell exactly what each dish is.
Most of the diners here are young Asian women. There are definitely a lot of Koreans here.
The restaurant has a lot of space, the decor is really nice, and the staff are very friendly.
We chose a clay pot chicken soup and a black chicken soup. They come with a bowl of sticky rice and side dishes. This chicken has sticky rice stuffed inside, and the soup is really fresh and very mild.
It has ginseng in it, which is great for women's health. A set meal costs about 70 Malaysian ringgit.
The chicken is small, perfect for one person. The meat just falls off the bone – it melts in your mouth.
Address: Lot L2T.04.0, Level 2, The Exchange TRX, Persiaran TRX, Imbi, 55188 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
5. NASI KANDAR UMAR
Nasi Kandar, or 'pole rice,' is a common fast food in Malaysia. It's a specialty of Indian Muslims, about as popular as Lanzhou beef noodles are back home. Most of these stalls are halal.
You just tell the server what you want on your plate, then pay at the cashier. A plate of rice usually costs around ten ringgit, and with a milk tea, it's usually under twenty.
The only downside is that this rice is usually a bit spicy, so it's not great for kids. But I go for it when I can't decide what else to eat.
Address: 37 3G, Jln Sultan Ismail, Bukit Bintang, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
6. WALLACE
Wallace is a fast-food joint selling burgers and fried chicken. This new spot is celebrating its opening with a deal: three burgers for just 9.9 ringgit.
These burger joints are a hit with everyone in Kuala Lumpur, young and old. Almost all of them are halal, including McDonald's and KFC.
Wallace's fried chicken burgers taste pretty good. The best part is the price – three for 9.9 ringgit. You can't ask for more than that.
My son hasn't quite fallen in love with burgers and fries yet. I wonder if he'll like them later on.
Address: M5A, 11, Jalan Pandan Indah 4/1, Pandan Indah, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
7. Hai Ji Beef Pan-Fried Buns
Next to Lanzhou Hand-Pulled Noodles on Petaling Street, there's a shop called Hai Ji Beef Pan-Fried Buns. These buns are a bit bigger than the ones from Henan and Shandong. They taste great. Petaling Street is a hub for Chinese food, mainly serving Chinese cuisine.
Address: 38, Jalan Sultan, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
8. PICCOLI LOTTI
This Italian ice cream shop on the first floor of Ampang Point is run by Malays. Italian ice cream is famous, mainly because they use good quality milk and don't add extra water. This shop's ice cream is just like that, with over ten flavors to choose from.
On hot days, I love visiting dessert shops like this. They usually also have various coffee drinks and seating areas. Kids love them too.
Address: Ground Floor, Ampang Point
9. JIBBY CHOW
A new Cantonese-style tea restaurant has opened at Ampang Point. This place serves dim sum all day, so we could still enjoy it even though we arrived in the afternoon.
Everyone eating here is Malay. Malays really love Cantonese morning tea.
The shop's decor features traditional Chinese cultural elements, but the servers are all Malay.
You can sit here all afternoon with a pot of Pu'er tea and a few dim sum dishes.
The soup dumplings, char siu bao, and shaomai here are all delicious and steamed fresh.
The chicken char siu bao has a dim sum-like texture and a sweet flavor. It's not quite as good as the lamb char siu bao at Guangzhou Hui Muslim restaurants, which is truly exceptional.
Address: Level 2, Ampang Learning City.
10. UNIVERSAL BAKEHOUSE
This popular bakery in Ampang Learning City has many branches and is usually packed. However, the branch we visited in Ampang wasn't too crowded.
These kinds of fancy bakeries are very popular in Malaysia, especially with young women who love to take photos here.
I like to eat bread with coffee for breakfast, along with a light salad. It leaves me feeling refreshed.
Actually, this shop has very few types of bread. I don't understand why it's so popular.
When you dine in, they give you butter. I like to eat bread with butter, just like I do for breakfast at the hotel.
Their coffee is also quite good. There are several other specialty coffee shops in Ampang Learning City that I'll check out later.
Address: Level 1, Ampang Learning City.
