Cheap Eats in KL - Jalan Mesu / Lorong Ceylon

Now if you have been following posts from HERE about using Go-KL buses, here are the few options you can go to for cheaper meals during weekdays lunch hour if you happened to be nearby this areas (Pavillion KL) or Wisma Foo Yong. A meal her would cost less than RM10. Depending on your budget, I would say RM10 will yield some change including a bowl of Tauhua (Soft Beancurd) or a slice of fruit from the nearby stalls in the same highlighted area.

In case you are not familiar with the symbols I have been using, the grey stars are where the Go-KL buses stop with the colored arrows indicating the routes' color for the buses. The brighter orange star-bursts are where all the cheap eats are concentrated. I personally prefer my wantan noodles with a mix of curry sauce, i.e. I will order one bowl of charsiew & fried wantan noodles with a splash of curry sauce. The lady owner will know what to serve up. This is definitely NON-HALAL.

For Halal options, the "best indian rice" and "the best malay rice" fits that requirement. The food there is definitely very nyum with relatively low price tag. Example, a whole grilled fish + deep fried wild mushrooms and a glass of Bandung (syrup with evaporated milk) in the Malay stall would probably come up to RM8 or less depending on the mood of the Auntie counting your bill. Yes, it is that subjective. They are best known for their whole grilled fish. I simply loved the sambal (chilli paste) they put into the fish. *salivates*

As for the Indian food, sometimes I ended up choosing more than 2 dishes so that would cost about RM7 especially if both are meat. The Indian stall is usually packed so be prepared to squeeze with other working guys who are there just for their lunch and the Auntie is the only person there or sometimes she has a worker to help. The dishes are quite authentic according to one of our Indian friend but for me, as long as they taste good doesn't really matter whether they are or not. Haha.

Marco Polo Dimsum, KL

This is one of my top choices for dimsum in KL. It is an old icon of dimsum, withstanding lots of competition along the way and is still surviving. A testament to its quality, eh? There are mixed reviews about this restaurant online but to me, it still delivers good quality dimsum for the price they are charging. It is quite a walk from my office to here but if you are using Go-KL Buses as I mentioned in my previous post HERE

Anyway, the gray stars are where Go-KL buses stop (Wisma Foo Yong on the left and Pavillion bus stop on the right). The arrows indicate the colour of the Go-KL bus routes. I would suggest giving Marco Polo a try if you have never been as they have some of the usual fares as well as some of the more exotic ones. They also serve dinner and lunch so you can either go there for dimsum or the dishes.

I had a lot of photos before but now I'm just confused on which ones are from them and which ones are from some other restaurants so maybe I will update new photos if I do go next time around.

Address: 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone:+60 3-2141 223

Attractions in KL using Go-KL Bus

This is a continuation of my Introduction to Go-KL Bus and also Guide to shopping Using Go-KL Bus. For this post, the route will be mostly following the BLUE stars using the RED line (route of Go-KL bus).
The grey stars are just some deviations for options in eating which are going to be explained further HERE, HERE and HERE.(coming soon)

Let's start! Regardless on where you are, get to the nearest Go-KL bus stop to start. In some places especially Bukit Bintang area, there are no official bus stops. Other stops are easily navigated. If you are starting in Pavillion, just remember to wait for the bus with the BLUE line signage before you hop on. This is because you will have to change bus at any of the points where RED and BLUE line buses meet. You have a few choices i.e. Medan Mara, Puteri Park, Chow Kit (Jalan Ipoh), Grand Season Hotel, Terminal Jalan Tun Razak, and HKL (Hospital KL) Jalan Pahang. Just switch your ride to RED line there.

Pasar Chow Kit will probably be your first stop. This is the largest wet market in KL. If you have never seen the local wet market, this would probably be an eye opener. However, do take into consideration that it most probably will be wet and hot so be prepared. Please be wary of pickpockets. This is essentially an Indonesian-monopolized area. The prices of goods are some of the cheapest for raw products and pre-loved items are available too. This is not really a must-see and not for the faint hearted. If you want to see locals and migrants Indonesians in action, drop by for a real insight. Otherwise, maybe something else along the route? :)

Coliseum is one of the oldest steak house in KL. I tried their branch in Mid Valley but if you are not up for the taxi ride or KTM ride there, this would probably be a good choice. Their steaks are good and plenty of western fares are available. More info at their website: www.coliseum1921.com

Two stops before Coliseum is the Pertama Kompleks. I did not highlight it in my map above. This is a good stop if you are an avid sportsman be it badminton enthusiasts, golf, even if you are planning to buy backpacks and camping gears. This used to be one of the first mall in KL but are now frequented only by locals looking for their sporting gear. Madam Sia's backpack store is a licensed Deuter distributor. According to some sites and recommendations by fellow blogger, she offers a fair price and usually has up to 30% discount for her product. Some of us got our safety boots and gears here too. They usually have a few branches within the same mall here.

