Top Nine Meals of 2023
Here are our Top Nine Meals of 2023.
Another year has passed, and here are our favourite meals of the year.
As with all lists, our choices are entirely subjective as we take into consideration the quality of food, level of service, ambiance and personal experience.
Top Nine Meals of 2023
These are the ones that made a lasting impression. This list is not in any order of preference.
Find our previous list- Top Nine Meals of 2022 here.
Also, check out our Top Nine Cafes of 2023 here.
1. A Little Farm on the Hill, Janda Baik
[Pork-free] It comes as no surprise that this will be on this list. Located in the forest hills of Janda Baik in Pahang, A Little Farm on the Hill started off as an organic farm in 2014 which supplies fresh produce to some of the best high-end restaurants in Klang Valley, including recently two-Michelin-starred Dewakan.
We enjoyed the Farmer’s Lunch Club here. The food was amazing, the company was better, and the venue was breathtaking. Full post here.
2. San Lou Pasta Bar, PJ
[Non-halal] Located on the third floor of Menara Infiniti in Kelana Jaya, this humble pasta bar operates in a small space with only four tables available inside the restaurant.
The space is small, but the food is good and the service is personable. Come here for chef Stephen’s Italian dishes with an Asian twist such as Hakka Lei Cha, Chilli Crab tagliatelle and Lemon Yuzu Prawn in crispy wanton skin. Full post here.
3. Soba Kichi, Mont Kiara
[Non-halal] If you’re looking for good handmade soba, look no further.
Soba Kichi offers freshly made soba with Hokkaido buckwheat groats grounded daily at their in-house mill, before it is made into fresh noodles in the kitchen. Besides soba, Soba Kichi also offers tonkatsu. Full story here.
4. Leen’s, TTDI
[Muslim-friendly] Run by Syrian chef Ameer Alzalek, Leen’s Middle East Kitchen offers traditional Syrian dishes such as falafel and fattoush infused with a local twist thanks to his decade-long experience of working in Malaysian kitchens. Get the Smoked Hummus, Falafel and Crispy Syrian Rice. More details here.
5. Smart Fish, Chiayi
[Non-halal] If you’re taking a trip down to Alishan, Chiayi is the must (pit)-stop for delicious Turkey Rice and stewed fish head at Smart Fish.
Your to-do-list: Watch the Netflix street food episode on Chiayi, read our post here and make your pilgrimage to Smart Fish.
6. Nice Soup Gang, Kepong
[Non-halal] This was our favourite Chinese dai chow discovery of 2023.
With Yiruma’s River Flows Into You perpetually playing in the background, the dining experience here is zen-like with amazing service by the family who runs the business.
As the name implies, the soup selection here is expansive, healthy and tasty – but the star of the show was the Roe Crab Golden Porridge 膏蟹黄金粥. The Iberico Pork Fried Rice and Steamed Fish were a testament of the chef’s kung fu as well. Our full post here.
7. Olea, Chow Kit
[Pork-free] Ναί (Greek for hello), are you ready for some Mediterranean food? Opened in Dec 2022, Olea Dining is a new casual-dining Mediterranean restaurant located at The Row in Chow Kit. We recommend the Grilled Aubergine and Seafood Orzo. More details here.
8. Wang’s Broth, Taipei
[Non-halal] You cannot convince us that any good lu rou fan exists outside of Taiwan. There’s something about the consistency of the rice, the tenderness of the pork, and the hours poured into perfecting the braised pork dish.
And among the many delicious lu rou fan we had in Taiwan this year, Wang’s Broth was our favourite. Read the story here.
9. Liu Shandong Beef Noodles, Taipei
[Non-halal] And that is also the case for beef noodles outside of Taiwan. This was the first meal we had in Taipei, and we’re still dreaming about the beef noodles today. Full post here.
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