Top 1 @ Economy Rice (non-halal)

Most people in KL go for Economy Rice during lunch time, because it is fast, convenient, value for money and the dishes can be considered home-cooked. Many folks have their favourites and so do we.

Top 2 @ Hainanese Chicken Rice

Like many of Malaysia's signature dishes, it originated somewhere else (Hainan, natch) but adapted to suit local taste. It's chicken boiled in stock and served cool alongside rice (which has also been cooked in chicken stock) and dipping sauce.

Top 3 @ Wan Tan Mee

Cantonese in origin, but beloved in Malaysia. Here's another example of a dish that varies around the country. In essence, it's a dish of noodles with pork, and broth and won tons, but just how it fits together varies; in a dry version (pictured here), the noodles are stir-fried with thick soy sauce and pork lard, with more pork on top, and a dish of broth and dumplings on the side; alternately, the noodles are served in the broth itself. I loved the fatty-sweet dynamic of these noodles, sticky dark soy commingling with lard for a slick, savory sauce that clings lightly to each strand.

Top 4 @ Curry Mee

Curry Mee is one of the signature dishes of the Malaysian Chinese community. It comes in various versions from mild to spicy with different toppings, depending on region. The common theme is the coconut milk base curried soup with noodles.

Top 5 @ Mee Rebus

Another cooked noodle dish, it's "very popular as a mid-afternoon snack," according to Helen Ong, and generally sold by Muslim Indian vendors. The yellow mee noodles are doused in a sauce of sweet potato and tomato, cooked (as are so many dishes) with a fried chili-based rempah. It's topped with fried egg, calamansi lime, fried tofu, fried shallots, and bean sprouts.