From ‘unagi’ in Desa Sri Hartamas to KL Hokkien mee in Setapak, here are my best dishes for 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — As another year comes to a close, it’s time to unveil my list of the best dishes I enjoyed in 2024.

Writing this is always one of my greatest joys, but the challenge of whittling down a catalogue of remarkable meals into a manageable list is no small feat.

Some dishes were a no-brainer, first-ballot inductees the moment I laid eyes on them.

Others, unassuming in appearance, proved that even in our social media-dominated world, the real measure of greatness lies in taste - not just looks.

Let’s dig in.

Unaju Special A from Makoto Unagi Restaurant

The unagi at Makoto is still the best in town, and the best way to eat it is with one half prepared kabayaki (with tare) and the other half prepared shirayaki (with salt, no tare) on a bed of rice, served with pickles and kimosui, a clear soup made with eel liver.

It’s not cheap, but the dish itself is a celebration.

54, Jalan 27/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur

‘Lemak bakar’ from Kak Ar Kelate

Lemak bakar is a popular treat commonly found at Ramadan bazaars in Kelantan, but it’s available year-round on weekends at Kak Ar Kelate.

It’s pure beef fat, marinated and grilled over charcoal.

It’s soft, buttery and well-charred on the outside. It’s incredibly rich. It tastes like gluttony, like indulgence incarnate. I love it.

Note: Kak Ar Kelate is in the middle of relocating to the Koi Prima apartments, 500 metres from their original location. Their new place is estimated to open by December 31.

For updates, follow their Instagram: @kararkelate

2-GF, Block K, Koi Prima, Jalan Dagang Mas 1, Taman Mas, Puchong.

Paper-wrapped chicken from Restoran Chen Fatt

A Cantonese classic, the paper-wrapped chicken or chee pau kai at Restoran Chen Fatt is a strong taste of nostalgia at a time-honoured institution.

Unwrap the deep-fried parcels of cellophane paper to reveal juicy pieces of chicken, drenched in a positively thick sauce containing plenty of ginger and rice wine.

1479, Jalan Besar, Kampung Baru Seri Kembangan.

The miso butterflied sea bream at Et Cetera. — Picture by Ethan Lau

Miso butterflied sea bream from Et Cetera Restaurant

At Et Cetera, this fish is grilled to perfection, with pockets of char all over the skin while the flesh stays moist - but the best part is easily that sauce.

The savoury punch of miso takes an otherwise simple, but well-made and buttery sauce to the next level.

B-1-12, Aurora Place, Plaza Bukit Jalil, 1, Persiaran Jalil 1, Bandar Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur

The ‘plain’ omelette at Yak Yim is anything but plain — look at the crisp texture! — Picture by Ethan Lau

Plain omelette from Yak Yim Thai Kitchen

Sometimes it’s the simplest dishes that stay with you.

The omelette at Yak Yim is everything I want in a khai jiao: aggressively jagged, with a crispy outer edge that gives way to a soft, fluffy cloud of egg in the middle.

The tangy and piquant green dip is the ideal complement.

26, Jalan 20/16a, Taman Paramount, Petaling Jaya.

Dan dan noodles from Enishi

RM58 for a bowl of noodles raises a lot of eyebrows, and rightly so — but I think it lives up to its billing.

This spin on tantanmen comes courtesy of the first Malaysian outpost of Enishi, a chain from Kobe.

Bouncy wheat noodles sit in a bowl with minced pork, diced chashu and duck, purple shibazuke pickles, raw white onions, cashews, fried onions, mizuna greens and at the centre of it all, a potent spice mix comprising 32 different spices.

Unit 15-0-1, Shoplex Mont Kiara, Jalan Kiara, Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur

This fried salted fish and pork patty was the first dish that came to mind when writing this list. — Picture by Ethan Lau

Fried salted fish and pork patty from 十美夜市大炒

When I sat down to write this list, no other dish came to mind before this one.

Almost everything “Ah Kit” prepares is delicious, but his uber-crispy, smashed version of the humble salted fish and pork patty is on another level.

It was all I could think about — and talk about — for months.

68, Jalan Gelang, off Jalan Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur

Lian Bee Hokkien mee is a historic icon that fully deserves its place on this list. — Picture by Ethan Lau

KL Hokkien mee from Restoran Lian Bee

Anyone living in Kuala Lumpur knows that no discussion about her food is complete without KL-style Hokkien mee — unless you’re the Michelin guide, of course.

Dating back to 1946, the once-iconic stall in Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock has now moved into a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Setapak, still dishing out delicious plates of Hokkien mee teeming with gloriously smoky and charred notes.

We’ve also included it in our list of three KL-style Hokkien mee places in the Klang Valley.

32, Jalan Prima Setapak 1, off Jalan Genting Kelang, Kuala Lumpur

‘Cendol’ is one of my favourite Malaysian desserts, and the version at Auntie Ling’s (even without red beans) is excellent. — Picture by Ethan Lau

‘Cendol’ from Auntie Ling’s Nyonya Cendol

In a dessert landscape now filled with bingsu and kakigori, it is the beloved cendol that I find myself still returning to.

Auntie Ling’s in SS3 serves an excellent version, with fluffy ice, soft, smooth strands of pandan-flavoured rice flour jelly and a thick helping of gula Melaka (I prefer mine without red beans).

Auntie Ling’s Nyonya Cendol, Stall 1, Medan Selera Wawasan, 1, Jalan SS 3/33, Taman Universiti, Petaling Jaya

Cold and creamy, crispy and tangy, the ‘papri chaat’ at Dilli 6 is a delight with every mouthful. — Picture by Ethan Lau

Papri Chaat from Dilli 6

Cold, rich, sweet, savoury, sour and filled with crispy bits of fried dough, the papri chaat at Dilli 6 was something of a revelatory hors d’oeuvre when I first tried it.

It’s since become one of my favourites, and a must-order whenever I eat there.

42A, Persiaran Zaaba, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur