The dust has settled on construction at Rust KL, a new Chinatown cafe by day and bar upstairs by night, many months in the making.
With stripped-back walls straddling a two-level, decades-old building, Rust showcases the rustic edge of Petaling Street, turning another former brothel into a place for pastas and more, with Malaysian twists.
Saffron risotto is made spicy with grilled tiger prawns in house-blended masak merah sauce (RM36), while penne is pimped up with barramundi in Malaccan asam pedas sauce, an authentic Masjid Tanah recipe by Rust’s co-founder’s mother (RM28).
Parts of Rust remain a work in progress, but it’s a pleasant stop for a butterfly pea latte to chase the blues while Para Machucar Meu Coração plays on the speakers, whisking us back to bygone times.
Rust KL Cafe & Bar
15, Jalan Petaling, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur.
