It’s Malaysian’s Tea O’Clock! Check Out These 7 Places To Get Your Fix For Kuih Muih

Psst, did you guys know that during the British colonization in Malaya, teatime was the utmost important meal of the day (because why not, right?) with a variety of cakes, cookies, scones and desserts displayed in front of diners, making it the most aesthetically pleasing meal of the day! As time went by, Malaysian sweet treats were also brought into the picture and when Malaya achieved its independence, the tradition was still highly regarded by many. Even until today, you’ll still find many western cafés that sell cakes, cookies and many other delicious sweetness. However, nothing beats our authentic traditional Malaysian kuih as it has stolen our hearts and appetite, allowing us to savor the sweet taste of the good old days.

Sadly, the art of making kuih is diminishing because the older generations can no longer hustle on and most of the younger generations are not willing to continue the tradition. It is also hard and takes a long time to master these skills, hence finding a decent kuih vendor is not as easy as before. For the love of kuih and all our loyal readers, I have taken this myself to find a few good spots where you can still score good kuih muih for tea.

So, come join me on an adventure as we feast our eyes on this awesome possum bite-sized kuihs and where you can get them.

1. Regent Pandan Layer Cake Shop

Though this isn’t really a kuih but it is loved by many and trust me, you wouldn’t want to miss out on this layered sponge pandan jelly cake. Many generations of Klangites have grown up on this trademark pandan layer cake. The genius behind the best selling cake is none other than owner, Cheng Yew Hoe who invented the pandan layer goodness about 35 years ago, using a strong cake base to hold the heavy jelly-like pandan filling (made freshly with pandan juice, hoen kwe flour and santan). After trying out the pandan flavor, the next one you should go for are their yam (a famous one), the two-in-one flavor (the pandan and yam combination is also popular). They also have a corn flavour to choose from. Make sure to keep your layer cake refrigerated to preserve its freshness and serve it when it is chilled. It’s seriously the most authentic with just the right amount of sweetness pandan layered cake you could ever find (hands down).     

Address: 70, Jalan Raya Timur, 41000, Klang

Contact: 03-3371 8382

Opening hours: 9 am- 8pm (Monday-Friday), 9 am- 6pm (Saturday-Sunday)

Price: RM 14 (1/4 kg), RM 24 (500g), RM 48 (1kg)

Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Regent-Pandan-Layer-Cake Shop/895245380500040

2. QQ Nyonya Kuih

As you can see, QQ Nyonya Kuih’s specialty is their unique and aesthetically pleasing angku kuihs. Run by mother-daughter duo, Choai May Ho (mother) and Choo Wai Ling (daughter) use nothing but natural ingredients on most of their angkus. Initially there was only three colors – green (pandan), yellow (pumpkin) with chopped raisins on top and orange. After several years of experimenting with different ingredients, four more colours like blue (butterfly pea flowers), purple, white and red (beetroot) were produced. Unlike the traditional one that resembles a tortoise shell, these ones are pinched and shaped into pretty shapes of roses and pumpkins. The texture is not too thick, soft and springy with two types of paste; mung bean, steamed, mashed and stir-fried that takes up to two hours and grated coconut flavored with gula Melaka. They’re not too greasy and heavy on the palette and just might get you eating 3 or more pieces without you even realizing it!

Address: No 101, block P/F, Lorong Kaskas, Taman Cheras, 56100 KL

Contact: 016-394 0737

Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 7:30AM – 4:30PM, Sunday: 7:30AM – 12:00PM

Price: RM 1.10 (per piece), RM 7 (a packet of 7)

Website: https://www.facebook.com/CuteCuteAngkuKueh/

3. Imbi Nyonya Kuih

This popular Nyonya kuih stall located at a carpark in between the Honda showroom and Restoran Win Heng Seng is run by a nice old couple and is assisted by their son. They only sell six items like kuih talam, sago layered cake, yam cake, kuih lapis, talam kacang merah and red bean soup. Mind you that there is always a long queue, hence, the waiting time could stretch as they both have to serve customers who may request to take away quite an overwhelming number of kuihs as well as for those who are eating on the spot. Plus, most of the cutting and packing is done by the old lady. So, have patience while waiting for your turn.  The steamed yam cake has a smooth and soft texture while the kuih talam is rich with pandan and coconut flavour with creamy texture that just melts in your mouth.

Address:  193 & 195, Jalan Imbi, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur  (Stall located at the carpark in between Restoran Win Heng Seng and Honda showroom(

Opening hours: 5:30 pm (until its sold out) [Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday]

Price: RM 1.10 (per piece)

4. Tricycle stall outside of Restoran Nam Chuan

You wouldn’t want to miss out on a tricycle vendor stall run by Ah Mun and his wife right outside of Restoran Nam Chuan. Running the business for over 42 years now, most of the items are made and prepared from scratch by the uncle following the recipes from his Nyonya mother-in-law who came from Taiping. He sells quite a variety of delicious nyonya treats like kuih lapis, kuih seri muka, ondeh-ondeh, kuih talam, kuih sago, kuih kosui, kuih tai tai, yam cake, steamed rice cakes and many more despite his small stall.  Eager beavers often flock around his stall as he sets up at 3 pm. Though the number of customers can be overwhelming, Ah Mun remains pleasant while he speeds wrap the kuih with newspaper. Amongst the favourites of many are the kuih lapis, ondeh-ondeh, kuih tai tai, kuih talam and kuih sago! Also, do try his own recipe for kuih binga ubi kayu which is steamed instead of baked with a caramelized gula Melaka top. His kuihs are hands down worth the long wait.

