It’s always a joy to see K-pop idols try our local delicacies whenever they visit Malaysia, whether the food is brought to them or they explore Kuala Lumpur to find these dining spots themselves. We’ve seen many of these celebs post about the meals and snacks they’ve tried during their stay, and as a result, their fans have begun visiting these places to experience them for themselves.
So for this listicle, we’ll be focusing on some of the local restaurants and cafes visited by K-pop idols when they last came to Malaysia. Let’s find out more about these dining spots:
1. Cili Kampung
Let’s start with one of the most recent places visited by a K-pop idol. During his latest visit, GOT7 member Mark Tuan (段宜恩/마크투안) dined at Cili Kampung, where he was joined by local hosts Muna Bella and Kryston. The restaurant is renowned for its authentic homemade Malay flavours and heartfelt warm hospitality. The singer sampled several dishes, including sotong bakar, ayam rendang, sotong masak cili padi, and durian.
Address: Lot No V-02, Hartamas Walk, Hartamas Shopping Centre, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Taman Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 12pm to 10pm (Daily)
2. Village Park Restaurant
From one GOT7 member to another, Jackson Wang (王嘉尔/잭슨) spent quite some time in Malaysia last year and even listed some of his favourite spots in the country. One of them was Village Park Restaurant. “Damn, that nasi lemak, it’s crazy,” he said, describing the popular Malaysian dish served at this particular establishment.
Address: 5, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya
Operating Hours: 6:30am – 5:30pm (Daily)
3. Hakka Restaurant
The Hakka Restaurant in KL is one of the oldest in the country, so it’s no wonder that EXO’s Chen (첸) wanted to try some of the dishes there, especially the authentic chilli crab. The establishment offers authentic Hakka and various Chinese cuisines, so if that is something you’ve been craving then this is the place you should try out.
Address: 90, Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur, 50200 Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 11:30am – 2pm, 5:30pm – 10pm (Daily)
4. KampungLah
The most recent Korean star to visit KampungLah was DPR Ian. The Australian-born singer and his team tried teh tarik and what appeared to be a barramundi fish dish with rice, or ‘ikan siakap masak tempoyak’ in Malay. What’s more impressive is that he enjoyed his meal in true Malaysian style – using his hands.
Address: No. 43 Ground Floor, Jalan PJU 5/20E, Pusat Perdagangan Kota Damansara, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya
Operating Hours: 11:30 am–5 pm, 6–10 pm (Daily)
5. Aftermeal Desserts
The Aftermeal Desserts café is popular not only among Malaysians but also among K-pop idols. Jackson Wang and DPR Ian both sampled the desserts at this establishment, with the former trying the shaved ice and Thai milk tea, and the latter opting for the Dark Milo Kakigori.
Address: 52, Jalan SS 21/58, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya
Operating Hours: 1pm – 12am (Daily)
6. Grand Sky Restaurant
Lay Zhang (张艺兴) certainly had a grand time exploring KL during his last visit. The EXO member and his team were spotted dining at the Grand Sky Restaurant in Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang, where he ordered satay.
Address: 66 & 68, Jln Alor, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 3:30pm – 1:56am (Daily)
