Somehow, I knew it would be a good meal even before getting there; Simply based on their background, and the few, but positive reviews I uncovered online.

Restoran Buddies is a far cry from the uber famous Overseas Restaurant in KL in terms of prestige, presence and social standing; but it sure isn’t any less in quality, value and commitment. Why the comparison, you may ask? Cuz they stem from the same background when it all began years ago. 

Restoran Buddies may be just a toddler by age, but it has nonetheless, generated a fair amount of attention and support, judging by the crowd it serves daily. I managed to snag a table on a recent trip to KL and left absolutely stuffed, and happy, and with thoughts of returning again.

We wouldn’t normally order hot soup in a non air-conditioned environment in hot, humid Malaysia; but that evening’s cool drizzle beckoned otherwise. The portion of Double Boiled Soup of the Day was perfect for the weather. The clear soup has a fresh tingling flavor from the leafy veg, and warm sweetness from the lean pork. You could taste the depth and patience put into it. The claypot looked deceivingly small… We all had seconds and still had leftovers to take home!  

The Signature Char Siu was everything I imagined it’d be. Fatty, tender, juicy, with a caramelized sweetness that envelops your mouth as you savor every bite. No other words needed! One heck of a char siu! It’s a must-order! 

My all time favorite dish, Tofu with Luffa Gourd, was smooth, warm and tender like a teddybear hug. The fried bean curd breaks open into silky tofu caressing the light velvety sauce. The luffa gourd, cut in thick slices and cooked just tender enough to soak up the sauce like a squidgy. I could eat this every day! 

Paku vegetables, a fiddlehead fern from Malaysia, is often used in Malaysian cusisine. The crunchy leafy veg is tasty in every way it’s prepared. This time, we had it as a salad in sweet spicy Thai sauce, topped with bird’s eye chili , fresh and fried shallots. I confess it was a tad too spicy for me; but for everyone else, it was incredibly appetizing! 

The picture may not show how gigantic the Big Head Prawns were but the 3 we ordered fed 5 of us nicely! Flash fried in a caramelized dark sauce, these sticky  crustaceans got us chomping, licking and sucking on prawn heads, shells, meats and fingers! It’s a messy and pleasurable process! 

During this trip, we only had eyes and gut for Patin, a river fish thats smooth and buttery and free of muddy flavors, when cooked properly. Restoran Buddies executed it flawlessly of course. The fish was super fresh and succulent. The meat, soft and sweet. The soy sauce dressing supplemented the ideal amount of taste, fragrance and flavor. We polished the fish clean and dry to its bones! 

Thanks to my bestie’s persistence, we also had the seemingly plain Ginger Fried Rice. Well, plain it was not! In fact, it was delicious as hell! The strong wok hei and warm aromatic ginger infused in every grain of rice was simply unbelievable! This was so good I paced every spoonful with relish! 

We were with served some complimentary Seafood Spring Rolls. Must’ve been our lucky day! These babies were filled full and tight with fish paste in a thin egg crepe. Fried to golden brown and unlike most spring rolls, didn’t need any dipping sauce to make it better. 

Not many places hand-make old school Cantonese sweet dessert soups anymore these days. But every sip of Buddies’ Almond Cream screams handmade. Order in advance as limited bowls are available daily during to the lengthy process that goes into HAND-making them!!

At the end of our meal, we had the loveliest and liveliness connection with the modest Sister Leng, who refused to be called Lady Boss or anything close. She enlightened us with stories about the family’s startup in the restaurant business. The ups and downs, the challenges and rewards. It’s certainly not an easy path but watching her share her experiences with a bright smile on her face only shows how much she enjoys the job despite it all. And I totally get it too. Feeding people is a kind of joy which people who cook yearn for. Forget Food critics, Michelin guides, influencers, social media. A table of cleaned out plates is the best compliment and review you can give a chef! And that, we did! 

RESTORAN BUDDIES (M) Sdn Bhd 老表 @ 11g, Lorong 6 A/91, Taman Shamelin Perkasa, 56100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Phone +60 128330961

Disclaimer ~ This is not a sponsored post!