When one is hungry but hasn’t yet decided on what to eat, what better place to go to than a food court? Sunny Food Republic in Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, is one of these hidden spots where foodies will be spoilt for choice.
If you like to go out for meals in the daytime, you can feast on a vast array of offerings here, including char kuey teow, curry noodles, wantan mee, and other classic kopitiam offerings such as kaya and butter toast with soft-boiled eggs.
For the ones who prefer to venture out in the evenings, Sunny Food Republic has an equally wide range of stalls for you to choose from. Here are FMT’s top picks for a delicious dinner.
Authentic ramen
This humble stall offers delectable ramen that can rival the best Japanese noodles served in restaurants.
With the chef having learnt the ropes in Japan before starting his business in Malaysia, it stands that standards here are high.
The handmade noodles and fragrant tonkotsu broth are paired with black fungus mushrooms, soft-boiled egg, spring onions, seaweed, and char siew that will make even Uncle Roger – comedic food critic of YouTube fame – go fuyoh!
If you are more adventurous and prefer a bit (or a lot) of spice in your food, the jigoku ramen, which literally means hell ramen(!), will be right up your alley.
Bak kut teh
A classic dish among Malaysians, the strength of this mighty bak kut teh lies in its abundance of spices and flavourful broth, patiently simmered over low heat.
Stall owner Chris Wong said he spends at least six hours brewing the soup for his signature dish before opening his stall for the evening.
With pork meat, ribs, enoki mushrooms and lettuce, one just needs a plain bowl of rice and some yu char kway to soak it all up for a satisfying dinner.
If you’re not in the mood for soup, opt for the dry version, and do give the traditional vinegar pork trotters a try!
Fried rice
Food-court regulars will attest that stir-fries are a must in such eateries. Thankfully, there is no shortage here.
The Yong Chow fried rice at Sunny Food Republic might seem unassuming, but you’ll get much value for your money on this humble plate.
Complete with diced char siew, eggs, long beans, and fresh, plump shrimp in a pile of rice fragrant with “wok hei” or “breath of the wok”, you will definitely find yourself coming back for more.
Western food
Another favourite among regulars, it is hard not to notice the workers bringing out plate after plate of western favourites from this stall.
Faced with a multitude of choices on the menu, FMT opted for the fried chicken chop rice. You will be pleasantly surprised by the generous serving of deep-fried breaded cutlet with a side of fried egg and coleslaw.
Crispy without losing its juiciness, the only difficulty you’ll face is the temptation to order another serving.
Longan dessert
There’s always room for dessert, right? Thankfully, FMT was lucky enough to grab one of the last few bowls of this sweet, but not too sweet, offering.
With an overload of mata kucing in a small porcelain bowl, this serves as a delicious and refreshing way to end your meal.
Enjoy it hot or cold – there’s no wrong choice either way!
Sunny Food Republic
2-1 & 4-1, Jalan Radin Anum 2,
Bandar Baru Sri Petaling,
57000 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 7am-10pm (evening stalls from 5pm), closed Tuesdays