Brickfields is often synonymous with the local Malaysian Indian community, with the place sometimes being called “Little India”.
And as any foodie worth their salt would tell you, where there’s an Indian community, there tends to be good food.
True enough, there are many stalls, cafés and restaurants in Brickfields serving mouth-watering South Asian cuisine, often at affordable prices.
Here’s a helpful list of Brickfields’s eateries to check out.
1. Lawanya Food Corner
Most seasoned gourmands in Malaysia know that the best restaurants are often the most unassuming ones – like Lawanya Food Corner, a simple stall located along a quiet side alley.
Despite its simplicity, Lawanya draws quite the lunch crowd, thanks to the variety of homecooked dishes served in traditional clay pots.
Opened in 1983, this family-run eatery has been serving southern Indian delicacies at rates ridiculously low for Kuala Lumpur standards.
Should you be lost for choice about which dishes to pick, go for the mutton curry and chicken varuval. They are the in-house favourites for a reason!
Location: 1077/8, Lorong Scott
2. Yarl Restaurant
While similar to Indian food in many ways, Sri Lankan cuisine is rather unique and the best place to sample some is at Yarl Restaurant.
The name “Yarl” is short for Yalpanam, the Tamil name for the Sri Lankan city of Jaffna, from which most of the dishes served here originate.
To ensure the authenticity of their fare, Yarl’s chefs use spices imported from Sri Lanka, some of which Malaysians are entirely unfamiliar with.
In addition to all the savoury dishes, be sure to check out the restaurant’s selections of appam. The sweet appam is a guilty pleasure with its brown sugar drizzle!
Location: 50, Jalan Padang Belia
3. Annalakshmi
A restaurant where you pay as you wish? In Malaysia? Surprisingly enough, this is a very real place and was borne out of charitable intentions.
Founded by the late Swami Shantanand Saraswathi, this restaurant is meant to feed members of the underprivileged community, who often cannot afford to enjoy a balanced meal.
Hence, this vegetarian restaurant encourages visitors to pay only what they can afford. New and different dishes are served every day and by all accounts, the food here is delicious.
In addition to the canteen, there is also a high-end buffet vegetarian restaurant upstairs with fixed prices.
Location: 116, Jalan Berhala
4. Seni Sattisorru
The food court at the Tun Sambanthan Complex houses several stalls which deserve more attention from local foodies. Among these is Seni Sattisorru, which serves piping hot curry-soaked rice in clay pots.
Founded by Senivasagam Manikam, the stall caters to huge crowds during lunch time.
Indian claypot rice, or sattisorru, is quite different from Chinese claypot rice, with the warm and fluffy rice infused with a generous dose of curry.
As for side dishes, order the mutton varuval – it comes in huge portions that will thoroughly please you.
Location: Tun Sambanthan Complex, Jalan Tun Sambanthan
5. MTR 1924
A restaurant with quite the storied history, MTR 1924 is part of a restaurant chain that was started in Bangalore, India by two brothers.
Initially a simple stall selling coffee and idly, the brothers eventually made enough profit to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
MTR serves a variety of vegetarian Indian dishes, with its masala thosai being among the most beloved here.
In addition, the restaurant’s rava idly is also unique, with these fluffy steamed cakes made with semolina rather than the traditional rice.
For folks in need of a caffeine fix, the restaurant serves a good hot cup of Filter Coffee, with freshly roasted beans giving you the energy to power through your day!
Location: 69, Jalan Thambipillay