KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — Traffic jams seem to be a perennial problem in KL, so much so that complaining about it feels more perfunctory than actually helpful.
So instead of driving around town to eat at different spots across the Klang Valley, why not let your entire day’s menu revolve around a single neighbourhood?
Having tried this approach recently in Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, our next haven for all-day eating is none other than Taman Bukit Segar in Cheras.
Hainan Tea, Kopi O and Shredded Chicken Hor Fun Soup for breakfast.
We begin early, just after 7am, making a beeline for Hainan Tea Ipoh Beansprout Chicken Rice & Hor Fun, a corner stall tucked inside the car park food court.
Here, their Hainan Tea, a mellow fusion of coffee and tea, is creamy and smooth, while the robust Kopi O packs a punch.
Don’t miss the classic Egg Topped Kaya Toast either: kaya slathered thickly, crowned with half-boiled eggs. A golden puddle of yolk and toast to dip into – it’s nostalgic and comforting.
Of course, given the name of the stall, their specialties remain a choice between a plate of their Hainanese Chicken Rice or a bowl of Shredded Chicken Hor Fun Soup. We typically opt for the latter: flat rice noodles; a light, savoury broth; silky poached chicken; fresh beansprouts, and a butterflied prawn perched on top.
Fullman Kopitiam’s Signature Nasi Lemak and Petai Otak-Otak Pocket Buns.
Come noontime, our go-to spot in Taman Bukit Segar is Fullman Kopitiam. A must-order is their Signature Nasi Lemak, given a lively jolt with the “Three Heavenly Kings” – long beans, okra and aubergine stir-fried with spicy sambal. The rice is blue-tinged from butterfly pea flowers, aromatic with coconut milk.
To go with that basic plate, a fried chicken drumstick fresh from the wok: hot, crunchy, deeply savoury. Add a golden fried egg and crisp ikan bilis, and you’ve got a plate truly worthy of a majestic lunch.
For a lighter bite or simply to complement the hefty plate of nasi lemak, try the Petai Otak-Otak Pocket Bun – stinky beans and grilled fish paste in a soft steamed bao. Perfumed perfection.
By late afternoon, you might feel sleepy (as we inevitably do, after all that food!) and need a little pick-me-up. Time for more coffee, of course, this time at Icon Brewings just a street away from Fullman Kopitiam.
By late afternoon, get an espresso-fuelled pick-me-up at Icon Brewings.
Icon Brewings is what is now a commonplace hybrid: part café, part pâtisserie. Indeed, the shop is known for their double-baked strudels, with signature fruit-based flavours such as mango, strawberry and blueberry, as well as more tea-focused strudels like matcha, hojicha and lychee rose.
But given our planned day of heavy eating, we often just drop by for a strong long black and a creamy flat white. There is something endearing about having a place where we can stop by simply for fuss-free coffee.
No grand pronouncements about bean origins here – just solid espresso-based cuppas that hit the spot when we are suffering from mid-afternoon stupor.
At Anne Elizabeth, the staff will gladly help in choosing your cut of meat.
Sundown and it’s time for dinner. In our case, this means carnivore bliss at Anne Elizabeth, a restaurant that is part deli and part steakhouse, depending on what you’re after.
More so than the steaks however, it’s the cuts of free-range pork collar and Iberico ribs that tempt us from the chiller display. Pick your favourite, ready for the grill, or ask the helpful staff behind the counter to recommend something suited to your taste buds.
Our grilled free-range pork collar and Sakura pork belly arrive with a no frills smear of apple sauce and grain mustard. Other standouts include their Black Pig Meatballs in Blankets, wrapped in bacon, as well as the house-made sausages. Everything is equally indulgent and full-flavoured.
If you’re still up after midnight and feeling peckish, fret not. Together Nasi Lemak inside 7ATE9 Café is your trusty late night spot in Taman Bukit Segar.
A fresh batch of Ayam Goreng XL at Together Nasi Lemak (left). Pair with add-ons such as Taiwan sausages (right).
Yes, more nasi lemak – why not? It’s been more than 12 hours since our last plate of everyone’s favourite coconut milk rice, after all. Plus, the nasi lemak here is heavier on santan and lightly salted; a different take, surely.
Order this with a side of their popular Pork Berempah: spiced, battered, and deep-fried till golden, every bite dusted in crunchy “rempah floss.” The sambal is punchy and savoury, not too sweet, just the way we like it.
If you catch a fresh batch of Ayam Goreng XL, don’t hesitate. It’s enormous, crisp-skinned and juicy. Pair with add-ons such as Taiwan sausages, hot dogs, luncheon meat or sambal sotong, and you’ve got yourself a midnight meal worth the (sometimes formidable) queue.
Now that’s a belly bursting day of eating that ought to challenge even the most determined of gluttons; though, being Malaysians, I won’t be surprised if some of you are already asking: “What shall we eat next?”
Hainan Tea Ipoh Beansprout Chicken Rice & Hor Fun
Stall No. 4-G,
Pusat Penjaja TLK Taman Segar,
Jalan Manis 6, Taman Bukit Segar,
Cheras, KL.
Open Tue-Sun 7am–2:30pm; Mon closed
Fullman Kopitiam
38G, Jalan Manis 1,
Taman Bukit Segar,
Cheras, KL.
Open Tue-Sun 7am-4pm; Mon closed
Phone: 016-216 2788
Icon Brewings
24, Jalan Manis 3,
Taman Bukit Segar,
Cheras, KL.
Open Thu-Tue 9am-7pm; Wed closed
Phone: 03-9133 7779
IG: https://www.instagram.com/iconbrewings/
Anne Elizabeth The Deli Restaurant
1, Jalan Manis 4,
Taman Bukit Segar,
Cheras, KL.
Open daily (except Fri closed) 12pm-10:30pm
Phone: 016-376 6180
IG: instagram.com/anneelizabeththedelirestaurant/
Together Nasi Lemak 毅启香米椰浆饭
7ate9 Café,
Taman Bukit Segar,
Cheras, KL.
Open daily 5 pm–2 am
Phone: 010-292 5525
*This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meals.
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