Summary: This Kuala Lumpur halal food map issue 8 explains how halal certification works in Malaysia, then follows the author through desserts, Vietnamese food, Lebanese food, Iranian rice, burgers, pastries, coffee, and family-friendly Muslim dining around Ampang.
In previous issues of my Kuala Lumpur Halal Food Map, I've covered how to find halal restaurants in Malaysia. This time, I'll focus on explaining it further. Very few restaurants in Malaysia have official halal certification. Usually, only large chains or big establishments display the certification mark. Most small street-side eateries don't have it. This is because Malaysia doesn't allow private businesses to self-certify as halal. To get certified, you have to pay a fee. The official price is only a few hundred Malaysian ringgit. But if you go through an agent, it can cost tens of thousands. You can guess why there's such a big difference.
So, to save money, many restaurant owners hint that their place is halal in other ways. They might hire waitstaff who wear headscarves or write 'no pork' on the menu. Malaysians know this is common practice and don't only eat at places with official halal certification. Of course, some Malaysians do only eat at certified places. I don't get too hung up on this issue myself. I also don't think it's necessary to question the halal status of food too deeply. For more on this, see the article 'Egypt's Grand Mufti: Don't Be Overly Inquisitive About Whether Meat is Halal.' I've also discussed food issues in my video series.
Here's the list of restaurants featured in this issue:
1. Sugirl Desserts (Malaysian desserts)
2. RUYI ONE (Vietnamese)
3. AL-Amar (Lebanese)
4. MODU (Korean)
5. NASI KANDAR UMAR (Indian)
6. WALLANCE (Fast food)
7. Hai Ji Beef Pan-Fried Buns
8. piccoli lotti (Italian ice cream)
9. Jibby chow (Cantonese dim sum)
10. UNIVERSAL BAKEHOUSE (Bakery)
1. Sugirl Desserts
Mid Valley Megamall is the hardest mall to find parking at in Kuala Lumpur. I came here on a quiet Thursday afternoon and spent over an hour circling before finding a spot. I highly recommend taking public transport if you visit. This small Nanyang-style dessert shop is located at the top of the stairs on the third floor of the mall. It's not too crowded here, making it a nice spot to relax.
This dessert reminds me of the dessert chain Honeymoon Dessert back home. Its flavor is light and sweet, but this shop's desserts have more of a Southeast Asian flair.
Address: Lot T-045A, 3rd Floor, The Boulevard Office Mid Valley City, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
2. RUYI ONE
A new shopping district has opened in Ampang’s education hub. We’ve been here many times; the Spanish restaurant we ate at last time is in this area. It’s not too crowded yet, and there are many boutique shops to explore. This place is one of them, serving Vietnamese food.
We came to this small shop because we wanted to drink Vietnamese coffee and have a casual meal.
This restaurant serves no pork and no alcohol. The coffee is delicious.
I visited Vietnam once and had a wonderful time. There are no halal Vietnamese restaurants in Beijing yet, so finding one in Kuala Lumpur is a must-try.
Vietnamese cuisine has a few signature dishes. The first is the Vietnamese sandwich, along with spring rolls and pho.
The spring rolls and pho here are quite authentic. After all, Malaysia and Vietnam are neighbors, so the flavors aren't too different.
Address: Unit G-15, Ground Floor, The Campus Ampang, Lot 7706, Jalan Kolam Air Lama, Mukim, Hulu Kelang, 68000 Ampang, Selangor
3. AL-Amar
This is a Lebanese restaurant on the sixth floor of Pavilion mall, decorated exquisitely. Pavilion is a popular shopping area swarming with tourists and is very lively.
When taking children out to eat in Kuala Lumpur, I prefer Arabic restaurants. The Mandi rice or grilled chicken here are suitable for kids because they aren't spicy.
Lebanese salads are also good for children. Fahim, for example, loves the cucumbers and tomatoes in the salad.
This is a small portion of Mandi chicken rice. The chicken is especially tender, and it comes with cashews and raisins. The children really like it.
Address: Lot 6.10, level 6, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168, Jln Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4. MODU
MODU is a new Korean restaurant in the TRX mall that's really popular right now. You'll probably wait about an hour for lunch, but you can grab a number at the counter and explore the mall. Your phone will get a notification when your table is ready, and the staff will also call you.
