KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 — When MRT Stadium Kajang was launched, the famed satay business enjoyed a boost as more people could get easy access to the area. 

For MRT TTDI, it is the Family Mart soft serves that was at an advantage. Oh, come on people! Yes, Family Mart is located within the station but really, there are many delicious indulgences within walking distance of the station.

For a start, dive into pungent, creamy durian from Malaysia’s best farms. Durian King is a reputable durian supplier who, besides the usual durian varieties, offers a relatively new breed of durian called Black Thorn which had soared in popularity for its signature creamy and sweet flesh. You can add a big dollop of it in your chendol too.

Meanwhile, the morning TTDI wet market is a haven of cheap, local eats. Apart from the independent stalls on ground level, head up to the food court on the first floor for the apom from Chanai & Chaya. Light, moist and sweet in the centre with sides crisp like sweet crackers, I recommend adding an egg for a protein boost!

Opposite the market is the spanking new The Greens Terrace slowly coming to life as more outlets also get ready to welcome patrons. The Other Half is one of the most Instagram-friendly cafes in TTDI while Tai Hou Sek gets my vote for their pork-laden Thai menu. I’m particularly enamoured of their babi Q pork neck, pork shoulder and the braised pork with rice.

Purradise — The Purradise Cafe is for cat lovers.

In Purradise Café, food and drinks are secondary as the focus is on the felines. This is a unique space where you can enjoy snacks and drinks with a cat (or three) on your lap!  

If cravings for Ipoh hor fun arises and a drive to Ipoh isn’t feasible, step into Restoran Chong Thoong Kee for the noodle dish, prawn wantan and Hainanese chicken rice. Of the three, the hor fun is the winner.

Johoreans swear by D’Cengkih whenever they long for their hometown delicacies. 

On every available and presentable surface, tantalising Malay and Johorean dishes and desserts are displayed but the not-to-miss dish here is the Laksa Johor, which is pretty elusive in the Klang Valley. While other types of laksa are served with various types of local noodles, this dish comes with spaghetti in thick, coconut-based creamy fish gravy. 

East coast favourites like nasi dagang and nasi kerabu are elusive too, thus we are thankful to Dua by Skonhs for serving such excellent versions of both daily and in a homely, kid-friendly space. Another incentive to visit Dua would be for their renditions of Western and local favourites in princely portions at wallet-friendly prices.

Antonio’s Trattoria Calabria, a homely eatery serving up Italian classics and Golden Valley, a pork free Chinese restaurant are both solid choices for group dining. 

These are merely touching the surface of what’s on the TTDI side. If you were to cross the road to Damansara Kim, check out Al Baraq nasi kukus and ayam goreng berempah at the Medan Selera MBPJ. For better variety, the stall beside it offers cheap, delicious nasi campur with 15 ― 20 types of dishes. On certain days nasi kerabu and nasi dagang are available too. 

Damansara Kim is almost synonymous with fish head noodle outlets and there are three within walking distance of the other ― SS20 Fish Head Noodle, Fish and Noodle House and Mr Fish Fishhead Noodle.

Probably due to the rapid mushrooming of Vietnamese restaurants in the Klang Valley, Ngon dedicates part of its menu to the lesser known Vietnamese delicacies such as banh beo (steamed rice cakes), bot chien trung (ried rice flour cakes with egg) and Vietnamese dessert Che Dau Trang Khoai Mon while Vietnamese mains such as beef pho and bun cha are easily one of the best in this side of town. 

Tucked behind a mysterious locker box entrance Locker & Loft is a semi-speakeasy, restaurant cum cocktail bar. What caught my interest here is the wide selection of cocktails incorporating Asian/local flavours and ingredients. Think fresh jackfruit milkshakes, coconut cream, pandan in cocktails and even Milo ― our beloved childhood chocolate, made into a cocktail with two shots of vodka! 

Foodwise, it boasts of a ‘porky’ menu with some fusion creations while their Sunday BBQ on the first Sunday of every month offers patrons an occasion to eat, drink and be merry!

IDC — One of Ice Dream Cafe’s sweet surprises.

A bar of another kind in this vicinity is IDC (Ice Dreams Café).

Serving Kapiti’s range of ice cream with funky flavours and toppings, IDC is the place for desserts with a twist. Think sea salt flakes, salted egg yoke or even extra virgin olive oil.  

Ho Li Chow is a personal mission of Aunty Sue who wishes to keep the taste of traditional dishes of yesterday alive and to share with the current generation what wholesome home cooking is all about. 

All dishes are MSG-free with pastes and stock prepared from scratch based on recipes her great grandparents prepared over a century ago. 

Ho Li Chow — It’s traditional cooking at Ho Li Chow.

Her loyal patrons swear by her Penang Lam Mee, the pork curry nasi lemak and the acar fish set.

In the evenings, the Nasi Lemak Guys takes over with another porky nasi lemak, their version being pork rendang and the much hyped about salted egg yolk spam. 

* For more gastronomic adventures — keep up with Rebecca on www.RebeccaSaw.com and instagram.com/wackybecky.

Getting there 

From the station: There are 2 exits, Pintu A takes you to Menara Glomac/Glomac Damansara/Jalan Damansara Kim while Pintu B will provide access to Jalan Wan Kadir/Pasar Besar TTDI/Menara LGB/Brunsfield/TTDI Plaza. 

Restaurant Names: Pasar Besar TTDI/Durian King/The Other Half/Cocott’s KL/Thai Hou Sek/Harley’s/Golden Valley/Antonio’s

Exit the fare gates and take Pintu A. Once you are on the street level, walk along Jalan Wan Kadir 4 and you will see the entrance into Antonio’s.

Follow the road into Jalan Wan Kadir 3 and this is where Harley’s, Golden Valley are on your left in LGB Tower while Cocott’s, Thai Hou Sek, The Other Half are in TTDI Greens on your right.

Once you reach the junction, TTDI market is opposite you and Durian King is inside the open air carpark beside the market.   

Restaurant Names: Dua by Skonhs/Purradise Cat Café/Pickle & Fig/Dotty’s/D’Cengkih/Kayra/ Jaipur Banana Leaf

(2)   

Exit the fare gates and take Pintu A. Once you are on the street level, walk along Jalan Damansara (following traffic flow) and turn right into Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad. Dua by Skonhs and D’Cengkih is on your left within a row of shoplots. Purradise Cat Café, Pickle & Fig, Dotty’s and other food outlets are on the row behind D’Cengkih ― Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 2. 

Restaurant Name : IDC Medan Selera Damansara Kim/ Farm to Plate/Fish head noodles/Ho Li Chow/Ngon/Locker & Loft

Exit the fare gates and take Pintu B. Once you are on the street level, walk following the traffic flow and turn left into Jalan SS20/10. The Medan Selera is on your right while Farm to Plate, Ngon and Locker & Loft are within the row of shoplots on your left.