Have you noticed a unique looking luxury boutique hotel located at the intersection of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Pahang? Listed as one of the 52 Places to Go in 2020 by The New York Times, the new hotel, named The Chow Kit, is situated in the eponymous Chow Kit neighbourhood famous for its local wet market, a five-minute walk from the hotel. It is also close to the Kuala Lumpur city centre.
Located on the ground floor of the hotel is The Chow Kit Kitchen & Bar. It is the brainchild of Troika Sky Dining’s Christian Bauer and Eddie Chew and the interiors and decor are created by award-winning, Brooklyn-based design collective Studio Tack. I can foresee that this place is going to be a popular instagrammer hotspot soon!
The bar offers signature cocktails from 11am to midnight and the venue also host regular restaurant pop-ups, featuring guest chefs and mixologists from around the world, throughout the year.
The kitchen is open all-day, so guests will be able to enjoy an à la carte breakfast, a quick catch-up over an express lunch menu or family style sharing plates for dinner. We started with a Malaysian favourite dish, Rojak-Rojak (RM 25). With elements such as cucur udang, savoury coconut crackers, fried tempeh, smoked tauhu, creamy boiled egg, shredded vegetables and peanut sauce – it resembles my childhood favourite, pasembur. Indeed, it is definitely the best version of pasembur that I’ve ever had, with every elements done right. The cucur udang was light and cripsy, shredded vegetables so fresh and refreshing, fried tempeh and smoked tauhu were excellent, and the creamy egg and peanut sauce just bind everything together so well.
Wagyu Char Siew Bun (RM 22). Fork tender grilled wagyu brisket char siew with soft, pillowy bun and wasabi ginger flower mayonnaise; what’s not to love?
Here comes the star – The Chow Kit Fish & Chips (RM 55). The tandoori marinated garoupa came as a whole fish, deboned and stuff with plenty of crispy kale and parmeson cheese. The crunch of the crispy skin is a wonderful contrast to the delicate flesh of the fish. So good!
We ended our meal with a decadent coconut & pandan pudding (RM 18). It may look like a simple dessert but the resulting taste explosion is so intense and joyful, that I for one have no words to describe.
The Chow Kit Kitchen & Bar
The Chow Kit
Add: 1012, Jalan Sultan Ismail Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur 50100 Malaysia
Tel: 03-2778 6666
