Due to its close proximity to the South China Sea, much of Kuantan’s cuisine features variations of seafood; freshwater fish like patin – silver catfish – is especially popular and one of the state’s specialties is salted fish. Kuantan’s range of specialty fare is vast – when you’re here try the keropok lekor, tembosa and the assortment of salted and dried seafood such as cuttlefish, ikan bilis and prawns.
As in the rest of the country, Kuantan has recently seen a boom in the growth of kopitiams; more often than not, these home-grown coffee shops specialize in the traditional Malaysian morning favourite of roti bakar – toasted bread served with a spoonful of kaya and a pat of butter. Afternoon tea is a popular pastime here – at precisely three in the afternoon, you’ll often see queues at the many kuih stalls and kopitiams that are sprinkled across its landscape. In short, Kuantan’s range of gastronomic offerings isn’t out-of-the-ordinary – it’s simply uncomplicated, down-to-earth home cooked fare.
An obligatory stop when you’re in Kuantan, Cheong Kee serves up the best wan tan mee in town. The egg noodles are served with char siew – sweetened pork – slices and minced pork and it comes in two different varieties. The first type is hak wan tan mee, which means black egg noodles – the noodles are tossed with dark soy sauce and lard. Alternatively the pak wan tan mee, white egg noodles, are mixed with a little chicken stock and served with the same toppings.
Opening Hours: 07:15 – 12:00
Location: Stall 138, Jalan Pasar Baru 2
Famous for its yong tau foo, this small stall is a family-run venture that’s been around for 40 years. There’s an assorted array of items on offer, ranging from crunchy fried bean curd skin to okra stuffed with fish paste. Try the dish with the optional not-too-spicy curry gravy served with Lembing noodles or you can enjoy your platter with traditional sweet dipping sauce.
Opening Hours: 17:30 – 22:30 Monday – Saturday
Address: Restoran Li Chi Kang, A – 1 Tingkat Bawah, Lorong Sri Kuantan 24
Located within Medan Selera Teluk Sisek, Francis Western Food serves up a good variety of Western cuisine ranging from fresh fish and chips to succulent black pepper chicken chop. The stall is especially known for its reasonably-priced platters including the classic mixed grill of chicken, lamb, fish and egg. You’ll need to arrive early to get a table as the stall does brisk business at night and on weekends; plus if you’re one of the first clients, you’ll get a free bowl of soup with your meal.
Opening Hours: 12:00 – 14:30; 18:00 22:30 Tuesdays – Sundays
Location: Stall 8, Medan Selera Teluk Sisek
Tel: +6019 572 2031
A favourite kopitiam hangout for locals, Meng Fang serves up standard milky coffee and teatime snacks. Known for its buttered toast with kaya, you can choose to have either sliced bread or buns – although the buns are more popular. Alternatively you can have your bread steamed; the smooth kaya is not too sweet which means you can spread it on thickly.
Opening Hours: 06:30 – 19:00
Location: B – 1445 Jalan Berserah
Serving up traditional chicken rice, the best thing about the savoury rice-and-chicken dish at this family-run stall is the accompanying chilli sauce which has a slightly bitter yet zesty edge. The stall’s been around for more than 40 years and tends to get busy around lunchtime; you should also try the wild boar rendang.
Opening Hours: 08:00 – 16:00
Location: 59 Jalan Bukit Ubi
Known as one of the best places in town to grab a bowl of curry noodles, Restoran Hoi Yin serves up bowls of noodles filled to the brim with thick and savoury gravy and loaded with cockles, chicken slices, fish balls, tofu, fish cake and bean sprouts. Located along a stretch of shop houses near Teluk Chempedak, the eatery is almost always packed with patrons, so be sure to get there early to grab a table.
Opening Hours: 07:00 – 14:00 closed on alternate Mondays
Location: 31, Jalan Teluk Chempedak
If you’re ever in Kuantan and in the mood for satay, then Restoran Satay Zul is the place to head to. This 27-year old venture started out as a small stall on a five-foot walkway of a coffee shop; as the years went by it graduated into a fully-fledged dining outlet. Reputed to be the best in town, there’s usually a huge crowd here every night; you can choose from an array of venison, beef, chicken and mutton sticks.
Opening Hours: 18:30 – 00:30 closed on alternate Mondays
Location: A – 2600 Jalan Alor Akar
Tel: +609 567 0898
Located along Jalan Gambut, this establishment is known for its mildly spicy chicken-and-potato curry puffs. The husband-and-wife team who run the place also serve up local and western dishes such as noodles, rice, pork chops and sandwiches plus there’s a good steamboat selection available at dinnertime.
Opening Hours: 10:00 – 22:00
Location: 62, Jalan Gambut
Selling Malaysia’s favourite dish, Restoran Zaman is one of Kuantan’s most famous nasi lemak ventures. The steamed coconut rice is wrapped in banana leaves and accompanied by half a hard-boiled egg, sweet-and-spicy anchovy sambal and cucumber slices. It’s a busy place, especially around lunchtime and the queues sometimes get long; the eatery also serves up a decent selection of roti canai, nasi dagang, nasi minyak and kuih-kuih.
Location: Lot 1-3811, KM 14, Jalan Gambang
Tel: +609 538 1253
If you’re ever in the mood for Minang fare, then a trip to Wak Sofian is well worth your time. The Malaysian food at this eatery is simply lip-smacking; even though most of the dishes look spicy, they’ve actually got a robust yet mild taste. The gulai daging and the ikan merah masak singgang are especially popular; be sure to ask for the sambal made from green chillies and onions.
Opening Hours: 07:30 – 20:00
Location: 38 Jalan Besar