Once the city centre of Kuala Lumpur, Brickfields is still one of the most vibrant areas in the Klang Valley today.

The once humble neighbourhood has undergone a facelift of sorts due to rapid development in the area and has seen the construction of key landmarks such as KL Sentral, the NU Sentral shopping mall, various hotels, and office towers.

Meanwhile, historical buildings in the other older parts of Brickfields are being preserved as heritage sites.

The heart of Brickfields however is Little India, situated along bustling Jalan Tun Sambathan, formerly known as Jalan Brickfields.

Here you can clearly see the juxtaposition of the old located on the left and the new, modern side of KL Sentral on the right.

The streets are filled with shops selling every Indian food imaginable, colourful clothing, and everyday provisions.

Wandering around the area can be a little overwhelming as it is a street food lover’s paradise. All the same, here are the Top 5 worth a special mention.

1. Vadai @ Ammar’s Indian Sweets Stall

Located opposite Pos Laju along Jalan Tun Sambathan, Ammar’s Indian Sweets is a must-visit if you’re craving tasty Indian snacks.

The stall has a great variety made fresh daily including onion bhajis, banana fritters and pakora.

The ulunthu vadai sold here tends to be somewhat bland but the texture is puffy and soft. You can opt for their more flavourful masala vadai that has a crunchy bite due to the whole yellow split beans inside.

2. Pani Puri @ Delhi Grill Restaurant

Located next to Value Bazaar along Jalan Tun Sambathan, this humble restaurant is easily missed, so keep a special lookout for it.

Here, their pani puri is served elegantly on a plate with each shell stuffed with a delightful mix of potatoes, chickpeas and delicate crispy sev.

A plate consists of six crispy shells that come with a small bowl of pani or mint water to dip the puri into.

3. Ghee Thosai @ Sri Kortumalai Restaurant

Also known as Najib’s Corner, Sri Kortumalai Restaurant is well-known for its fine and delicious Indian cuisine, especially its vegetarian options.

Opt for Ghee Thosai instead of the Plain Thosai for breakfast to kickstart your day. This crispy crepe made of fermented rice, black lentils and a brush of ghee is simply heavenly.

4. Pisang Goreng @ Mr Chiam Pisang Goreng

Mr Chiam Pisang Goreng is located opposite the YMCA building, right in front of Restoran One Sentral. The legendary stall has been operating here for over 30 years and is one of the longest-lasting street eateries in Brickfields.

This humble stall only sells four items, with Pisang Goreng or Banana Fritters being their top-seller, of course. Other snacks include Kuih Bakul (sweet rice cake fritters), sesame balls and curry puffs.

Despite its limited offerings, all their snacks sell out in record time. What makes the Pisang Goreng here stand out is the Pisang Raja used, which is way bigger in size than other bananas, and incredibly sweet when deep-fried.

5. Ais Kacang @ Ah Keong Ais Kacang

Ah Keong Ais Kacang is another favourite in Brickfields, serving customers this delicious ice dessert for many years.

Located next to the 7-Eleven along Jalan Padang Belia, their signature Ais Kacang is served with a mountain of shaved ice loaded with the usual goodies – black cincau cubes, kidney beans, yellow corn, and green cendol which is hidden beneath.

Taste-wise, this Ais Kacang tends to be a bit coconut-ty but the servings are fairly large.

There you have it — the five must-try street foods in Brickfields. Which is your favourite?

*Featured image via Alila Bangsar.
*All images by UPPRE unless stated otherwise.

This article first appeared in uppre.com