We tried KL’s best-rated nasi kandar

Kuala Lumpur‘s bustling food scene wouldn’t be complete without nasi kandar. It’s easy to stumble upon some of the best spots just by wandering the city streets. One well-known place is Restoran Kudu bin Abdul, nestled along the busy Chow Kit road.

This legendary eatery has been dishing up plates since the 1960s, and it’s still the only one of its kind, with no other outlet in or out of Malaysia. Now that’s what you call a classic! The interior remains charmingly retro, unchanged despite over 50 years of service.

As you walk in, you’ll spot a wall filled with framed achievements — celebrity visits, media shoutouts, and more. With a solid 4.2-star rating from 2,286 Google reviews (at the time of writing), it’s clear why Restoran Kudu bin Abdul earned a spot in our KL best-rated series.

Just like coffee, everyone has their own favourite way to order nasi kandar. Some opt for the classic combo of 1 protein and 2 veggies, while others go all out with 2 proteins  — and hey, no judgement here! Preferences aside, nasi kandar is so versatile that you can pretty much order whatever you want, guilt-free!

As for me, I’m a creature of habit. I usually go with half a portion of rice, either ayam madu or ayam bawang, and just a bit of veggies to trick myself into thinking I’m eating healthy. And of course, I can’t forget the kuah campur — because let’s be real, sometimes the effort it takes to verbally customise your order is too much, so a simple “kuah campur” is my lifesaver.

What I tried at Restoran Kudu bin Abdul

Before I even stepped off the train, I knew exactly what I was after — sweet, sticky ayam madu (RM7.50) and crispy fried bitter gourd (RM1.50 for 1 full plate). That’s exactly what landed on my nasi kandar plate.

Luckily, the place wasn’t as crowded as a can of sardines despite it being lunchtime, so I didn’t feel too guilty about taking my time snapping the best pictures for you guys. (Okay, they might look a bit rough, but I think they add to the rustic Malaysian vibe if you squint!)

The total for my meal? RM8.50 — not bad at all for KL. They served 3 different kuah, including fish curry, chicken curry, and daging kicap. I even got a scoop of that thick, red ayam madu gravy on my rice. Nice!

The beauty of nasi kandar is how all the gravies blend together so seamlessly, and my plate was no different. Every bite would bring a new flavour combination. The fish and chicken curries were light with just the right amount of heat, while the daging kicap added a perfect sweet and savoury balance.

But my favourite has always been the ayam madu gravy — neither too thick nor too thin, with a sweet, nectar-like touch that paired perfectly with the savoury rice.

That said, even though I had the least amount of the ayam madu gravy poured on my rice, its sweet notes ended up overpowering the others, leaving me feeling a bit jelak after a while. Something to keep in mind for next time!

I went for the chicken thigh, as usual, but this time it interestingly came without the skin. As a result, the outer layer of the chicken was a bit tough to chew. Thankfully, the inside was tender, juicy, and bursting with flavour, so all was not lost.

The bitter gourd, however, was a bit of a letdown. They hadn’t properly deseeded or degutted it before frying, so the bitterness was much stronger than usual due to the pulp being left intact.

I had to be extra careful not to bite into the seeds — who knows, I might have a tree growing in my stomach! On the plus side, the batter was thin and crispy, much like the kind used for tandoori chicken, which was perfect.

You might get overwhelmed with the spices if you’re not used to nasi kandar, but overall, each bite was satisfying to me, if I picked the seedless bitter gourd pieces. 

Final thoughts

Here’s a tough pill to swallow — no nasi kandar in KL or Selangor quite matches up to the originals from Penang, even though many, including Restoran Kudu bin Abdul, claim otherwise. So KL and Selangor peeps, I fear you may still have to make that trip to Penang if you’re yearning for authentic nasi kandar.

While they offer a nice variety of dishes, the consistency is a hit or miss. Some days are better than others, so whether you get an amazing plate or just an average one really comes down to luck.

Would I come back? Absolutely! For the price, Restoran Kudu bin Abdul remains one of the best spots in KL for nasi kandar.

Expected damage: RM4.70 – RM8.50 per pax

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