10 Best Traditional Snacks In KL

Right outside Nam Chun restaurant in Lucky Garden, you will find Ah Mun peddling kuih on his motorcycle. My mom highly recommends his Kuih Sago. She tells me that Ah Mun has been selling his Nyonya kuih since her school days and the great flavours have not changed. His kuih sago has that QQ jelly-like texture, which is a lot of fun to chew. Plain sago balls soaked in palm sugar yield the sweet, brown-coloured half while the green layer gives it a pandan fragrance. But hey, something is missing! Where is the must-have shredded coconut in kuih sago? No need to go into a panic attack — these ones are not coated in desiccated coconut because the coconut has already been infused into the kuih itself. At RM1.20 for a small piece, this may feel a little steep, but good things come at a price! (This is Bangsar, even tap water here is more expensive la). All in all, I think it is still worth spending your ka-ching on!

Ang Ku Kuih, Ang Koo Kueh or Ang Ku Kueh (RM7 a box) — who cares how it's spelled if it tastes this good! Having been born into a Hokkien family, this traditional kuih is no stranger to me. ‘Ang ku kuih’ literally means 'red turtle dumpling' in Hokkien, because of its shape which looks like the back of a turtle. But instead of the traditional turtle shape, Cute Cute Ang Ku Kueh makes them in the shapes of roses and pumpkins! The skin of these homemade kuihs is fragrant, tender and brightly coloured with natural colouring. I am a self-proclaimed bean lover, so it's no surprise that my favourite flavour is the one with the sweet and savoury mung bean paste filling — so smooth it melts in your mouth like cotton candy!

The Jin Dui (sesame ball, RM1.60) from this stall is the perfect example to explain to somebody the difference between crisp and crunch. The short-lived crackling sounds you hear when you first bite into the golden brown surface of the jin dui — that's what I call crisp. But as you sink your teeth deeper into the pastry, it reaches the layer of sesame seeds and you get a mouthful of pleasing crunch. Get these crispy-crunchy snacks from Ah Seng's kuih stall in Taman Midah. The stall also has a great variety of kuihs and pastries and all are made fresh daily — it's no wonder they sell out so quickly.

I never expected to find good, authentic kuih in a mall, so I was nicely surprised to find this delightful Onde-Onde (RM2.65) at Nyonya Colors. Bite into these mini bombs and you will experience an explosion of gula melaka sweetness in your mouth. The melted palm sugar filling is a great complement to the chewy pandan exterior, which is rolled in shredded coconut for added texture.

Have you ever heard of Lao Gong Bing (Husband Cake)? My family loves this pastry, which originated from Hong Kong. I'd describe it as a salty version of the winter melon-filled Lao Po Bing (Wife Cake). Similar to tau sar piah filling, the salted mung bean paste is elevated with a sticky-chewy caramelisation. The pastry itself is buttery and flaky, topped with a scattering of sesame seeds. Best of all, these delights are priced at just RM1.80 each — get your hands on them before they sell out!

Like its main branch in Taman Midah, Ah Seng's kuih stall here offers the same great traditional fried pastries — my family has been loyal fans since before I was born. If I had to choose a favourite, it has got to be Uncle Ah Seng's Ham Sui Gok (RM1.60). Whenever he catches wind that I'm around the corner, he would surely pre-pack and save some of the dumplings for me! Crispy deep-fried golden morsels with a sweet-savoury filling, these are good enough to rival the ones you get in high-end dim sum restaurants. These beauties are deep-fried just long enough to give that delightful contrast between a crispy shell and a chewy interior. Other highlights from Ah Seng's stall include the Ham Jin Peng (Chinese doughnut), Yau Char Kuai, Nian Gao (Chinese new year cake), and Jin Dui (sesame ball). This stall is a must-try, so come early to avoid disappointment.

Whenever you're feeling blue, brighten up your day with these bright, sunshine-orange Tapioca Cakes (RM1 for two). They are so pillowy soft that the kuih falls apart upon first bite. Each piece has the inviting aroma of coconut milk and it's not too sweet. My mom and I love these because of their light sweetness and the au naturel tapioca flavours — so much better than the artificial-tasting ones out there. If Skittles claims to let you taste the rainbow, then this tapioca cake will let you taste the sunshine!

This dim sum spot churns the best Red Bean Pau or Tau Sar Pau in Malaysia — this is the same pau that led this Johor-originated restaurant to its current fame! Yun Lai Huat now has 25 branches throughout Malaysia and it really all started with just a simple tau sar pau. If you close your eyes while taking a bite, it's as if you've been lifted to dim sum heaven because you will definitely hear angels sing. The layer of skin is soft as cotton and within, the red bean paste is nice and thick without being cloyingly sweet. This pau-like heaven on earth with cost you only RM2.

This is the best Lo Mai Chi I have tasted so far. This lo mai chi taste exactly like the ones I used to have when I was young, so it really brings back sweet childhood memories. The sweet-salty filling of ground peanut and sugar is enveloped by a thin, gummy-like layer of mochi coated in flour. My cousins would call these ‘zha dan’ (bomb) and I guess it kind of makes sense, since the outer layer is so thin that it tears upon the slightest pressure and the filling will start oozing out. Best-nya! Get these from the sweet old lady at the kuih stall along Jalan Temenggung 11/9. I can't remember the exact price but I guess it's about RM2-ish. Ai ya, it's kuih la! It won't be that expensive, so go ahead and enjoy it.

Opposite Jeti Seafood Restaurant in Kuala Selangor is 168, a shop that bakes the best Tau Sar Piah (Tambun biscuits, RM1) in my books! These tau sar piah consist of several layers of thin, flaky pastry that boast a sweet, buttery flavour. The layers envelope a sweet-savoury bean paste filling that's just moist enough for my taste — not too damp or too dry. It is so good that I always come prepared with big Tupperware containers to pack some home!