** LRT No. 36/50 articles – Best Sarawak Laksa near MRT/LRT
NOTE: This is my year long collaboration with Malay Mail and I am charged to explore gastronomic around (within 600 m walk) fifty selected (Prasarana Malaysia Bhd (RapidKL) train stations (LRT & MRT).
** Written work (pre-edit by editor) and images are mine.
Published article: Published 18th DECEMBER 2017
1. In Malay Mail e-Paper:
** This article is not by me but a supplement covering the LRT/MRT as above.
2. On MalayMailOnline.com:
ORIGINAL submitted article: My long winded one!
Laksa is one of the most popular dishes in our Malaysian street food culture.
More often than not, Penang’s Assam Laksa comes to mind whenever laksa is mentioned but in truth, laksa exist in many variations, each typically characterised by its state of origin.
Be it Assam Laksa, Penang Laksa, Laksam, Curry Laksa, Laksa Lemak, Nyonya Laksa or Johor Laksa, this noodle based dish had since amassed worldwide fans.
One was listed 7th in CNN’s World Top 10 Yummiest Food while another was proclaimed “Breakfast of the Gods” by Anthony Bourdain.
Today I am sharing five options for Sarawak Laksa, the very dish which Anthony had claimed “the Breakfast of Gods”, all conveniently accessible via the LRT.
As with most noodle based dishes, the magic lies in the broth. For Sarawak Laksa, it is the medley of the coconut milk stock plus pungent chilli paste made with numerous spices including (but not limited to) shallots, red chili, galangal, garlic, clove, nutmeg, cardamom and coriander seed that gave it its distinctive taste.
The paste is laborious to make, but the reward is a robust broth with depth of flavours a good Sarawak Laksa should ideally possess.
Then there’s the rice vermicelli noodles, which ideally are of a particular variety and thickness. Protein includes fresh prawns & poached chicken. Standard garnishes are shredded omelette, beansprouts and coriander.
1 . Aunty Christina’s Sarawak Laksa, PJ Seapark
Aunty Christina’s Sarawak Laksa was “the go-to Sarawak Laksa” long before other purveyors of Sarawakian cuisine popped up.
Her recent relocation to Seapark saw her loyal patrons dutifully trailed in her wake.
I find her broth overly light but redeemable if you mix in generous amount of chilli and lime.
A small portion with two medium sized prawn plus typical ingredients like omelette strips, chicken and beansprouts is RM9.
BELOW: Advisable to add generous amount of the chilli if you prefer your laksa punchier.
2. Aunty Florence, Bangsar
Not known to many, Aunty Christina’s vacant spot in Bangsar has been replaced by Aunty Florence. Yes, Aunty Florence attempts to fill the void in the exact coffeeshop and similarly, her version was light with much booster required from chilli and lime. A regular goes for RM7.50 with two prawns in addition to other standard ingredients.
BELOW: I’m not sure why my laksa lacked soup….?
3. Nook, Aloft Hotel KL Sentral
On the extreme end of the spectrum is the rich, peppery broth from Nook, Aloft Hotel KL Sentral.
You can opt for the full fledged version at Nook or the budget RM10 bowl from Re:fuel On Wheels, Aloft’s mobile food truck.
From 11 -3 pm on weekdays, Re:fuel On Wheels offers Nasi Lemak, Sarawak Laksa, chicken with rice and pastas at wallet-friendly prices.
Aloft’s RM10 Sarawak Laksa was admittedly lacking in ingredients considering the RM10 price tag – merely 2 small prawns and a few pieces of chicken but the robust broth does satisfy. If you are not in a rush, try the standard portion within the air conditioned comfort of Nook.
BELOW: RM10 from Re:fuel On Wheels (11 am – 3 pm on weekdays).
BELOW: RM28 @ Nook
5. Aunty Lan’s Sarawak Laksa at NZX Food Court
Aunty Lan’s Sarawak Laksa at NZX Food Court remained my top pick for now.
The broth possessed a good balance of peppery spices & creaminess. Priced at RM8 for a regular bowl, it is fantastic value as it was loaded with three large prawns and generous amount of noodles, beansprouts, omelette strips & chicken.
The kolo mee is good too!
6. Restoran Mei Sek in USJ14
Last but not least is the laksa at Restoran Mei Sek in USJ14.
While I liked that the broth is heavily spiced and tasty, the soup leaves a grainy, sandy mouthfeel which I wasn’t that keen on. A regular bowl is RM7.50.
DIRECTIONS:
- Aunty Lan Sarawak
LRT/MRT: Lembah Subang LRT
Walk: 200 m
Hours: 7am to 2.30pm. Off days are not fixed.
Add: NZX Food Court
Jalan PJU 1A/41B, Ara Damansara, PJ.
There is only one exit. Take the Crimsom/Eve Suites exit.
At ground level, turn right towards Eve Suites. Walk 100 metres and cross the road into NZX Food Court.
2. Aunty Florence Sarawak Laksa
LRT/MRT: LRT Bank Rakyat –Bangsar.
Walk: 600 metres
Hours: Closed on MONDAYS
Add: Nam Chun Coffeeshop, 28, Lorong Ara Kiri, Bangsar, 59100, Kuala Lumpur.
Exit the station. Take the Rapid KL T850. Come down at Rumah No. 73 and walk towards Lucky Garden.
3. Restoran Mei Sek
LRT/MRT: Wawasan
Walk: 350 metres
Hours: Daily: 7am – 2pm.
Add: 12, Jalan USJ 14/1K, Usj 14, 47630 Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Exit on the same side as the Sekolah Tun Tan Cheng Lock.
With the school on your right, walk straight towards Petronas. You will see a row of shoplots on your right and Restoran Mei Sek is at the corner.
4. Aunty Christina
LRT/MRT: Taman Paramount
Walk: 600 metres
Hours: 6 am – 4pm
Add: 26, Jalan 21/19, Sea Park, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Exit the station. Turn left and go straight. After you pass the traffic lights, continue until the junction and turn left into Jalan 21/19.
5. Aloft Hotel, KL Sentral
LRT/MRT: KL Sentral, MRT Muzium Negara.
Walk: 300 metres
Hours: Daily 12-2pm
Add: No. 5 Jalan Stesen Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur.