Nasi Lemak Alor Corner: KL’s beloved nasi lemak stall that’s been operating since 1980
Having breakfast at Nasi Lemak Alor Corner is the quintessential Malaysia experience— nasi lemak by a roadside stall, tourists walking past, locals headed to the MRT station to get to work, and vehicles whizzing past.
Nasi Lemak Alor Corner, located at Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur, is easy to locate as it’s accessible via public transport. All you have to do is get on the MRT Kajang Line to get to the Bukit Bintang station. From there, exit at Gate A and you’ll see the stall right in front of you.
When I arrived, the tables were all full and there was a short line leading up to the stall. I had read online that there’s usually a very long queue on the weekends, so I made sure to drop by on Friday morning. While the line wasn’t wrapped around the corner, there was a constant stream of people up till 11am.
Nasi Lemak Alor Corner is a family run business that’s been around since 1980. They serve over 20 side dishes that are prepared fresh daily, with recipes from the stall’s founders; their parents. As of now, 3 of their children are actively involved in running the 43 year-old stall.
Although they have used the same recipes for over 4 decades, they are constantly evolving with the current demands— you can conveniently make payment with QR pay. There’s also a drinks stall, however, they only accept cash, so be sure to have small change.
What I tried at Nasi Lemak Alor Corner
Before I even stepped out of the train station, I knew what I wanted: fried chicken. To me, fried chicken is the perfect protein to go with nasi lemak, no matter what anyone else says Unlike other sides like sambal squid or chicken rendang (both of which are still excellent, by the way), fried chicken isn’t slathered in sauce that could potentially overpower the whole dish.
By the time I had arrived (slightly before 10am), they were out of chicken thighs. Thankfully, they managed to fish out a drumstick from underneath the pile of chicken breasts. If you’re like me and your preferred chicken part is the thigh, be sure to come earlier.
The only negative about this was that the drumstick was relatively small, especially since a single piece of chicken costs RM6.
Considering the fact that everything was cooked beforehand, meaning that by the time I sat down to eat the chicken wasn’t piping hot, the skin was still quite crispy. The meat was juicy and tender, not dry in the slightest. It was also very well marinated as every bite was full of flavour.
Nasi Lemak Alor Corner’s basic Nasi Lemak costs RM3 and includes rice, half a hard boiled egg, cucumbers, fried peanuts, fried anchovies, sambal, and some rendang gravy.
The rice, which was scooped out from a large bamboo container, was well-cooked and fragrant. The creaminess of the coconut milk used really came through and it had a slight savouriness to it. Overall, the rice was super tasty.
I added a fried egg (RM1) to my meal with the hopes of a crispy egg and jammy yolk. Unfortunately, the egg was sad. Not disappointing, just plain sad. It was rolled up like a burrito, probably trying to stay warm from its own cold self. I managed to get the last fried egg of the day, so I assume it had been sitting at the bottom of the serving container, being crushed by the weight of its other egg friends.
By the looks of the sambal, it wasn’t runny but not too thick either— just the right consistency. I understand that sweet sambal can be polarising to some. Many people love it, some people can’t stand it.
Well, I’m happy to report that Nasi Lemar Alor Corner’s sambal is mostly savoury and spicy, with a slight hint of sweetness to it. Additionally, it isn’t too spicy as well. I think it’s safe to say that this sambal can satisfy everyone’s taste buds.
The rendang gravy that they included was a fantastic touch. I could taste the spices and coconut milk— it was rich, adding another level of flavour to the dish. The fried peanuts and cucumber slices were nice and crunchy as expected. The anchovies, however, were extremely salty when eaten alone, and difficult to bite into. They weren’t as crispy as I had hoped.
Final thoughts
I should mention that I didn’t manage to finish my meal at the stall purely because I’m not a big breakfast eater. I wrapped up the remainder and brought it back home for later.
When I reheated the nasi lemak in the microwave, the food still tasted delicious— a good indicator that they really do cook everything fresh every day.
I definitely recommend Nasi Lemak Alor Corner to everyone, including tourists. Its location is strategic, and the food is great (besides that fried egg). My biggest tip is to come early so that you have a wider spread to choose from.
Expected damage: RM6 – RM18 per pax
The post Nasi Lemak Alor Corner: KL’s beloved nasi lemak stall that’s been operating since 1980 appeared first on SETHLUI.com.
