Best Local Delights in Damansara Uptown

This place is notorious for its insane crowds but rest assured, the wait is worth it. You're here for the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng (RM10.50) — the wonderful dish that has won over the community with its perfect combination of fragrant coconut rice, sweet-spicy sambal and the crowning glory, juicy fried chicken with extremely crispy skin. Wash it down with a cup of Fresh Limau Mint (RM4.70), the perfect thirst-quencher to combat that heaty meal.
Photo by Burppler Yong Kai

For Kelantanese delights, look to this eatery for the likes of nasi dagang, laksa and keropok lekor. Dive straight for the popular Nasi Dagang (from 9.90), which sees a hefty amount of brown rice served with villager's salad, spicy sambal and protein of your choice – the Gulai Ikan Tongkol and Beef Rendang are their bestsellers. Feeling famished? Go for The Ultimate Nasi Dagang Capital (RM19.90) loaded with five types of meat and seafood!
Photo by Burppler Serena Ho

Come lunchtime, those working nearby flock to this coffee shop for cheap and good hawker meals. Skip the usual suspects and give the not-so-common Mee Jawa (RM7) a try. The flavour-packed dish sees a generous helping of yellow noodles in sweet and slightly spicy thick gravy, topped with crunchy fritters and a dollop of sambal. Regulars will also point you to the Ayam Kunyit (RM6) — deep-fried chicken cubes, long beans and fried egg on a bed of rice. Finished with kicap manis drizzle and fiery chilli sauce on the side, this makes one simple, satisfying favourite.
Photo by Burppler Alison K

When craving warm comfort on rainy days, consider Goon Wah's famed fish noodles. The Claypot Fish Meat-on-Bone Noodles (RM18.90) sees tender fried fish and thick, bouncy noodles soaked in tangy, milky soup. A single portion is good enough to feed two, especially if you're saving tummy space to share the savoury, wok hei-laden Treasure Box Claypot Loh See Fun (RM12.90). Make sure to add an Egg (RM1) for the extra creamy mouthfeel.
Photo by Burppler Rueann Dass

Great weekend lunches with the fam always has to do with banana leaf rice, and you can expect delicious stuff at this cosy restaurant. Choose the base for your Banana Leaf Rice (from RM7.50) — white rice, parboiled rice or briyani — that come with four refillable vegetables of the day. For meat-lovers in the family, go with Burppler Jonathan Bryan Lee’s recommendations for the Butter Chicken (RM14) and Chicken Tikka Masala (RM14).
Photo by Burppler Jonathan Bryan Lee

Ask any foodie for char siew recs in Uptown and they'll be sure to point you to Annie1. The must-have is Dry Wanton Mee with melt-in-your-mouth Char Siew (RM8), a worthy meal for any time of the day. Other hits with regulars include the Chee Cheong Fun Pork Curry (RM6) and Curry Noodles (from RM8.50), which Burppler Calvin Lam praises for its creamy broth. Finish that savoury meal off with something sweet, like the soothing Foo Chook Barley (RM3.80).
Photo by Burppler Emily Choong

Relatively new to the neighbourhood, this chicken rice spot is great for fuss-free dinners with colleagues after work. Expect prompt service and well-cooked meats at affordable prices. Build a killer chicken rice meal with these options: Signature Oil Rice (RM2), Poached Kampung Chicken (from RM23), crispy Siew Yoke (from RM8) and crunchy Ipoh Bean Sprouts (from RM8). P.s If you're in a hurry, call ahead to pre-order your food and skip the wait.
Photo by Burppler Amayzing .

The next time you're hungry for fish head curry, head to this two-storey eatery with an excellent rep. Bring your hungry friends along and order the group sets featuring the signature Fish Head Curry (from RM77) good to share between four to five. Thosai lovers shouldn’t miss out on the Rawa Thosai (RM4.50). This extra crispy and spice-heavy version is very thin but firm enough to mop up the leftover curry. If you're here for a quick weekday lunch, grab the Set Lunch B (RM14) that also comes with that spot-on fish curry.
Photo by Burppler Tiffany Ng

After a late night movie sesh with the gang, move the party over to this supper spot for giant plates of good-for-sharing noodles. Get the Hokkien Mee (from RM9.90), Cantonese Fried Yee Mee (from RM9.90) and the Signature Fried Lala (from RM20) to share. Pro tip: Swing by later in the night as it gets super crowded during peak dinner hours.
Photo by Burppler Mimi Cheng