KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 23 — There are meals we forget as soon as we are done eating. 

These meals are more sustenance than showstoppers, something to fill our bellies as we rush off to our next activity or appointment.

Then there are meals that astound us, dishes that linger in our minds days later. The taste, the texture. The aroma and the memory of it.

These past 12 months, a handful of dishes truly impressed me, each leaving me with the feeling of having eaten something perfectly ordinary—yet also unexpectedly extraordinary.

Here are the best things I ate this year (in no particular order):

Premium chasiu wantan mee at Wing On Noodle House in Taman Desa, KL:

“Patience, it turns out, is the only recipe. Pork jowl is chosen with care, marinated overnight, then roasted low and slow for hours.”

At Wing On, the first sight of the premium or crystal chasiu is enough to make you pause. 

Thick slices, lacquered to a mirrored sheen, tempt brazenly. Sweet but not cloying; the faint char along the edges promising smoke without bitterness.

The springy bamboo noodles beneath appear almost modest but give the dish both the necessary structure and balance. A spoonful of fried lard croutons adds crunch; the wantans, plump and hand-wrapped, glide down with ease.

Penang char kway teow at Dai Be Steam Fish Head Restaurant in Taman Connaught, Cheras:

“A plate of Penang char kway teow is a fine thing; one perfectly executed with such verve and wok hei a rare find.”

Dai Be’s char kway teow feels forged in the wok’s breath rather than cooked. Broad ribbons of flat rice noodles tangled with thinner strands of yellow mee; the entire mess perfumed with smoke and savoury char.

Prawns large enough to surprise you; other stalls will forever fare poorly in the size department. 

For connoisseurs of blood cockles, morsels of seehum that bleed brine and sweetness in equal measure. Golden cubes of fried pork lard: glorious, irresistible, sublime.

Roti canai at Ah Koon Kopitiam in Melaka:

“Every roti is made fresh to order. No pre-made stacks, no waiting under heating lamps... every roti plated at the precise moment it should be.”

Regulars visit Ah Koon Kopitiam every morning for a simple breakfast, yes, but one made with over 20 years of experience.

How else can you explain their roti bom, its many folds layered with margarine and sugar? Or the roti pisang, soft banana collapsing into pastry, caramelised at the edges? Roti sarang burung—two golden yolks cradled lovingly in a nest of airy crispness?

You can’t, really. Just come and savour these ravishing roti yourself.

Melaka Peranakan kuih at Blue Dahlia in Section 17, PJ:

“What should we get? Perhaps the bouncy orbs of onde-onde? The wobbly kuih talam or the denser bingka ubi? A smoky log of pulut panggang? Our answer, more often than not: Why not all of them?”

Walk into Blue Dahlia and you’re welcomed by rows of kuih — from ketayap to keledek kelapa — like a Nyonya grandmother’s table before a festival.

The kuih koci surprises: its chewy skin holding an interior of shredded coconut drenched in earthy gula Melaka. 

Don’t forget the abok abok, a triple-layered marvel of sago, palm sugar and coconut, each bite yielding subtle shifts in texture and aroma.

Pork noodles at Restoran Mei Mei Seafood in Semenyih:

“Instead, when tossed with the noodles, minced pork, sauce and oil, what you have is a textural surprise in every bite... Smooth and crispy, oily without being greasy, so full of flavour.”

Hor fun slicked with soy and lard oil delivers depth. The minced pork is seasoned confidently; the liver is cooked to perfect tenderness. Nuggets of fried pork lard crackle. Spring onions brighten everything.

Mei Mei’s pork noodles may look unassuming but take a bite, and you’ll understand why appearances aren’t everything. This is a dish that doesn’t need to impress, because it already knows it is magnificent.

Braised meats at Restoran Xin Kee in Seremban:

“Depending on who you ask, it’s never too early in the morning for a spread of Chinese braised meats or luwei. Certainly regulars... come as early as seven in the morning for their signature braised duck and braised pork.”

You can taste the hours of slow cooking at Xin Kee. The braised duck is tender but not gamey, its gravy clinging to chewy handmade noodles.

Then there is the braised pork: soft, fatty edges; rice stained brown with a sauce that only time and practice can produce. Tofu, cabbage and half a hard boiled egg complete the plate.

Chicken katsu sando at RAYs in Section 51A, PJ:

“The delicate texture of the brioche, oh-so-light yet richer than traditional shokupan. The coating of panko breadcrumbs, the cabbage slaw, a pleasing choice of fries or salad, even the homemade nanban sauce that balances everything.”

RAYs’ chicken katsu sando is constructed with precision. The brioche is airy yet firm enough to hold its architecture. The expertly breaded chicken offers a satisfying crunch before revealing tender meat beneath.

The house-made nanban sauce brings acidity and umami, ensuring the generously sized sandwich never feels heavy. There is quiet respect for the dish’s Japanese roots, even as it becomes something undeniably Malaysian.

Yao char kwai and tongsui at Golden Bread Station in Melaka:

“Every cruller comes fresh from the fryer... their golden crust catching the light before their warmth begins to ebb. This small gesture—letting the fritters drain properly—yields crullers that are crisp but never greasy, aromatic without being heavy.”

The yau char kwai at Golden Bread Station shatters lightly as you bite into it, airy inside, almost weightless. Don’t miss the butterfly-shaped ma geok and round ham chim peng too.

To complete this traditional teatime treat, pair these with bowls of tongsui, either peanut or red bean soup. May we have more meals like this in the coming year—many, many more.

Wing On Noodle House

15A, Jalan Desa Jaya, Taman Desa, KL

Open Tue-Sun 7am-2:30pm, closed Mon

Phone: 019-734 8751

Restoran Dai Be Steam Fish Head

119, Jalan Sarjana, Taman Connaught, Cheras, KL

Open Thu-Tue 6am-8pm, Wed closed

Ah Koon Kopitiam

5, Jalan Melaka Raya 4, Taman Melaka Raya, Melaka

Open Mon-Sat 7am-12pm; Sun closed

Phone: 017-5244783

Blue Dahlia

601, Jalan 17/12, Section 17, PJ

Phone: 011-2980 3362

Open daily 10:30am-6pm

IG: https://www.instagram.com/bluedahliamy/

Restoran Mei Mei Seafood

32-1, Jln Eco Majestic 9/1B, Eco Majestic, Semenyih, Selangor

Open Tue-Sat 8am-9:30pm, Sun 8am-10:30pm, Mon closed

Phone: 016-631 5865

Restoran Xin Kee 心记卤味轩

1, Jalan Kong Sang, Seremban

Open daily 7am-3pm

Phone: 016-611 7808

RAYs

Lot 8. 2, B.LAND. Jalan 51A/225, Section 51A, PJ

Open daily 8:30am-5pm

Phone: 012-879 6878

IG: https://www.instagram.com/raysgotchu/

Golden Bread Station 油條讚

230, Jalan Tengkera, Melaka

Open Wed-Fri 1-8pm, Sat 1-6:45pm, Sun-Mon 1-8pm, Tue closed

Phone: 016-327 6813