Cover Char kuey teow (Photo: iStock)
Char kuey teow (Photo: iStock)
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Five chefs share their favourite meals on their lunch break
As a midday pickup or a break from a manic Monday morning, lunch is arguably the most exciting part of a workday. From a hearty char kuey teow to a fulfilling chicken rice, a good lunch refuels you to power through the rest of the day.
Read more: The best hawker breakfast in Malaysia, according to chefs
Chefs are among those who need a good lunch as they work long hours in hot kitchens. As a result, they probably have the best lunch recommendations. Here are five of Tatler Dining's Top 20 restaurants' chefs to find out what they love to have for lunch.
Look out for chefs' dinner and supper recommendations next.
Yavhin Siri, Nadodi
Above Yavhin Siri (Photo: Nadodi)
Above Restoran P.R. Meiappan (Photo: Instagram/@rebchuah)
Yavhin Siri (Photo: Nadodi)
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“I’ve been going to Restoran P.R. Meiappan since I was a kid. The restaurant has been around since the 1950s. It sits in an old shophouse in Port Klang. Lunch is always special here because I love to order its biryani and Kodal curry (goat intestine curry). You don’t always get kodal curry at other banana leaf restaurants. The biryani is also only served on certain days of the week.
I also like to get a small plate of its mutton curry, which is spicy and very creamy; it's an example of simple food done right. After lunch here, I would usually hop over to the kopitiam next door for some really good coffee.”
Restoran P.R. Meiappan, 21, 180, Kawasan 13, 42000 Port Klang, +6019 224 1669, Monday-Sunday, 8:30am-5pm
Lim Wei Han, Bref by Darren Chin
Above Lim Wei Han (Photo: Lim Wei Han)
Above Fatt Kee Roast Duck & Chicken Restaurant (Photo: Instagram/@jasonatethis)
Lim Wei Han (Photo: Lim Wei Han)
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"When it comes to lunch, there is no other contestant—it has to be chicken rice! The one and only place I go to for a good Chinese style rotisserie lunch is Fatt Kee located in Pudu. On top of its juicy roasted chicken and duck, it also serves spicy and sour braised vegetables and double boiled chicken herbal soup. Its crispy skin and smoky barbecued pork is the icing on the cake. My greedy self always orders a combination of all four meats in a plate.
Growing up in a Chinese household, having takeout roasted chicken rice for lunch and mum's soup for dinner was a staple throughout my life. This place really brings back memories of my childhood as it combines the two, and emphasises that good food is all about simplicity."
Fatt Kee Roast Duck & Chicken Restaurant, No.42, Jalan Landak, Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Monday-Saturday, 10:30am-5pm
See also: The best chicken rice in Malaysia, according to chefs
Aidan Low, Akâr Dining
Above Aidan Low (Photo: Imran Sulaiman)
Above Restoran San Hong Hong Chicken Rice Shop (Photo: Facebook/鸿鸿怡保芽菜鸡)
Aidan Low (Photo: Imran Sulaiman)
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“My favourite lunch is from Restoran San Hong Hong Chicken Rice Shop for its very satisfying Ipoh chicken rice. Go for the kampung chicken if you're a true gourmand. The rice is super fragrant and the chicken succulent. It is the best chicken rice I’ve had to date.”
Restoran San Hong Hong Chicken Rice Shop, 3-56A, Jalan Desa 2/1, Desa Aman Puri, 52100 Kuala Lumpur, +6012 355 1676, Monday-Sunday, 10:30am-9pm
Marco Caverni, Mandarin Grill
Above Marco Caverni (Photo: Imran Sulaiman)
Above Ah Leng Char Kuey Teow (Photo: Instagram/@jasonatethis)
Marco Caverni (Photo: Imran Sulaiman)
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“One of my favourite spots in all of Malaysia to get lunch is Ah Leng Char Koay Teow in Penang. For me, the way the noodles are cooked, combined with the fresh shrimp and cockles, provides the ultimate street food indulgence. The most impressive thing about this char kuey teow is the wok hei (breath of the wok). It's my go-to dish whenever I'm in Penang”
Ah Leng Char Koay Teow, 343, Jalan Dato Keramat, George Town, 10150 George Town, +6012 498 3962, Sunday-Friday, 10:30am-4pm; Saturday, 10:30am-5pm; closed on Wednesday
Don't miss: The best char kuey teow in Malaysia, according to chefs
Andy Lau, The Regent Chinese Cuisine
Above Chef Andy Lau and Chef MC Wong (Photo: Imran Sulaiman)
Above Restoran Five Flavours (Photo: Google Reviews/Yao Leong Yin)
Chef Andy Lau and Chef MC Wong (Photo: Imran Sulaiman)
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"Whenever I'm back in Kampar, my favourite lunch is at Restoran Five Flavours. I order the assorted yong tau foo with noodles, both soup or dry, and curry mee that I top with more cockles. The ingredients used are always fresh and there is a wide variety of yong tau foo to choose from."
Restoran Five Flavours, 334, Jalan Perak 11, Taman Perak Indah, 31900 Kampar
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Amanda is a KL-born and raised third culture kid, who lives to eat. If not found reading, writing for Tatler Dining, or snacking, she is most likely playing with her dog, Katsu, sourcing new Birkenstocks, or looking for a new restaurant to venture to.
Follow her on Instagram at @feedingamanda.
