Petaling Street

Lorong Pangung 

Updated 2019: The building under construction in the background is now known as Four Point by Sheraton hotel. 

53 Jalan Sultan, built in the early 1900s by Cheong Yoke Choy, the co-founder of Kwong Yik Bank (Malaya first local bank). 

Tailor shop

Capital Cafe, Kuala Lumpur

Capital Cafe Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman

The old menu that dated back to 1956!

Lee Rubber Building @ Petaling Street

Lee Rubber Building is a historic building in Chinatown of Kuala Lumpur. It was considered the tallest building in Kuala Lumpur when it was constructed in 1930. The iconic building was designed by British architect Arthuer Oakley Coltman in Art Deco style.

Located along Jalan Tun H.S Lee, the building is now vacated and reportedly to have been sold to a new owner. The signage on the building was removed where previously it displayed the name Lee Rubber Building,  as seen in the photo below.

(Photo from Wikipedia)

Previously, Popular Bookstore was the building's main tenant. The bookstore closed down its outlet at the building last year after 13 years. Other tenants included Peter Hoe Evolution and Beyond, a lifestyle store and cafe on the second floor and Pusat Tuisyen Kasturi, a tuition centre on the third floor.

Lee Rubber Building is listed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) as a Category 2 historical building which meant the entire facade of the building must be conserved by its owner.

Tong Sui HSBC Jalan Ipoh

Update: February 2016

The stall is now managed by a new owner who took over the business from the uncle. All the regular tong sui are still on the menu. The owner has maintained the uncle's rotation system for the tong sui, with a banner now displaying the daily special.

Something never change. Like the taste of tong sui (sweet broth) made by this elderly uncle.

                              

I remembered this uncle from my childhood days. A familiar face in this area, he probably has been selling at this spot in front of HSBC Jalan Ipoh for more than 30 years.

I had my favourite peanut flavour. Creamy, thick and flavourful, it was not cloyingly sweet or watered down, like those served in many places. No doubt, it's still the best for me.

As I savoured my peanut broth, I looked at the customers queuing up at his stall. Some stopped by on their motorcycles while other walked from nearby houses, offices or shops while some came from the bank. There was a lady who was ordering from a list of paper for her colleagues. A young man who looked like he’s working in a car workshop with his grease stained t-shirt, waiting patiently at one side for his turn. An Indian man just parked his motorbike and joined the queue. There was another elderly man enjoying his bowl next to me. 

It was a hot day, which was why most of his customers ordered his signature luk mei, a sweet broth with six ingredients such as gingko, barley and nuts. It's an refreshing drink when served cold. His other signature is the herbal tea broth that come with a hard-boiled egg. The herbal concoction may not everyone's favourite but for those who enjoy it, they will find his version packed with flavour, an assurance that he did not skim on his ingredients. The two signatures are available daily while other flavours such as peanut, red bean, green bean, black glutinous rice, gingko barley, wheat and black-eyed pea are rotated daily.

He also sells food like curry puff and bak chang (rice dumpling); I love the nyonya bak chang with its shrimp chilli paste.

                              

Something that is rarely seen these days - using charcoal fire for the stove to keep the tong sui warm!

He is practically an institution here. If there come a day he is no longer selling here, the spot would look empty. 

Swiss Roll and Kaya Puff at Lorong Yap Ah Loy

This push cart with arrays of pastries on display sells one of the best Kaya Puff in town.

Filled with Kaya (coconut jam), the buttery puff with thin cripsy flake still retains its crispiness the next day. I love this. 

Lighter than the Western version and filled with Kaya, this type of Swiss roll is usually found in Chinese style bakeries together with other Chinese style pastries such as egg tart. We called it 'egg roll/cake' in Chinese.

The newspaper clipping on her stall featured an interview with China Press, a local newspaper. Egg tart and Kaya are also available.

The old lady manning the stall has been here for a long time, one of the few old timers that are still operating their businesses in downtown KL.

There are now more foreigners than locals in the area. One can see a few restaurants and shops in foreign languages catering to the workers from countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh.

The old lady may not be here forever but I hope the recipe or the technique of the pastry-making is not lost. 


Small alleyway of Lorong Yap Ah Loy
Opening Hour: 8 am - 3 pm
Closed on Sunday and Public Holiday