Yummy Brekkie @ Pasar Imbi, KL

Treasure trove of good food in the bustling KL area...

Pasar Baru Bukit Bintang?
Imbi Market?
Pasar Imbi?

Whatever you want to call it, this wet market+dry market+food court on Jalan Melati (just off the bustling Jalan Imbi/ Bukit Bintang area) is a great location to fill your bellies with an array of affordable, delicious food.

It's just a simple set up, tar road flooring and zinc sheet roofing - outlined by a run down brick wall, and slightly sheltered by towering, majestic trees lining the road:
Outside the market.....
Inside, it's a snaking mish mash of stalls selling everything from clothes to meat/fish to vegetables to cookies (in roughly segregated sections):
Market fashion?.....
The highlight for me (of course) is the array of food stalls:
Choices, choices.....
There are many "famous" foods here, one being the Curry Noodles.... but arriving at 11.30am on a Sunday (which is considered very late) was a mistake as they were completely sold out of that already. :(

So - First warning: A lot of stalls tend to run out of food and close if you come after 11am.
(It was however, considerably easier to find a table at that time, which I hear can be a bit of a nightmare during "peak hours"...)

Anyway, I settled for Pork Noodles (RM4?) from another stall instead:
Babi-licious.....
Verdict?: I likeeeee.... :)
- the soup was savoury and sweet,
- the kuey teow was soft and silky, and
- the accompanying slices of chinese sausage and pork meatballs were delicious too.
(Admittedly, it was difficult to fully enjoy this as the sun was scorching that day,... and the heat trapped by the zinc roofing above made me feel like I was being slowly roasted in an oven...)
(So, here's the Second warning!: It can get uncomfortably hot there if you venture anywhere close to mid-day)

Another famous food option there is the Hainanese Cham (mixed tea and coffee), as well as the Roti Kahwin....
- The Hainanese Cham (RM 2?):
A mix of coffee & tea.....
Whether you choose it to be served hot or cold, this drink tastes good - the flavours of tea and coffee are both evident but complementary, and the texture is sort of frothy...
(We think they probably "tarik" it....)

The Roti Kahwin (RM 1.50? each):
Carbs+Sugar+BUTTER!.....
Oh man. I feel (almost) guilty for having eaten this, but how could I resist?
- Fluffy bread, grilled till slightly crisp on the outside,
- slathered with a generous layer of fragrant home made kaya, and
- cushioning a small slab of slightly cold and salty butter.

Most of all, the mix of sensations (warm bread against the cold but melting butter), and flavours (sweet kaya against the salty butter) really did it for me....
*drool*
(Ok. But to be fair, the bread was just a tad starchy. Other than that, no complaints)

(Finally - Third warning!: The "uncle" selling these is a bit eccentric and quite gruff so stay calm and don't aggravate him... I'm pretty sure he doesn't mean it in a bad way...)

We also shared a plate of Chee Cheong Fun (RM 3?):
CCF - another classic Malaysian dish.....
We opted to have it plain, with some curry sauce (although there are a variety of Yong Tau Foo type things that you can choose to top it with).

Overall, it was nice - noodles were slightly sticky but smooth, and the mix of sweet black sauce, some fragrant curry sauce and topped with a sprinkle of sesame seeds was simple but good.

What a day! - I am so happy that Diana and Arlene brought me here..
:)
(THANKS, BABES! *hugs* - this poor PJ girl had no idea this place existed! Haha....)
(Can't wait to revisit to try out the curry noodles & more....)


So, it's: Delicious array of yummy local food at really affordable prices, just off the main KL city center area BUT can be quite uncomfortable - hot, noisy, packed (you have to keep your expectations in check please), service is erratic (some stall owners are gruff, whilst others are really nice) and surrounding area can get quite jammed during week day peak hours.....

Summary Information:
Various stalls @ Pasar Besar Imbi/ Imbi Market

Opening Hours: (approx.) 6am till 12noon
Phone: -
Address: Jalan Melati, off Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur

(MOSTLY) NOT HALAL

And because I am hopeless at directions (in this part of KL especially), here's a Google Map on how to get there:

View Larger Map

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- Life of a Lil Notti Monkey
- Joan the Food Lover
- Masak-Masak
- Ahmok.com
- Nine 3 Nine 3
- It's Mie!
- all aboard the Gravy Train


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, KL, Bukit Bintang, Jalan Melati, Pasar Baru Bukit Bintang, Imbi Market, Curry Mee, Local Malaysian Food, Chinese, Cheap & Afforable