Address: 2-4 Lorong Ara Kiri, Lucky Garden, 59100, Kuala Lumpur (Stall located outside of Restoran Nam Chuan)

Opening hours: Monday – Tuesday: 3pm- 6pm (or until its sold out), Thursday- Sunday: 3pm- 6pm

Price: RM 1.20 (kuih sago)*price for the other kuih is unknown

5. Mak Jah Corner

Mak Jah Corner is a Malay shop in Ampang that is famous for their nasi lemak. Another specialty of this place is their many trays of freshly made, authentic and delicious Malay kuihs. With over 70 traditional Malay and Nyonya kuihs, it’s no wonder Mak Jah Corner is the place to be for most of the people especially in the morning and evening. Better known as Mak Jah, Halijah Karim, 72, started the business with only a table decked in trays of 30 seri mukas and 20 curry puffs at the end of a row of MPSJ stalls some 27 years ago. After receiving an overwhelming response, she rented a shop and also caters to several well known caterers in the Klang Valley and in KL. She has also venture into frozen food as it was highly requested by their regulars who wants to freeze and re-steam their kuihs whenever they feel like it. Though Mak Jah is already retired, she still performs quality control on each trays as she believes that one has to be a perfectionist when it comes to kuih making. She uses no less than 8 eggs for each tray of kuihs and they are all rich in coconut milk and eggs.  One of her infamous kuih is the seri muka in which, if you look closely, you will witness a translucent layer between the glutinous rice and the pandan top. This is due to the caramelising effect and as a result, all the kuih has the melt-in-your mouth sensation. She also steams her seri muka and other steamed kuihs in one steamer at a time as this retain the texture and taste.  So be sure to wake up and come early to Mak Jah Corner for the best experience as the kuihs are served while warm!

Address: No. 26, Jalan Kerja Air Lama, Ampang Jaya, 68000, Ampang, Selangor

Contact: 012- 223 4423

Opening hours: Monday – Sunday: 7 am- 6pm

Price: RM 0.60 (per piece)

6. Homemade Teochew Chai Kuih

It’s chai kuih o’clock people! Now for those who are not familiar with the name, it is actually a popular steamed vegetable dumpling snack believed to be of Teochew origin. The matriarch of this flourishing business, Madam Lim Seok Moy, 71 together with her family makes the delicate delicacy everyday to continue their legacy. They usually start their day at 5 am to start with the preparation of the ingredients. Each of them gather around a long table with roles of their own throughout the day with pairs cutting the dough into tiny pieces, flattening each piece with speed while the other pair scooping the filling onto the flattened and close the dough, forming their signature leaf-like pattern. The chai kuih on the large trays are usually drizzled with oil to smoothen the skin before the steaming process. Free delivery services are available with a minimum purchase of 120 pieces if your location is at Subang Jaya, PJ, Kepong, Kajang and Selayang. There are five types of chai kuih available – yam, yam bean, chives, pumpkin and sweet potato. The chai kuih is pork free and have dried prawns to make it more flavourful. Customers can also store them in the refrigerator up to a day as it has no preservatives. There are two ways on how you want it to be, you can either steam or deep fry it. The yam, sweet potato and pumpkin chai kuihs are customers’ favourite usually.

Address: No. 27, Jalan Bunga Cempaka 10, Taman Muda, Ampang, Selangor.

Contact: 012-8885180 / 012-6271371 / 016-6765833

Opening hours: Monday – Sunday: 9 am – 6pm

Price: RM 0.90 (each), RM 9 (for 10 pieces)

7. Vadai Stall

In SS15, you’ll always find queues of people waiting for their turns to either get their hands on the rojak or the savoury Indian delicacies from the vadai stall, sandwiched in between the cendol and rojak stalls. This 13-year old stall, run by Suris A/L Krishnan, 40 has all sorts of snacks to choose from, like vadai (masala and uluntu), banana balls, curry puffs, samosas, urundai (green beans or tapioca), pakoda and many more. Mind you, every item is vegetarian as Suris and his wife are both one. Each day, preparation starts at 4 am at his home under the close supervision of his wife. Work still continues for him at 10 am before the stall opens. Workers are constantly frying the snacks in batches to keep them fresh. Most of the customers will go for their amazing vadai. If you prefer a crisp bite followed by a soft and moist centre, then the uluntu vadai (looks similar to a doughnut) is for you. For something crunchier, you can opt for the masala vadai that uses skinned ground chana dhal. To intensify your eating experience, you can request for the slightly spicy chutney sauce for dipping and some green chillies. The other must eats are their onion snacks (pakoda) which can be incredibly addictive. Also, their simple steamed chick peas without salt is another favourite amongst the crowd. They also do caterings for wedding receptions and open houses.

Address: Jalan SS15/3B, Selangor, 47500

Contact: 018-2066067

Opening hours: Monday – Sunday: 11 am – 7pm

Price: RM 0.60 (everything except for the steamed chick peas), RM 1.50 (steamed chick peas)

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Credits to header image source