Instagram This #5: Kwai Chai Hong 鬼仔巷, Chinatown, KL

Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown has recently undergone a revival, much to the delight of KL-ites. The rebirth of Kwai Chai Hong 鬼仔巷 in the heart of Chinatown gives us a glimpse of Chinatown in its heyday, with interactive murals taking the spotlight here.

Open daily from 9am to 12am daily, Kwai Chai Hong 鬼仔巷 takes visitors on a journey back in time to the 1960s golden era of KL Chinatown.  The charming alley is dotted with murals on the walls and lovingly-restored pre-war buildings, along with QR codes which you can scan to learn more about the area and its history. 

Some of the murals found here depict the daily activities of early Chinese settlers in the area during the 1960s.

Chinese calligraphers who write auspicious sayings and help settlers write letters home.

Playing a game with Chinese jump rope (made using rubber bands)

The largest piece of mural here is the one above the stairs - barbers carrying out their business in open air, businesses which use baskets and pulleys to deliver goods from the first floor down to customers etc.

Here at Kwai Chai Hong 鬼仔巷, you will also find Kuala Lumpur's oldest lamp post  – which dates back to the early 1900s when electricity first arrived in the city.

Kwai Chai Hong 鬼仔巷 is a 2-min walk away from MRT Pasar Seni (Exit A), located on Lorong Panggung. Entrance to Kwai Chai Hong is free. There are also many restaurants and bars to be explored in this area such as Concubine KL, Quan's Kitchen, Wildflowers KL, Chocha Foodstore, Poh's Tau Fu Fah, Hawker Chan and more.

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Chong Qing Grilled Fish, Sunway Velocity, KL

Earlier this month, Chong Qing Grilled Fish officially launched its first outlet in Kuala Lumpur at Sunway Velocity's Nanjing Street, following the roaring success of its maiden Malaysian outlet in Kuching, Sarawak. Chong Qing Grilled Fish specialises in charcoal-grilled fish with Sichuan hotpot as well as authentic Sichuan cuisine.

Chong Qing Grilled Fish was first opened in Singapore in 2010, to bring to the local F&B scene the best representation of Chongqing cuisine. Upon a trip to Chongqing, China, the founders wanted to replicate the dish in Southeast Asia, successfully launching its first outlet along Mosque Street in Singapore and later bringing the well-loved brand to Malaysian shores.

Chongqing cuisine has always been known for its deliciously bold flavours: unapologetically rich, savoury and spicy. Chong Qing Grilled Fish is known for its Signature Grilled Fish, served in a simmering Sichuan hotpot.

More than 2000 years ago, fishermen living in Wanzhou used wood to grill their daily catch. Over time, they experimented with adding oil, herbs and spices to marinate the grilled fish; and the rest is history. According to legend, this dish dates to 1700 years ago during the Three Kingdoms period. Then, Zhuge Liang who was a premier politician serving under Liu Bei, loved this marinated charcoal-grilled fish. When Liu Bei ascended the throne soon after, grilled fish was made an imperial dish.

At Chong Qing Grilled Fish, there are 8 different flavours to choose from - Spicy Fragrant, Spicy Numbing, Pickled Cabbage, Hot & Sour, Mushroom Herbs, Fermented Black Bean, Fresh Chillies and Chopped Chilli Pepper.There is something for everyone here - from mild to spicy. Diners can also choose from five different types of fish - sea bass, golden snapper, red tilapia, Temerloh patin and golden pomfret, with prices starting from RM58 for a whole fish.

The fish is marinated with over 20 types of herbs and spices, and then grilled in the special charcoal oven. This results in an amazingly crispy skin coupled with tender, soft flesh beneath. Then, the broth of your choice, cooked with your choice of sides, is poured over the fish.

Highly recommended are the “Spicy Fragrant” (一品香辣) or “Spicy Numbing” (川味麻辣) broths which are bound to awaken the senses. For those who like it mild, the Mushroom Herbs which comes with willow mushroom, dried porcini mushroom and fresh mushroom, along with garlic, green and red pepper and mushroom spice is the way to go. The chef recommended fish is the Temerloh Patin, which is well-loved for its rich, fatty yet tender texture. It also has a delicate sweetness which will pair perfectly with any broth.

Spicy Fragrant Seabass - loved this spicy, appetizing broth!

Mushroom Herbs Temerloh Patin - the mushrooms impart a lovely earthy flavour to the broth.

Check out this video to watch how the chefs prepare the signature Grilled Fish here!

Other than the signature grilled fish, one of the must-try dishes here is the Spicy Chicken Cubes (RM30)- crispy chicken chunks tossed in dried chillies, dried peppercorn, white sesame, peanuts and special spicy sauce.

