Top Nine Meals of 2024

Here are our Top Nine Meals of 2024!

2024 has been a year of many amazing eats, and we are so happy to have hit 10k followers on Instagram this year! We are truly grateful for your support.

Top Nine Meals of 2024

ThokohMakan started as a hobby account and it is still one. Everything we share truly reflects our preference and taste. 

Hence, short-listing our favourite meals has always been a hard affair – thanks, no less to the wonderful people we meet in the community (and your recommendations).

Nevertheless, these are the meals that we enjoyed the most – as we take into consideration the quality of food, level of service, ambiance and personal experience. These are the ones that made a lasting impression, and are not listed in any order of preference.

Find our previous list- Top Nine Meals of 2023 here. 

Top Nine Meals of 2023

1. Restoran Cai Ji, Pudu 

[Non-halal] This year, we gained an appreciation for Steamed Song Fish Head and Restoran Cai Ji in Pudu serves an amazing one.

The fish head here costs RM42-45, and is enough to comfortably feed two persons. On our two visits here, we ordered the House Style Steamed Song Fish. The fish head is steamed to perfection and served with soy sauce, before it was lavishly garnished with grated ginger, chillies and fried shallots.

We also enjoyed the Signature Tofu here. Read our full story here. 

2. Onjium, Seoul

[Non-halal] This year, we visited Seoul twice and our lunch at Onjium was one of the best meals we’ve eaten in South Korea.

A one-star Michelin restaurant, Onjium is both a research institute and restaurant.

Helmed by chefs Cho Eun-hee and Park Sung-bae, the institute has been researching Korean heritage dishes since 2013 and endeavours to reinterpret these cultural dishes for the modern palate. More details here. 

3. Breizh, Damansara Kim 

[Non-halal] Breizh is one of the few spots in KL to get amazing French crêpes and savoury galettes.

The chef here does not skimp on quantity and quality, and we always enjoyed the excellent service and company of Michelle and team. Read our story here. 

4. Um Yong Baek, Busan

[Non-halal] If you’re visiting Busan, dwaeji-gukbap has to be on your to-eat list.

And if there’s only one dwaeji-gukbap spot to visit in Busan, it is Um Yong Baek. This restaurant serves both Busan and Miryang-style rice in pork bone broth that are equally delicious. 

You have to order the torched pork belly dish as well. Read all about it here. 

5. No. 5 Char Koay Teow, Penang

[Non-halal] After a year hiatus, we resumed our annual December trip to Penang in 2024. 

And the best meal of this trip has to be the Char Koay Teow at No. 5 at Macalister Road. Full of wok hei, fresh bloody siham, and big prawns – the one here is one of the best we’ve eaten recently. 

Find the glorious details here. 

6. Born and Bred, Seoul

[Pork-free] To experience the very best of Hanwoo beef, dining at Born and Bred is a requisite. 

Our first meal of Hanwoo beef (Korea’s equivalent to Wagyu) was cooking it ourselves at Majang market (see post here), but it takes skilled hands and experience to coax the best out of every cut. And they do it remarkably well. Read our story here. 

7. 7-Chai Ipoh Hor Fun, Pandan Perdana

[Non-halal] When discussing the best hor fun in KL, 7-Chai Ipoh For Hun is a name that often crops up among peers. Both the soup and dry versions here are delicious – and they were also reasonably priced at RM8 per bowl. Check it out here. 

8. Sun Fatt Pork Noodles, Pudu

[Non-halal] The Smoked Pork Belly Noodles might have put Sun Fatt on the map, but all the dishes here – from traditional Pork Noodle Soup to Pork and Clams Soup – really slap!  Read more about it here. 

9. Xigong Seafood Restaurant, Kepong 

[Non-halal] We’ve explored a number of dai chows in KL this year, and Xigong Seafood Restaurant was the one that made a lasting impression.

We’ve been returning here regularly since. We recommend the Fried Rice, Coconut Juice Prawns and Mongolian Mantis Prawns here. More details here.

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