Capital Cafe has stayed the same since it opened in 1956. - Photos: JAROD LIM, CHAN TAK KONG and SHAARI CHEMAT/The Star
AS KUALA Lumpur marks 50 years since becoming a Federal Territory, some humble eateries that grew with the city continue to serve age-old favourites.
They have remained more or less the same for decades, amid all the rapid development.
StarMetro highlights five of these businesses.
Pek Yoke’s Cake
One business that is as old as the Federal Territories is a stall run by Wong Pek Yoke, 82.
She now sells pastries in a narrow lane off Jalan Yap Ah Loy, but started operating at Central Market in 1974.
“I sold Swiss roll, kaya puff, siew pao and egg tart with my husband. Now, my son helps me.
“In 1998, I moved to the current location and reduced my offerings to only Swiss roll and kaya puff.
“My son starts baking at 1am and at 7am, I start selling at the stall,” she said.
Her customers cannot miss seeing the towering Merdeka 118 in the background.
“The area has grown so much. The old shoplots and backlanes here have been beautified.”
Wong has been selling pastries since 1974 at Pek Yoke’s Cake. (Right) Ramasamy interacting with his customers at Lawanya Food Corner.
Capital Cafe
For more than 60 years, Capital Cafe in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman has bore witness to all the changes in the city.
It still exudes olden-day vibes from every nook and cranny.
According to co-owner Lin Boi Eng, 62, even the tenants have stayed the same since it was established in 1956.
“I make beverages and run the cafe with my elder brothers Kit Yue and Kee Hua,” she said.
Capital Cafe offers Malaysian fare like Hainanese noodles, Indian rojak and Nasi Padang to customers from all walks of life.
“Kuala Lumpur has grown a lot but we have stayed the same,” Boi Eng added.
Ramasamy interacting with his customers at Lawanya Food Corner.
Lawanya Food Corner
The eatery at the side lane of Jalan Scott, Brickfields, has been serving affordable Indian food since 1983.
Stall owner Ramasamy Vengadajalan opened the stall on his youngest daughter’s birthday and named it after her.
“Now, my wife and Lawanya cook the food using recipes passed down by my mother and mother-in-law.
“We serve 18 types of vegetables and 10 different dishes of meat; the mutton curry and chicken varuval are the hot favourites.”
Ramasamy said that back then, wooden kampung houses surrounded the eatery.
“Kuala Lumpur is growing rapidly and Brickfields is now home to Little India.
“Despite that, customers from all races come to enjoy our food.”
Yut Kee Restaurant, set up in 1928, is now run by a third-generation owner. — Photos: JAROD LIM, CHAN TAK KONG and SHAARI CHEMAT/The Star
Yut Kee Restaurant
Yut Kee Restaurant has been around since 1928.
Previously, it was located along Jalan Dang Wangi but moved to Jalan Kamunting nearby in 2014.
The restaurant is run by the third-generation owner Mervyn Lee, with his father Jack occasionally seen in the shop.
It is famous for traditional Hainanese dishes and kaya toast.
For dessert, they serve buttery marble cake and kaya rolls.
Nasi Lemak Tanglin bustling with customers.
Nasi Lemak Tanglin
Located in Kompleks Makan Tanglin on Jalan Cenderasari, Nasi Lemak Tanglin has been around since 1948.
It is one of the oldest nasi lemak stalls in Malaysia’s capital city.
It was started by Javanese Suriati Jawinrunah, who first operated under a big tree near the food court.
It moved to its current location several years ago.
Its nasi lemak is so popular that sometimes the stall runs out of food before noon.
