An extensive project study of Diversified Street Food

Culture of Bukit Bintang, Kuala lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is rapidly developing in a sprawling metropolis. But in KL, when the sun goes
down, that all changes and the unpolished side of this part of Malaysia comes to life. Smoke
and intriguing smells waft up through the air. Stalls selling all sorts of unusual delicacies pop
up. KL lives and breathes street food.

Hosting a lot of hawker stalls and seafood restaurants, Jalan Alor is one of the most famous
roads in Kuala Lumpur for food. Located just behind Jalan Bukit Bintang and a short walk
away from Changkat Bukit Bintang, it is a favourite after-clubbing dining spot in the Golden
Triangle area. Though the seafood at the air-conditioned restaurants is really good and
inexpensive, we highly recommend the hawker food. KL being an immigrant city, the variety
of food available is amazing and in Jalan Alor the barbecued meats, noodles and desserts are
some of the best (and cheapest) in the city. Most of these dishes cannot be found in fashion-
conscious restaurants – and even if they are, they are rarely as tasty, so hawker stalls are a
favourite on the city’s foodie scene.

Called the cultural hearth of the city’s local cuisine, tourists rarely venture here largely
because of its ‘hidden’ location. A sharp contrast to trendy Jalan Bukit Bintang and Changkat
Bukit Bintang, Jalan Alor has a traditional charm to it with atmospheric air-conditioned
Chinese seafood restaurants, bright fluorescent restaurant signage lighting and mini red
Chinese lanterns strung up in the trees. But it is also a tad messy because of the seemingly-
endless row of hawker stalls set up on the five-foot walkway, with plastic tables and chairs
spilling out onto the road. Sure, the food is the main draw but the atmosphere is also truly
memorable. The place stays loud and vibrant throughout the night with vendors furiously
fanning grills of chicken and beef skewers, the metallic clang of frying woks and the air is
thick with charcoal smoke.

At the food stalls food is cooked in a furious fashion (with delicious smells coming from the
frying woks and boiling pots) and served on plastic plates in a rainbow of colours. Most
hawker stalls have picture menus, making ordering simple. We suggest you grab a table
somewhere in front of Restoran Dragon View at the top of the street and then walk along and
order your dishes from the diverse range of hawkers. We recommend the fried oyster egg
from Restoran Wong Ah Wah: a thin and crispy omelette with plump and briny oysters that is
served with fresh coriander leaves and accompanied by a chilli sauce that gives it a tangy,
spicy kick. Or even the smoky-flavoured satay (marinated chicken tenderloin) from Terminal
Sate Zul and grilled chicken wings in a simple soy marinade with chicken rice and roasted
barbecue pork from Restoran Meng Kee Grill Fish. Of course, at a time like this, you can
have a real craving for dessert, there is a few selections out there for those with a sweet tooth,
but nothing will beat a scoop or two of coconut ice-cream and freeze roll ice-creams,
delicious and a must eat when you are finished with the main meal. You’ll find a couple of
street vendors where you can get your hands on the coconut ice-cream and perhaps come
back for seconds.
 The easiest way to get here is via monorail: alight at the Bukit Bintang stop and head north
along Jalan Bukit Bintang: from there Jalan Alor is a one-minute walk.

The best advice for people who wish to visit Bukit Bintang is to bring their appetite. Here you
are not just tasting the food here but also the culture in Malaysia. Diversity does not just exist
in the population but that very factor that makes Malaysia so special is also translated in its
cooking.

Most of the menus are in Chinese characters, but there are some stalls who also provide
English translated menus in order to attract the tourists and a growing number of locals who
are not Chinese-educated. It’s a blessing in disguise for foreigners as they will also be able to
order from the translated menus. If you do come across a menu chart with only Chinese
charcters, don’t be intimidated but ask for recommendations instead. This way, you will be
able to truly experience what the street food stretch has to truly offer.