Malaysia, the land of great food and uhhh... more food!
Hi everyone, my name's Ethan How. Today, I will be sharing with you a comprehensive Malaysian's guide to enjoy KL. What makes this post different from the ones you see anywhere else? Instead of Nasi Lemak and typical generic stuff, I will share with you exclusively Malaysian Chinese food. This post will be broken down into FOOD and Commute along with a little economics. I'll convert all prices to USD and EURO along with our local currency RM.
Let's get started. First, FOOD! If you're visiting Malaysia, I personally guarantee that you'll love the cuisine here.
TIP #1: You should generally avoid food stalls that are not run by locals (ie. Chinese, Malay, or Indian)
Please do not mistaken this for racism. Ask any Chinese Malaysian and they'll tell you the food they cook is not authentic. If you're looking for quick Chinese food, head on over to a coffee shop, or as we Malaysians call it 'Kopitiam'. Here you can order myriads of local food for around RM10(2.33 USD/ 2.08 Euro) max , drinks included. Talk about a bargain!
Top Chinese Foods you must try!
#1: Wantan Mee
Noodles mixed with dark soy sauce with sliced honey-roasted pork. Enough said.
#2:Char Kuey Teow + Mee
I know what you're thinking. What's so amusing about this? It looks like a pile of things thrown into a wok. I'm not gonna lie, this is undoubtedly my favorite guilty food. The aroma will make you crave for second servings.
#3: Bak Kut Teh
This is a little mysterious as it is not found everywhere. If you know from Malaysia, try asking them where's their favorite place for Bak Kut Teh. Essentially, it's pork and broth. And again, I cannot explain the wonders that this food brings to my taste buds. You'll just have to try it yourself.
#3: Chicken Rice
This is one of the dish where you should not buy from non-locals(again no racism intended). To supplement your chicken rice, you can pick any or all of these:
I) Siew Yoke (Crispy roasted pork)
Or II) Char Siew (Honey Roasted pork)
or III) Roasted Chicken
4) Hokkien Mee
If you hear an obnoxiously loud gas stove and leaping flames, chances are the hawker will have this on the menu.
It's a dish best served and eaten hot!
TIP #2: You do not have to tip anywhere! All servers are fully paid, so there's no need to tip.
TIP #3: Almost everyone can speak English. If you can't order, just point your fingers at what you want. All hawkers stalls have at least one or more of these: English menu, pictures, food right in front of your face.
When not to come and how do I get around?
When to come or not to come?
Malaysia is position near the equator, so you don't need to worry about bringing winter-wear. The wettest months for west cost Peninsular Malaysia(which is where KL is at) are September and October. It's different for different coasts. Do more research if you want to find out more. In Malaysia, it's humid all year round. And the temperatures during the day hover around 30 °C but in reality it feels more like 40 °C (it's a fact). Please for dear God, do not bring your thick clothes. It is hot, I mean really hot! If you plan on doing more indoor activity, jeans are okay. But if you want to walk under the sun for more than 5 minutes, wear a short pants and a T-shirt. You'll thank me later.
Getting Around.
Tip #4: Avoid local taxis at all cost.
Malaysia cabbies are ranked the worst in the world. Google it and you'll find it anywhere. We have all types of funny drivers ranging from the ones who charge you based on their 'intuition' instead of using meter, those who drive like they're escaping from an earthquake, and those whose car smells like someone took a dump on it. Also, foreigners should avoid the buses, although they are cheap, until they're more comfortable with the location, as it is not easy to navigate around. The trains are also cheap, and much easier to navigate around. Unfortunately, the train system is not as complete as the ones found in other countries. The preferred method is Uber, or you can use a local app Grab. They're both as popular. They cost the same as taxis without all the cons. A short trip should cost you no more than 2.33 USD or 2.08 Euro . A medium 15km trip would be 4.66USD or 4.16 Euro.