Lot 10 Hutong

WHEN LOT 10 was built in 1991 at Bukit Bintang (Star Hill), Kuala Lumpur it was the place to shop as it was the leading shopping complex, modern in it's green cladding and metallic detailing. Since it's heyday, it has been now surpassed by Suria KLCC and lately the grand Pavilion. Lot 10 Hutong was created to revive the food centre at the lower ground floor.

Lot 10 Hutong is based on the the concept of the food outlets of the narrow alleys and lanes (hutong) of Beijing. Management went out to handpick established hawker outlet and cafes from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Seremban, Ipoh and Malacca, eateries that have survived the 2nd and 3rd generations and famous for their signature dishes. It's has become a site for heritage street food stalls, a gourmet village.

Of course there is a lot of competition from all the established food lanes like Jalan Alor, the new mega eating outlets like Food Republic at Pavilion. Many locals say the food is more expensive but admit that it's a perfect one-stop centre of over 30 stalls, each furbished in traditional styles and it's clean and air-conditioned.

Have a Kopi-O at Nanyang Ten Coffee Shop. They roast their own coffee. Or have a teh C or teh tarik. They have the full range of breakfast favourites, and all manner of local toasts like roti kahwin with kaya. If you are looking for congee, you can'go past Swatow Teochew Porridge and have youtiao to go with it. For noodles Kim Lian Kee make robust Hokkien Noodles, Ho Weng Kee is famous for their BBQ Pork Wantan Mee, with the noodles cooked with dark soya sauce. For Hakka fare, go to Adon Traditinal Yong Tau Foo. You can get Woo Ping famed fish-head noodles. The Chua brothers have brought their Duck Egg Char Kway Teow to Lot 10 Hutong.

You can have a snack of Campbell Mini Popiah and Mr Siew Bao. Or if in the pursuit of a good Chicken Rice, you're in luck, you can have the chicken poached roasted from Chong Hwa Hainan Chicken Rice. I had ham chim peng as a treat and there are many other kuehs you can choose from. End your food odyssey with Ais Kacang or Bubur Cha Cha from Oriental Desserts.

Undeniably all national food treasures. So much so the New York Times listed Lot 10 Hutong as one of 'Asia's Top Odysseys'. Now the Hutong concept is set to open in Guangzhou this month.

Lot 10 Hutong
Lower ground floor
Lot 10
50 Jalan Sultan Ismail
Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur