TRYING TO FIND KUALA LUMPUR'S BEST LAKSA

"Frantic searches for Laksa Glory"

Backed into a corner, gun to head and one chance to answer the question: "Where is the best Laksa in Kuala Lumpur?", I'd be hard-pressed to not mention Ah Hock. Though I walked past it a hundred times on the way to the Old China Cafe, there was a part of me that assumed it was some hipster garbage den, throwing out Instagram food for iPhone-wielding socialites. I was partly wrong.

Walking in, I noticed every single table packed, with every single person engaged in TikTok shots or instagram portraits. The world has truly sunk to new lows. However, the need for a satisfying bowl would not dissuade me from the army of narcissists, so I found a table alone, ordered the Nyonya Laksa and refrained from taking out my phone until the food arrived, because that was a legit reason... right? RIGHT?

Barely had the first spoon of rich (but not too sweet) coconut broth mixed with the sambal hit my tongue, my mind began wild rotations. The seafood was fresh, the noodles cooked well, the soup perfect, the sambal deep and spicy. I scarfed the bowl down in record time, caring little to see if nearby guests were appaled by my brazen act of Laksa defilement. I cared not, dizzy with chilli euphoria, baptised in tofu puffs and crunchy cucumber shavings. My mind was in love once again, not with a figment of my imagination, but with a bowl of Nyonya Laksa.

These recommendations are just personal opinions based on my palate, things change, chefs get fired or replaced, places open-close, relocate, so take it all with a pinch of MSG  and discover your own gems too. But please do try a few of these, they have been researched exhaustively.