For many, nasi lemak is our national dish. But our national breakfast dish, eaten by hordes of locals every morning? I’d wager a pretty large bet on roti canai. Simple, sweet, oily, crispy, fluffy roti canai. Still under RM1 at most places, it’s the cheapest meal one can get. Who doesn’t remember pokai college days when you’d count change at the corner mamak and order a roti banjir? Because of its ubiquity and cheap price, most folks wouldn’t stray far from said corner mamak even though it’s probably pretty mediocre. We’ve done that on more than one occasion ourselves. But there are plenty of gems out there that we don’t go to - for a variety of reasons. They could be too far, or we never find ourselves in that area anymore, or we just don’t know about it because we’ve never lived nearby (I had fun checking out places east of KL!) No fancy franchises here, just good old mom ‘n pop joints serving the neighborhood.

Most Typical

Restoran Indah Maju



When we say typical, we mean it in the best way possible. You know that mamak shop 10 minutes walk from your house you go to when you’re too lazy and broke to go anywhere else? This is probably the best example of that. Taman Dato’ Harun is a lively cramped neighborhood by the NPE highway and gerais and restaurants dot the area. It’s one of those places where you could plop down anywhere and the food will be good. So we plopped down at Restoran Indah Maju and ordered a good ol’ roti kosong. It arrived already cut up on the tray, which is a nice touch for when you’re too sleepy to tear it apart. This is the most dense crispy roti we had, with a great healthy crunch. The curry’s pretty tangy and works its way into the roti’s crevices well. Good pick if you’re hungry and can only afford just one - we got pretty full after this!

5 & 7, Jln MJ 7 Medan Maju Jaya, Taman Dato’ Harun, Petaling Jaya

Most Fluffy

Restoran Arafath



Large hypermarkets are all-in-one mall affairs these days, sucking up patrons from nearby shoplots. As a result, we usually don’t know (or care) about exploring the surrounding areas for interesting shops and good food. Next time you’re at the Tesco in Pandan Jaya, we bid you to dump your groceries in your car and take a short walk to Restoran Arafath. Sitting in this shop immediately transported me back to my parents’ hometowns in Johor, when I would sneak away from family time to hang out alone at the corner mamak. Quiet in the morning hours and sparsely decorated, you’ll feel like you’re among the last people on earth... having roti. The roti is of the fluffy variety, and boy, is it super light and fluffy. Even the dhal was really light, even a little sweet. If you like your mornings peaceful and tasty, come by Pandan Jaya. Pretty soon you’ll forget about the Tesco at all.

Behind Tesco, Jalan Pandan Prima 2, Pandan Jaya, Kuala Lumpur

"Delicious roti gems..."

Most Crispy

Restoran Jaya



Restoran Jaya is a family owned restaurant that’s been around in SS5 since I was wee. It’s the kind of place old retired couples go every morning to enjoy a little solitude away from screaming grandchildren. Lately, a younger crowd has been making their way there too, attracted by the simple, good food served by the friendly Kelantanese family. Back then, like most people, I used to make a beeline for the laksam, but now I go straight to the roti man. Roti at a Kelantanese restaurant, you ask? You haven’t had Malay-style roti until you’ve tried the one here. Order one extra crispy. Then to the buffet table to get a bowl of rendang gravy. Push aside the bowl of dhal they offer you (trust us). Don’t eat this too fast. Savour every savoury moment. You’re welcome.

15, Jalan SS 5B/6, Kelana Jaya

Best Gravy

Roti Canai Istimewa Kuah Kari



If you’re getting here by car, get good directions, or you’ll end up driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Not that it happened to us. Ahem. Putra LRT is your best bet; just get off at the Dato’ Keramat station and toddle across the street to Pasar Dato’ Keramat. You’ll see 2 roti sellers - head to the one in the back, next to the murtabak stall. KL folks have been eating here for over 20 years, but having grown up in PJ, this was my first trip. The rotis are all piled up like stacks of flapjacks that never diminish; orders just keep coming in. The guy behind the counter even slaps together the roti by the stack! For Malay roti, it’s quite a light bite so order a double if you’re hungry. The real star? The ridiculously delicious dhal. I’m not usually a fan of dhal but I found myself eating this out of the gravy bowl with a spoon, stared at by the other patrons. Coupled with the roti, however, it’s pure bliss. I’m getting up early again for this.

Pasar Dato’ Keramat, Jalan Dato’ Keramat

Most Obscure

Roadside gerai behind Giant



Any hardcore street food junkie will tell you that sometimes the best meals are to be had in less-than-rosey locations. This nameless stall, for example, was always called “gerai tepi longkang” by my lecturers when I was studying in the nearby design school. I headed back here after almost 5 years of absence, and the waiter still nodded hello to me like I was just here yesterday. Ignoring the regular somewhat unpleasant smells, I take a seat and order a roti kosong instead of my old usual of roti bawang (which is very very good). The roti here has the most satisfying bite of all - not too crunchy, not too tough, not too dense, not too fluffy. Still hungry? Try their tasty nasi lemak bungkus and perfect half-boiled eggs. This gerai is a perfect reason not to judge a book by its cover. 5 years later and it’s still my favorite breakfast spot.

Jalan 20/22, Taman Paramount, Petaling Jaya

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