Double-cooked spicy pork slices (RM28) - thinly sliced pork belly cooked with garlic shoots, green and red chillies. Very nice!

For salted egg lovers, they also have a series of delicious salted egg dishes here, from calamari to cheese tofu, chicken cubes,  corn and more!

Salted egg fish skin (RM24) - an addictive snack of fried salmon fish skin with salted egg, curry leaves and cili padi. You can also order this for takeaway, as they will be sealed in an airtight takeaway pack.

Salted egg calamari with Thai herbs (RM28) - we can never say no to this dish! The version here is garnished with kaffir lime leaves and chilli powder.

The unassuming Hand Shredded Cabbage (RM18) was another favourite - this simple cabbage dish was stir fried with pork slices, dried chillies and fried garlic.

The Lijiang Fragrant Spicy Fried Rice with Shredded Pork (RM16) is the perfect accompaniment to the rest of our meal. Full of wok hei, the fragrant rice is stir fried together with Yunnan preserved vegetable, shredded pork, eggs, and spring onions.

Fresh fruit with Jasmine tea tower (RM36 for 2l) - perfect for sharing and cooling down!

Chong Qing Grilled Fish KL - restaurant interior

The restaurant is located in Nanjing Street at Sunway Velocity's Signature 2.

In celebration of its grand launch, Chong Qing Grilled Fish is offering customers 50% off their total bill (drinks not included). Customers need to only complete these 3 simple steps:

1. Like the Chong Qing Grilled Fish Facebook page (www.facebook.com/cqgf.kl)

2. Share this post (https://bit.ly/36AvPq9)

3. Tag 3 friends in the post.

4. Present your proof of entry to outlet staff to receive offer.


Additionally, customers can partake in the SPIN & SURE WIN contest. With any amount spent in-store, customers will have a chance at spinning the Fortune Wheel to win prizes including 3 months’ worth of free Signature Grilled Fish, free Chong Qing Grilled Fish dishes and complimentary vouchers.


The above promotions are ongoing from 12th – 31st January 2020.


Opening times: Mon - Fri 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 2am; Sat & Sun 12pm - 2am.

Service: Excellent.

Location: Chong Qing Grilled Fish, Nanjing Steet @ Sunway Velocity, 1st Floor, V06-01-06, Signature 2, Lingkaran SV Sunway Velocity, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2382 1786

Website: https://www.facebook.com/cqgf.kl/

Nearest MRT: Cochrane.

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Concubine KL: Restaurant & Bar in Chinatown

Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown has recently undergone a revival, much to the delight of KL-ites. The rebirth of Kwai Chai Hong in the heart of Chinatown brings new restaurants, bars and cafes as well as interactive murals for us to explore in the area.

Flirtatious and funky while keeping up with Chinatown’s heritage, Concubine KL is a new restaurant and bar inspired by the events that took place within its walls. The tasteful interior, red lanterns and striking murals on the walls set the right mood for this restaurant and bar that wishes to portray its namesake as the independent woman that she is.

The kitchen here at Concubine KL is helmed by mixologist-turned-chef, Danny Winter who introduces an Asian slant into Western favourites and vice versa. Creative cocktails showcasing local ingredients such as chrysanthemum, hibiscus, asam keping, bunga kantan , duku langsat, nutmeg and jackfruit also takes the spotlight here.

On the food menu, you will find light bites such as tostada, dumplings, skewers as well as grilled mains and salads. Start with the Keropok nachos (RM15) - instead of tortilla chips, crispy fish crackers (aka keropok) is topped with sambal balado and sambal hijau, pink pickled onion, jalapeno, tempeh, coriander and ikan bilis. Crunchy, slightly spicy, definitely addictive.

The Tuna tostada (RM22) was my personal favourite. A burst of wonderful, fresh flavours - chopped raw tuna dressed with yuzu and ponzu, and tossed with shiso, avocado, sesame, cucumber and crispy garlic are topped on a crisp deep fried mini tortilla.

So you think you're having gyozas, but when you pop one into your mouth, it's cheese burger you taste! That's exactly how we felt when we had the dbl cheese burger gyoza (RM18) at Concubine KL. The gyoza dumplings are filled with beef, and then topped with sharp cheddar, cheese sauce, onion and mustard, with pickles on the side - for that unmistakable cheese burger flavour.

Charred lettuce (RM22) -gem lettuce are charred over the grill and topped with bonito flakes and tobiko sauce for that umami kick.

The Green tea smoked lamb rack (RM38) was another winner - smoked with green tea, the tender meat, sprinkled with ras el hanout, a Morrocan mix spice blend, was flavourful and juicy and paired beautifully with the miso aubergine.