1Sentral is a combination of shopping mall and the main hub for public transportation in KL (Sentral Station). Both Sentral Station and 1Sentral is interconnected so if you feel like going off somewhere else in KL, you can probably stop here and go on either the KTM or LRT to other places.

Next would be the National Museum (Muzium Negara). I would recommend this place for an interactive introduction to Malaysia's culture and history. Otherwise, you can stop at Masjid Negara (National Mosque) for some quick snaps. You can go inside but do note that proper attire is necessary and women have to cover their hair (head scarves available for loan at the counter) and certain areas are restricted to Muslims only. 

It is also your stop if you are heading to the KL Bird Park. According to a lot of websites even the KL Bird Park's official website, from Masjid Negara you can walk to the park. I have never tried walking but I would think walking seems a little tiring as it's about a kilometre away. A taxi would be easier. However, I am not sure whether there will be a short cut. @@?

Entrance Fees for Malaysians are: RM27 (Adults) and RM13 (Kids) and
Entrance Fees for foreigners are: RM50 (Adults) and RM41 (Kids)

I have been to the Bird Park and felt it is worth visiting even if just to check out the world's largest open aviary. I should just include here how intimidated I felt when a flock of the birds/pelicans were chasing me through the pathway to the toilet when they thought I have food in my hand. :X

Personally, I feel that the stop at Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka) is a must do. There are a few interesting buildings of historical values in the vicinity as well. Merdeka Square is significant in the sense that it was where the Union Jack's flag was lowered and the Malaysian flag was first raised on 31 August 1957. The original Kuala Lumpur railway station is just opposite the square and even though the official railway station is now at the Sentral Station, just the architecture of the building and its historical value are worth a few photos, don't you think so too? Other buildings of significance include the Sultan Abdul Samad building, Royal Selangor Club Complex, St Mary's Anglican Cathedral (Diocese of West Malaysia). Maybe a quick visit to the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery would be just nice to round up your trip.

Remember to change the bus to whichever line that you needed to get back to Pavillion or any other destinations :)

Cheap Eats in KL - Wisma Cosway KL

Once you have disembarked in front of Pavillion as mentioned in the post HERE, you will see a pretty run-down building on your left. It is Wisma Cosway and the other building behind it is Wisma Genting. Once you are at the bus stop, you would probably notice Wisma Genting has a row of stalls with really packed tables. This is where most of the workers of this two buildings have their lunch. The food here is cheaper than you would find in the malls.

The famous food here would be the nasi lemak which is the first stall you will see. I have never eaten here before mainly because I do not appreciate getting the oily food smell on my work clothes before heading back to the office. Second reason, the queue is usually very very long and if you come late, most of the choices are limited. :)

Address:
Wisma Genting Food Court
Wisma Genting, Jalan Sultan Ismail
Bukit Bintang, 50540 Kuala Lumpur

In Wisma Cosway lies a few shops which I would personally recommend for a quick meal, mainly because they are pretty decent and the prices are very affordable too. Just walk towards the main entrance, go up the escalators. Two shops will greet you once you reached the first floor. I prefer the shop on the left especially their claypot fuchuk (dried beancurd) and also their ginger and spring onion pork.

I do not have the address but the first two shops you see once you are up the escalator will be it! The left one, as you are facing them.

If you prefer noodles, look for Claypot Station. The noodle shop is pretty famous and will have queue as well outside. Claypot Station is halal and I like their LouShuFan soup. Please give their claypot chicken rice a miss. I don't think it is worth it :X

Address:
Claypot Station
Lot 1.22-1.23, 1st Floor, Wisma Cosway,
88, Jalan Raja Chulan,
Bukit Bintang, 50540 Kuala Lumpur

Shopping in KL using Go-KL Bus

This post is all about shopping in KL using the Go-KL buses (free!) and also some walking in between. I will try to include some attractions which are along the way so feel free to interchange the plans according to your own itinery. Do note that I will start from KLCC. You can start from other points depending on where you are staying.

For this post, please look at all the yellow/golden colored stars and arrows only. I will explain the rest in different posts later.

