By Aiman Azri
One of the things that Malaysians miss most while travelling is local food that channel the familiar, comforting flavours of home. Thankfully, for those flying out of or into KLIA2, the sight and scent of beloved dishes can be found across this airport's dedicated mall, gateway@klia2, promising you not only a taste of Malaysia but almost all of Asia, authentically prepared to remain genuine to our culinary heritage.
Here's our guide to 10 of gateway@klia2's gastronomic delights that bring the best of the region to you in one convenient destination. Note that if you're at the KLIA terminal, gateway@klia2 is only a short train ride away.
Santai YAMCH'A
Now entering its second year, the first-ever outpost of Santai YAMCH'A is still going strong amid gateway@klia2's 44 F&B outlets, faithfully serving rice and noodle meals and a variety of dim sum. We recommend the Sticky Honey Chicken on Fried Rice or the Mee Tarik with Spicy Soup for the main course, before moving on to cute little pairs of baos that come in three flavours: lava (salted egg yolk), custard and red bean.
PappaRich Express
Step out of KLIA2's arrivals hall and you'll be welcomed by kopitiam experts PappaRich Express. The space is huge, serving a selection of 40 favourites, with a self-service concept that keeps the crowd moving at a steady clip so you won't be late for your flight. Staples like Nasi Lemak, Hainan Toast, the Nasi Lemak and Curry Laksa will keep you company as you admire a decor that points to many Asia-Pacific tourist hot spots. Note: A second PappaRich can be found by the Departures hall too, for one last bite before the flight.
OLDTOWN White Coffee
Having been one of the country's top choices for white coffee for 11 years and counting, OLDTOWN's foray into gateway@klia2 comes as no surprise. This is a bright, pleasant place to hang out with the family, enjoying a range of rice, toast, noodles and even Western recipes while waiting for your flight.
Hometown Hainan Coffee
Hometown Hainan Coffee pays homage to its founder's ancestors, who migrated to Kuala Lumpur from Hainan province and ran a cafe for many years. Hainan Chicken Rice (with poached chicken), Hainan Toast and Hainan Round Buns prove a testament to time-honoured cooking, hand-in-hand with national and state favourites like Nasi Lemak and Ipoh Hor Fun. Lots of light flows in through the clear glass panel walls, lending a cheerful feel to help you relax before leaving.
Kluang Station
Warm sepia tones and nostalgic railroad imagery evoke simpler times at Kluang Station, a solid stop for classic Malaysian and Hainanese cuisine. Check out the promotions that are often showcased here - when we visited recently, Kluang Station was channeling the taste of Penang (with a few twists) with Rojak Pasembur (a fruit and vegetable salad) and Char Kuey Teow Banjir.
Nanyang Food Garden
Open 24 hours everyday for hungry travellers, Nanyang Food Garden clearly stands out with the greenery that graces its walls. The foliage-rich decor helps to soothe our spirits before or after a flight, nourishing our stomachs too with Fried Hokkien Mee, Claypot Fish Fillet Porridge, the Signature Ipoh Hor Fun Soup and more.
BMS Organics Vegetarian Cafe
Health-conscious visitors will be happy to see BMS Organics Vegetarian Cafe, which started in 2007 as a cafe serving healthy, organic vegetarian food in Bandar Puteri Puchong. The gateway@klia2 branch has about 40 healthy meals, from rice plates to noodle soup, to colourful smoothie bowls, conceived with organic ingredients. In the store, you'll also find wholesome snacks and beverages to take on your trip, such as Sesame Seaweed Cube bottles and Mixed Nut Cube bottles.
Quizinn by RASA
The largest eatery at gateway@klia2 has to be the food court, Quizinn by RASA, with a total of 13 food stalls and two beverage stalls. There's a stall for everything - Mixed Rice, Yong Tau Foo, Nasi Briyani, Nasi Kandar, Juice, and even Nasi Arab The food court is clean and sprawling, with sufficient space for your luggage, ideal for an airport eating hub.
Nyonya Colors
Peranakan-inspired kuih is one of Malaysia's most cherished teatime treats, and we're happy to see it taking the limelight at Nyonya Colors, where about 30 varieties include the Pulut Inti (glutinous rice with coconut topping) and Talam (coconut and pandan layer cake). If you want some warm, grainy goodness, there's also Nasi Lemak Pandan, Nasi Lemak Kunyit, and Nasi Briyani.
ILOVEYOO!
Professing your love to food feels completely normal once you've tried Yoo Tiao, ILOVEYOO!'s traditional doughnut-like crullers. This outpost is conscientious about its deep-frying process, only using 100 percent palm oil and changing it regularly, preparing the Yoo Tiao fresh at the store. You can have the Yoo Tiao with porridge and/or soya bean; for an even more filling meal, complete your purchase with fragrant herbal salted chicken.
All in all, gateway@klia2 boasts an impressive 101 stores, spread out over four floors. It's conveniently accessible, with more than 5,600 parking bays, and is large enough to accommodate the 3.3 million people that pass through every month, many of whom are satisfied to savour a full meal here at the eateries listed above.
Many thanks to gateway@klia2 for having us.
gateway@klia2
26, 43900 KLIA, Selangor.
Open everyday, 24 hours a day. Individual store times vary.
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