Okay, lets continue shall we? (nvm that it’s a few weeks later…)

First up, a sweet treat.

Bingsu at Cheevit Cheeva

Whenever i think of Asia/the tropics, i always think of mango! And in the sweltering heat of KL what better to cool down with than a milky shaved ice topped with sweet mango chunks and a side of sticky rice?!

This cafe was very cool. There was lots of seating which is something else i noticed – places in KL have a lot of seating so you don’t have to stand around waiting for people to finish their meal. It’s situated in an enclave in Chow Kit that houses lots of cafes, hip restaurants and shops. Lots of young people (why do i say this like i’m a 50 year old aunty?).. so go there for a youthful vibe!

Pandan cake and curry puff at House & Co

Now, i’m no stranger to Pandan. I love anything with it – cake, cookies, ice cream etc. It’s one of my favourite flavours. With Malaysia being the land of Pandan, my uncle got me this incredibly fluffy cake. It was so good i had it twice – could have eaten it everyday!

He also sent me back with some curry puffs which after being re-heated and crisped in the oven were a delicious post flight treat!

An honourable mention to the food at House + Co. Their chicken and rice, Nasi lemak and Curry laksa are all very very good too!

Indonesian food at Dancing fish

This Michelin recommended restaurant doing Indonesian food was so perfect for a family meal. It’s the perfect place to order lots of dishes to share. Here i tried and LOVED the soft shell crab with fiddlehead fern shoots cooked in coconut milk and the braised flame-grilled oxtail.

I also tried Cendol for the first time which i really quite enjoyed (minus the red beans). It’s so refreshing! Do you know who else loves Cendol? That Gruncle!!

Lemang and lamb at Lemang To’ki – Bentong

About half an hours drive from KL through beautiful lush greenery and mountains is Bentong. It’s famous for it’s ginger apparently.. can’t comment because i didn’t try any BUT what i did try was Lemang. And Lemang To’ki is a road side restaurant that is extremely popular. They’re known for their Lemang (no surprise there from the name) which is glutinous rice cooked in bamboo.

It’s served with chicken or beef rendang. You can also get grilled chicken or lamb to add to your meal. This was one of my favourite eats. Top 3 for sure. The lamb was so tender, so full of flavour and just so so SEDAP!

I didn’t just eat while in KL – i know it looks like it. I did some sightseeing too and below are the things i’d recommend you check out!

Batu Caves

You MUST go and see this incredible temple that was built into a cave many many years ago. You’ll find lots (and i mean LOTS) of monkeys, lots of stairs – 272 to be precise and gorgeous views from the top.

I was more worried about the monkeys attacking me than the climb up the steep stairs. Monkeys rerally give me the creeps. They are cute but still creepy. Happy to report that after carefully manouvering and hiding behind people, no monkey came remotely close to me. The hike up the stairs was also not bad at all!

Thean Hou Temple

I loved the fact that in such a metropolitan city like KL there was no shortage of mosques and temples. All so beautiful and a piece of calm away from the traffic and honking! Thean Hou temple is a Chinese Bhuddist temple set out on 6 floors. It’s really quite a sight!

Putrajaya tour

At the administrative capital, you’ll find lots of beautiful buildings showcasing Islamic and Malaysian heritage. Putrajaya is about 30 minutes from KL and feels like a different world. It’s spacious, less crowded and very serene. It’s the home of the beautiful pink mosque and the futuristic iron mosque. I recommend taking a boat ride on the man made lake to see all the beautiful architecture.

Kwai Chai Hong alley

Just a few minutes away from BUSY Petaling street is this quiet alley full of beautiful murals and art.

It’s the perfect location to take pictures and escape the vendors who won’t stop calling you to buy their goods.

Right next to it is Pandan Republic where you can stop by for some coconut pandan softserve or another pandan treat!

KLCC Park

I developed a slight obsession with the Petronas twin towers. I’m not completely sure what it was about these towers but i just couldn’t get enough. I was always looking out to see if i could spot them.

At KLCC park you get an AMAZING view of them. There’s lots of seating too so it’s a good place to hang out.

And that brings me to the end of my KL “coverage”.

I ate ALOT in KL and honestly i wish i stayed longer. I had the BEST time. A sign of a good trip is checking tickets and planning your next trip while you’re still there!

There’s no doubt the food was incredible but what really made it so healing for me was the family time. I got to learn more about my grand mother, see where she grew up and meet her siblings as I unfortunately didn’t get to meet her. I am often told i’m like her so it was extra special for my Gruncle to say i look like her! As i said in part 1, life was life-ing a bit too hard for me so for this trip to have been such good vibes, it was truly truly healing.

A piece of my heart is definitely (and obviously) there and am so grateful to have had such a refreshing time. I will be back to the land of my people very soon!

Look out for 2 long overdue posts about everything i ate in Paris and San Sebastian last summer!

See you soon.