KLCC is an iconic landmark in KL, mainly because it is the third tallest building in the world. I would suggest taking some photos of it from outside at the 50-acres garden. Depending on the time you were there, you might catch some water shows at around noon and in the evening. Some shopping could be done in the Suria KLCC if you like branded fashionwear. They have some typical brands at the basement level and 2nd level above. I would suggest giving them a miss since you are probably going to go shopping in the other malls as highlighted by the "yellow stars".

However, since you are at KLCC, if you like aquarium, do head to the Aquaria KLCC. Make your way to the basement of KLCC walk towards the underground tunnel to KL Convention Centre. It is a 10-15 minutes walk depending on your speed. If aquarium is not your thing, maybe you can check out the Petrosains Museum on the 4th level of Suria KLCC. I think it is worth a visit especially if you have kids (even if without any). There are a lot of interactive activities. The downside would be this would take you a minimum of 4-5 hours to finish and please have a meal before going in. If you like art, maybe a quick trip up the 3rd floor to Petronas Art Gallery is more your thing. I like this place as they changed their exhibition every few weeks. Admission for the art gallery is also free. You can also go on the bridge(Skybridge) in between the KLCC Twin Towers for the birds' eyes view of the city. However, this would means getting there really early to purchase the tickets. Philharmonic Orchestra is also available here at the first floor of Suria KLCC near the main door. I would suggest purchasing tickets early on if orchestra is your thing. The bus stop for the free GO-KL bus is right outside the main door from the Philharmonic Orchestra's ticket purchasing booth.

The summary of what you can do at KLCC is probably as shown below:

From KLCC bus stop, take the Go-KL bus to Pavillion. Get on the first bus in the queue or the one that is almost full. Once you see Wisma Genting on your left, get ready to disembark at the upcoming stop. GO UP the overhead bridge right next to the bus stop, keep right and you will reach Pavillion. Of course if you do NOT want to use the Go-KL bus, you can always walk using the underground tunnel from KLCC to KL Convention Centre/Aquaria (remember I mentioned it above?) and from there walk the bridge/pathway to Pavillion. There will be signage and security guards along the way. So it's relatively easy to make your way by walking about 15-30 minutes (depending on your speed). For me, it is more preferable to use the bus especially since it's free.

When you reach the Pavillion bus stop, there are a few options available. If you are there on weekdays and are inclined to cheap eats, I will recommend these. Click HERE, HERE and HERE for details. (Coming soon)

If you are here on any days including weekends and feel like having some really good dimsum (not halal), please refer HERE (coming soon).

If you would prefer a more convenient choice, please proceed with the following:

1) Go shop in Pavillion. Note that there will be plenty of choices for food here. I personally like Grandmama's (Nyonya-ish food), Italianies (good, affordable Italian), Din Tai Fung and Dragon-I (Xiao Long Bao), Kyo Chon (Korean chicken), and many more are available. If you are not hungry yet, please go to next item after shopping.

2) Walk to the main door of Pavillion. You can see Sephora and Uniqlo plus a water feature there. You can't miss it. If you are unsure, refer below.

3) Check out LOT10, Fahrenheit, etc all lined up in front. If you are hungry at this point, just go to the LOT10 Food Court at the basement. They have quite nice Char Kueh Tiaw with duck eggs (flat white noodles flash-fried with cockles, bean sprouts, eggs, prawns and spring onions), amongst lots of other choices. The prices here might be slightly higher for food court food but again, your choice.

4) Move on to the next malls: BB Plaza and Sungai Wang Plaza. These two are interconnected and here is probably where you will find cheap fashion. Again, sizes for these cheap clothings are for the petite. If you are bigger boned, maybe a more thorough comb of all the shops here will yield you something. Otherwise, you would probably have better luck in bigger fashion houses like Nichii, Kitschen, Forever21, H&M, and so on. BB Plaza and Sungai Wang Plaza can be accessed from the FIRST FLOOR of H&M (LOT10) as you are walking downwards. Just go up the H&M, into ISETAN then find the exit towards the monorail station. Go straight and you will see the monorail station on your right. Take left instead and you will see a dodgy looking door which will lead you inside Sungai Wang Plaza.