Cocktails - Yuzu Spritz, a refreshing creation using gin, yuzu, fresh lemon juice and finished with a fresh kaffir lime leaf. The Hibiscus, an elegant drink using hibiscus infused tequila, lime juice, agave syrup, aperol and egg white.

Concubine KL - upper level bar 

Lady with the butterfly tattoo

Concubine KL - Ground floor bar and dining area

Concubine KL - Ground floor bar and dining area

Kwai Chai Hong, Chinatown KL

Reservations recommended. Book your table online here:

Pork-free.

Opening hours: Sun - Thur 5pm - 1am. Fri & Sat 5pm - 2am. Closed on Mondays.

Location: Concubine KL, Lot 2, Lorong Panggung, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Kwai Chai Hong, Chinatown).

Tel: 014-711 2185

Nearest MRT: Pasar Seni (200m).


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Hawker Chan, Petaling Street: Michelin-starred Chicken Rice Now In KL!

Hawker Chan, famously known as the world's cheapest Michelin meal, has opened its doors in Kuala Lumpur. Located in Petaling Street, Chinatown, Hawker Chan has previously been awarded 1 star in The Michelin Guide Singapore for four consecutive years (from 2016-2019).

Here, you can enjoy a plate of Michelin-starred chicken rice in a clean, air-conditioned environment. We stumbled upon this place as we were coincidentally in Petaling Street earlier this week and there was no queue, so why not? Apparently you have to queue for 3 hours if you wanna try this in Singapore.

The star here is the Soya Sauce Chicken Rice (RM8.80), so that's what we went for. Since we already had dinner and dessert before this, this is the only thing we had space to try. Order at the counter, pay and your number will be called once your food is ready. Cutlery and sauces are self-service. Price is surprisingly reasonable (expected it to be above RM10).

We requested for chicken breast meat. The meat was very tender and rice drizzled with dark soy sauce was decent. Their chilli sauce is nice and punchy. There are also some braised soy beans, but no cucumber was given with our order. The chicken served was slightly too cold for my liking, otherwise a pretty decent plate of chicken rice.

Other than soya sauce chicken rice, they also have char siew, roasted pork, and pork rib which you can order on its own or with rice, wan tan noodles or hor fun.

Hawker Chan KL Menu

Opening times: 11am - 9pm daily.

Location: Liao Fan Hawker Chan, 135 Petaling Street, 50000 Kuala Lumpur. (near Kwai Chai Hong and Four Points Chinatown)

Nearest MRT: Pasar Seni (200m)



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CHIBO MyTOWN: Famous Okonomiyaki from Osaka, Japan!

CHIBO, the famous okonomiyaki brand from Osaka, Japan has landed in Malaysia! Founded in 1973, the brand currently has over 70 outlets in Japan as well as 11 outlets worldwide in locations such as Bangkok, Hawaii, Taiwan and Jakarta.

The Malaysian outlet is located in the bustling MyTOWN Shopping Centre in KL. At this outlet, most of the food items are prepared on the teppanyaki grill, right before your eyes. Hence, diners can choose to sit at the counter (to watch the kitchen action) or table seating at the main dining area.

The menu here comprises of okonomiyaki, yakisoba, teppanyaki dishes, salad, omelette, rice bowls and dessert. Unlike the outlet in Osaka, the KL outlet has opted to stay pork-free and does not serve alcohol on its menu.

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake, made with flour, eggs and a variety of toppings. It is sometimes also referred to as "Japanese pizza" or "Osaka soul food". Here at CHIBO KL, they offer five types of okonomiyaki, namely the Chibo, seafood, chicken, cheese or Hiroshima yaki. We went for the signature Chibo okonomiyaki (RM32), which comes with chicken, beef, prawn, squid and scallop, topped with okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayo and bonito flakes. It was fun to watch the chef make it and it tasted delicious.

From the teppanyaki section, diners can choose from chicken, squid legs, salmon, seafood or beef. We had the Teppan Sirloin Steak (RM36 for 120g) served with vegetables.

Another must-try item at CHIBO is their Teppan gyoza (RM13), which is rather different from the usual gyozas that we have. The gyoza are wrapped with paper thin wrappers and filled with prawn, chicken and chives, and then cooked on the teppanyaki counter until crispy.

The rice bowls are pretty popular with diners; we had the Gyudon (RM22), beef rice bowl with beef strips cooked on the teppanyaki grill served on top of a bowl of rice, along with some greens. The beef was tender and nicely seasoned. The BBQ ju sets also come with miso soup and a potato salad.

Click here to view the menu.

Pork-free.

Opening hours: 10am to 10pm daily.

Location: CHIBO, L3-037 Level 3 MyTown Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Parking in mall, RM2 for first 3 hours)

Tel: 03-9202 6288

Nearest MRT: Cochrane.


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