This halal sign means they're applying for certification, but it hasn't been approved yet.
Looking at the menu, it's hard to tell exactly what each dish is.
Most of the diners here are young Asian women. There are definitely a lot of Koreans here.
The restaurant has a lot of space, the decor is really nice, and the staff are very friendly.
We chose a clay pot chicken soup and a black chicken soup. They come with a bowl of sticky rice and side dishes. This chicken has sticky rice stuffed inside, and the soup is really fresh and very mild.
It has ginseng in it, which is great for women's health. A set meal costs about 70 Malaysian ringgit.
The chicken is small, perfect for one person. The meat just falls off the bone – it melts in your mouth.
Address: Lot L2T.04.0, Level 2, The Exchange TRX, Persiaran TRX, Imbi, 55188 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
5. NASI KANDAR UMAR
Nasi Kandar, or 'pole rice,' is a common fast food in Malaysia. It's a specialty of Indian Muslims, about as popular as Lanzhou beef noodles are back home. Most of these stalls are halal.
You just tell the server what you want on your plate, then pay at the cashier. A plate of rice usually costs around ten ringgit, and with a milk tea, it's usually under twenty.
The only downside is that this rice is usually a bit spicy, so it's not great for kids. But I go for it when I can't decide what else to eat.
Address: 37 3G, Jln Sultan Ismail, Bukit Bintang, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
6. WALLACE
Wallace is a fast-food joint selling burgers and fried chicken. This new spot is celebrating its opening with a deal: three burgers for just 9.9 ringgit.
These burger joints are a hit with everyone in Kuala Lumpur, young and old. Almost all of them are halal, including McDonald's and KFC.
Wallace's fried chicken burgers taste pretty good. The best part is the price – three for 9.9 ringgit. You can't ask for more than that.
My son hasn't quite fallen in love with burgers and fries yet. I wonder if he'll like them later on.
Address: M5A, 11, Jalan Pandan Indah 4/1, Pandan Indah, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
7. Hai Ji Beef Pan-Fried Buns
Next to Lanzhou Hand-Pulled Noodles on Petaling Street, there's a shop called Hai Ji Beef Pan-Fried Buns. These buns are a bit bigger than the ones from Henan and Shandong. They taste great. Petaling Street is a hub for Chinese food, mainly serving Chinese cuisine.
Address: 38, Jalan Sultan, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
8. PICCOLI LOTTI
This Italian ice cream shop on the first floor of Ampang Point is run by Malays. Italian ice cream is famous, mainly because they use good quality milk and don't add extra water. This shop's ice cream is just like that, with over ten flavors to choose from.
On hot days, I love visiting dessert shops like this. They usually also have various coffee drinks and seating areas. Kids love them too.
Address: Ground Floor, Ampang Point
9. JIBBY CHOW
A new Cantonese-style tea restaurant has opened at Ampang Point. This place serves dim sum all day, so we could still enjoy it even though we arrived in the afternoon.
Everyone eating here is Malay. Malays really love Cantonese morning tea.
The shop's decor features traditional Chinese cultural elements, but the servers are all Malay.
You can sit here all afternoon with a pot of Pu'er tea and a few dim sum dishes.
The soup dumplings, char siu bao, and shaomai here are all delicious and steamed fresh.
The chicken char siu bao has a dim sum-like texture and a sweet flavor. It's not quite as good as the lamb char siu bao at Guangzhou Hui Muslim restaurants, which is truly exceptional.
Address: Level 2, Ampang Learning City.
10. UNIVERSAL BAKEHOUSE
This popular bakery in Ampang Learning City has many branches and is usually packed. However, the branch we visited in Ampang wasn't too crowded.
These kinds of fancy bakeries are very popular in Malaysia, especially with young women who love to take photos here.
I like to eat bread with coffee for breakfast, along with a light salad. It leaves me feeling refreshed.
Actually, this shop has very few types of bread. I don't understand why it's so popular.
When you dine in, they give you butter. I like to eat bread with butter, just like I do for breakfast at the hotel.
Their coffee is also quite good. There are several other specialty coffee shops in Ampang Learning City that I'll check out later.
Address: Level 1, Ampang Learning City.