5) From Sungai Wang Plaza and BB Plaza, if you are a gadget enthusiasts, go towards Giants hypermarket, exit from the emergency doors, this will take you to the main road. Low Yat is just across the street. Here you will find all the latest gadgets and computers or any spare parts for a reasonable price (bargaining can be done). Here my fave haunt is probably the ALL IT HYPERMARKET and one more hypermarket upstairs. They both have quite competitive prices for hard disks and speakers. Then for eats, I would recommend the KopiClub coffeeshop in the basement. They also have a branch in Sungai Wang Plaza but somehow I prefer the Lowyat's. My faves there include the Hainanese Chicken Chop, Nasi Ayam Berempah, their excellent toasts (kaya toasts), tea and coffee.

6) By here, you would probably be pretty tired if you went to all the malls. However, if you are still up for more, try Berjaya Times Square Mall (just opposite Low Yat) for cheap clothings like Sungai Wang Plaza. They have an indoor amusement park as well so...knock yourselves out.

If by any chance you are NOT an avid shopper, just skip some of the malls and refer to (2)
Go towards your left. You will see a ROLEX and Louis Vuitton shop. Just wait at the curb for the GO-KL bus. There will NOT be an official bus stop. You will probably see a group of locals waiting for the bus and some bewildered tourists nearby. Have no fear. You are at the CORRECT place. :)

Use the PURPLE LINE Go-KL Bus to Pasar Seni. The color of your Go-KL bus is important at this point because all the three color bus will converge in the Bukit Bintang area. As all the buses are PINK, look for the color of their "line" or routes at the front of their buses. Ask the bus driver to let you know when you reached. In case the bus is full, just look out for the stop where it is as if it is a main bus terminal, then check with the driver before going down. You will have to walk a little to reach Pasar Seni.

Why Pasar Seni? This is one of the best places for you to get souvenirs back to wherever you came from. It is also known as Central Market. From pewter ornaments, to usual T shirts, they have it all here. Most shopkeepers would not hassle you while you browse and the environment is much comfyer than Petaling Street and other Night Markets as they have air conditioning here. Furthermore, they have a lot of interesting collectors' items like stamps, cards, old bottles from the 60s or 70s, etc. Even for a local, this could be an interesting visit.

You can probably see some interesting stalls outside Central Market (Pasar Seni) where you can take photos with parrots and even buy skewers of grilled chicken/beef/mutton (satay).

Please try out the Nyonya dishes from Precious Old China in Central Market. They are really good and value for money in my opinion. Service was prompt and friendly staff all around. The decorations are not really what I am used to but food-wise they were EXCELLENT. My personal faves are the coconut prawns, assam fish, cencalok omelette and many many more.

If you still feel Central Market is not enough, you can check out Petaling Street a short walk away from it. Just go around the bus station where you got off previously and start walking outwards. I do not really like Petaling Street unless you are planning to go really early in the morning for their hawker stalls but that is another story altogether and probably couldn't fit in this lengthy post.

From Petaling Street, if you do go, just walk towards Kotaraya (an old building somewhere off Petaling Street's main door) and you can hop on the Go-KL bus from there.

My next proposed stop would be KL Tower for either a quick photo to say you've been there or you can also go up their revolving restaurant for a different dining experience.Do note that the current PURPLE line bus you are using will only stop at Pavillion. There, disembark and take the GREEN line to go back to KLCC.

If you noticed, I have put up *optional* for the last two attractions. In my opinion, those two can be given a miss especially if you are lacking of time but that's just me. Haha.

How to Go Around KL?

If you are in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia for holidays, most probably you do not have your own transport. So the biggest question now would be how do you move around other than on your Transport No 11, i.e. your own two feet? Aside from the monorail, LRT, taxis and public buses (all subject to certain charges), starting from 31 August 2012, the Land Public Transport of Malaysia has launched a free Go-KL bus services. This FREE service is available DAILY starting from 6am (weekdays) and 7am (weekends and public holidays) up until 11pm. Best thing about this is that the buses stopped at all the main attractions in KL so you don't have to bother waiting for bus/LRT/monorail changes or even fork out money for a short distance travelled within the Central Business District (CBD).

PS: I will explain my colored code in the next posts.

You can download the map HERE yourself too.

I would elaborate more on the different ways one can go about KL using the easiest (hopefully) and cheapest (to free) methods in my next posts.

(1) Guide to Shopping in KL using Go-KL Buses

I would try my best to distribute my opinions about the attractions and how to go about it as I noticed a lot of tourists seemed to have problems navigating from one stop to another while I was there. Also, since KL has a lot to offer in terms of food and shopping, most of them will be about that. I will try to fit in on the other tourist attractions like KL Bird Park, KL Museum, etc etc.