Home to a wet market, bazaar and bundle shops, bustling Chow Kit draws Loong Wai Ting with its traders and wares
OUR plan is to have an early start — wake up fresh, a quick shower and head down to the Garden Grille coffee house foraquick breakfast before a shopping hunt at Chow Kit wet market just around the corner from our hotel, the newly open Hilton Garden Inn.
“It’s another world on that side,” says my friend when we planned the two-day staycation on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, one of the oldest streets in Kuala Lumpur.
LEGENDARY CHOW KIT ROAD
Arguably the largest wet market in KL, maybe in Malaysia too, Chow Kit Market is the pulse of the city — the part that practically never
sleeps.
Traders take turn to run their business at Chow Kit Wet Market, Chow Kit Bazaar Baru and Chow Kit Bundle Bazaar.
Like Pudu Wet Market on Jalan Pudu, Chow Kit Wet Market is equally exciting but not for the faint-hearted. Vendors shout to
attract customers to their stalls. Some customers bargain for cheaper vegetables while others take the opportunity to stock up on the fresh produce. It is also here at the market that you can get the freshest of produce.
The centre of the market houses a long row of stalls selling fruit and fresh meat. Walk past the vegetable stalls and you’ll come to a row of sundry shops selling a range of products from pots and pans to spices.
When the sun is at its peak, it is time for the morning wet market traders to pack up while the food stalls are filled with the lunch crowd.
Then when the sun descends, the other side of the market comes alive with traders coming with truckloads of fresh produce for the wholesale night market.
Connected to the wet market is Chow Kit Bazaar Baru, where you can find cheap clothes, toys and freshly made keropok
(crackers). Some even come in the colourful variety.
Across the main road from the market, there’s a stretch of street that comes alive in the evening till late at night. Known as Chow Kit’s Bundle Bazaar, you’ll
get T-shirts, leather goods, jeans and even boots at a cheap price. Most of the stalls are manned by foreigners, only a handful are operated by locals.
Chow Kit Market is named after the legendary Chow Kit Road at the far end of Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Named after Loke Chow Kit, a successful businessman, miner municipal councillor and public official, Chow Kit is notorious for its jam-packed traffic and its bustling day-andnight life. Datuk Sudirman Arshad immortalised the road in the song Chow Kit Road.
The late singer held an outdoor concert in Aug 14, 1986 which drew 100,000 people.
MESMERISING SIGHT
The energy outside the hotel is high. Traffic is at its peak and traders at Chow Kit Market shout above the loud chatter of other sellers to draw customers to their stalls.
Everywhere we turn, people from all walks of life squeeze their way through the packed market. It is a shoulder-to-shoulder shuffle as we walk in the narrow and packed alleyway formed by stalls selling fresh fruit, vegetables and dry goods.
I guess last night’s rain does not have effect on Chow Kit, life goes on as usual.
It’s just like the old days when traders arrive from afar at the common market to trade their goods. It’s indeed a mesmerising sight. This place will make shutterbugs happy.
Beyond the fruit and vegetable stalls, meat stalls crowd the back of the market. All kinds of animals are butchered in the open.
Trying hard not to throw up my breakfast, I snap a few photos and move to another side of the market.
Past that row of meat stalls, we’re greeted by a staggering array of mouth-watering street food — rice with assortment of condiments, fresh fruit juices, snacks and kuih.
My friend and I grab a few snacks and head back out again. The late morning sun shines brightly against blue skies.
While waiting to cross Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, I suggest that we visit the traditional bakery shop Sin Hua Bee on Lengkok Raja Laut.
NO LUCK
As the light turns green, we start to walk and narrowly miss bumping into a speeding bike which wants to beat the red light.
Swearing under our breath, we cross to the other side of the street. From there, we walk ahead along Lorong Chow Kit, cross the road to Lengkok Raja Laut.
The area looks unusually quiet. As I near Sin Hua Bee bakery, my heart sinks. It is closed. But a quick check on Google indicates that the old bakery is open and closes at five. I walk around it to see if the kitchen is open. No luck again.
Peeping through the keyhole, I can see tins upon tins of biscuits stacked on top of one another. There is a large table, where devoted chefs churned out fresh pastries every day.
Through the peep hole, I can see sunlight streaming down from the windows and onto the jars holding the biscuits. It’s almost like discovering hidden treasure.
A tap on my shoulder startles me and brings me back to reality. It’s my friend who tells me that she’s found a nice place for lunch.
With her leading the way, we find ourselves crossing yet another street into Jalan Tiong Nam, where the famous Tao Xiang Fish Head Noodles is located.
Customers of all ages pack the single storey shop with its makeshift tent. Inside, fans mounted on the walls whirl, cooling the stifling air. A man in his 40s takes our order.
We order a pot of the famous fish head noodles to share. The portion is huge with lots of noodles and deep-fried fish. Topping the piping hot dish are lots of fried shallots, some yam, fishball, sliced salted vegetable, ginger, tomato and coriander.
A slurp of the soup releases a milky fragrance from the evaporated milk and a hint of shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine). However, I am disappointed with the fried fish. It is coated in thick batter but isn’t the freshest of catch.
I can taste the oil used to fry the fish. At RM9 a pot, I can’t really complain. But it looks like I won’t be coming back again.
IN THE THICK OF ACTIVITIES
THE Hilton Garden Inn is on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, the part of the city that is always bustling with activities.
It’s centrally located and easily accessible, especially with public transportation. The Chow Kit Monorail station is a five-minute walk away, while the hotel is well-served by ride-share services. However, parking can be a problem.
As a member of Hilton Honors, checking-in is a breeze. In no time, I’m ushered to my room on the 14th floor, overlooking Petronas Twin Towers. However, I can only catch a blurry glimpse of the towers due to the rain.
My friend and I opt for a quick dinner at the all-day dining restaurant, Garden Grille. I order a juicy chicken burger with fries, and I am not disappointed.
The patty is made fresh-to-order. Tucked in between the slightly toasted buns and juicy chicken patty are finely sliced onion and lettuce.
When we get back to the room after dinner, the rain finally stops. As the night sky clears up a bit, I can see Petronas Twin Towers shimmer in the dark. What a view, indeed!
The room has nothing to shout about: Just your standard issue queen size bed, a 40-inch HDTV, a mini fridge and tea/coffee facilities.
But the bathroom has great shower amenities. I love the white tiles set against the marble floor. The contemporary design, while adding a luxurious touch to the otherwise minimal design, gives the overall room a refreshing look.
If shopping or going out is not on your list, you may want to opt for a quick cardio workout at the fitness centre. For a small gym, it is quite well-equipped for an overall workout.
FAST FACTS
HILTON GARDEN INN
449, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur
TEL: 03-2778 8888
WEBSITE: http://hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com/en/index.html
STAY A total of 265 rooms, some with views of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers
EAT Enjoy all-day dining at Garden Grille, which serves both international and local cuisine. Plenty of street food in the area
DO A 24-hour fitness centre at the lobby
GO Shop for cheap food and goods at the nearby Chow Kit Wet Market and Bazaar Chow Kit
HIGHS Great location, clean and comfortable stay. Monorail Chow Kit station is a five-minute walk away
LOWS Limited parking spots