Easily overlooked in favour of the glitter and glamour of Kuala Lumpur’s beating heart, many are often clueless as to the dining gems that the Damai neighbourhood houses amid prized lush greenery. Here are the Damai cafes and restaurants you need to stop by next.
Jalan Ampang is a vast stretch that connects the more suburban acres that lie beyond Ampang Point and Taman TAR with the beating heart of downtown Kuala Lumpur. For decades, it has served as one of the city’s most notable main veins, with addresses bearing its name constituting hot commodities among real estate investors for its proximity to the cosmopolitan high life.
Yet, most Klang Valley denizens tend not to raise too many eyebrows when the name ‘Damai’ is brought up in conversation. That’s likely owing to the fact that the moniker is shared by several neighbourhoods across Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. In the case of its Ampang counterpart, Damai is best associated with the LRT station that bears its name along the Kelana Jaya Line, located by the bank of the Klang River.
From afar, a cluster of low-slung bungalows from the 1970s and 1980s indicates the neighbourhood’s prestige, with several embassies still maintaining offices within their ageing walls. Three schools and a small arts college campus line its main street. But beyond that, the inconspicuous array of cafes and restaurants makes Damai a surprisingly underrated dining destination that attracts only those in the know.
The assortment isn’t massive by any means; Jalan Damai only extends so far. Yet, you’ll find everything spanning the spectrum of Middle Eastern bites, to Japanese health-forward noodle bowls for post-yoga brunches. Just be sure you’re prepared to be confronted by a less-than-ideal parking situation, which often necessitates road shoulder stops. If you’re visiting Damai next, here are the cafe spots you should be earmarking.
Food guide: Damai cafe and restaurant spots you need to try next
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It’s hard to deny the appeal of open-flame cooking, which is why Damai’s Solh has already earned itself a healthy repertoire among the neighbouring Ampang locals. Deriving core menu staples from the Mediterranean’s coastal shores and the bold flavours favoured in the Middle East, diners get to enjoy a coming together of culinary cultures translated into dishes like the excellent Arabic Grilled Sea Bass, or their variety of grilled meats served with flatbreads.
Operating hours:
- 5pm – 12 am (Monday to Wednesday)
- 12pm – 1am (Thursday to Sunday)
Getting there: Board the Kelana Jaya LRT line and alight at the Damai station. Then take a 5-minute Grab ride to Solh along Jalan Damai.
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Corporate suits have their pick of the land for lunch spots across the Ampang vicinity closest to Kuala Lumpur’s main vein, but if you set your sights a little wider to encompass Damai, we’d definitely recommend a visit to RGB Coffee. House in an old bungalow, the restaurant takes its name after the phrase ‘Rather Good Beans’, in a nod to its coffee-roasting roots. Pared-down Continental recipes like pasta and salads are to be expected, with the addition of rice dishes of an East Asian suggestion. Better yet, vegan-friendly options are also offered here.
Operating hours:
- 8am – 5pm
- Opens daily
Getting there: Board the Kelana Jaya LRT line and alight at the Damai station. Then take a 4-minute Grab ride to RGB Coffee Roasters.
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For Malay fare just a stone’s throw away from the big city, look no further beyond Hening. Taking up residence in another one of Damai’s many ageing bungalow units, the restaurant has converted the property into a chic eatery with a prime al fresco dining area. Offering a smorgasbord of Nusantara favourites that have been authentically replicated if not enhanced for a contemporary palate, you’ll find everything from daging dendeng to lempeng pisang here.
Operating hours:
- 8am – 6pm
- Opens daily
Getting there:
Board the Kelana Jaya LRT and disembark at the Damai station, before hailing a Grab car for a 4 minute ride to Hening.
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Being the only restaurant along the Jalan Damai belt to be recognised by the Michelin Guide, Roti by d’Tandoor is assured in its conviction of serving top-tier Northern Indian fare. Established as a more youth-orientated sister brand to the original d’Tandoor that had first carved a formidable reputation in Damansara Utama, modern updates that still delight with Mughal flavours such as the Mac and Cheese Keema Mattar are served alongside longstanding stalwarts like Lamb Shank Biryani.
Operating hours:
- 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm (Monday to Thursday)
- 11am – 10.30pm (Friday to Sunday)
Getting there: Board the Kelana Jaya LRT line and disembark at the Damai station, then take a 5-minute Grab car ride to Roti by d’Tandoor.
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Taking a page out of Meiji-era yōshoku cuisine, which refers to a genre of food in Japan that is influenced by Western cooking, Mori Kohi is a delightfully chic brunch option worth dropping by over the weekend. Intermingling a variety of dining concepts, including a casual cocktail bar and even a vertical vegetable farm, park yourself at a table and first bask in the casual languor that their ambience invites. Then peruse from a selection of rice and noodle dishes, served with generous steak patties or clear, restorative broths.
Operating hours:
- 10am – 10pm
- Opens daily
Getting there:
Board the Kelana Jaya LRT line and disembark at Ampang Park, then board a 5-minute Grab car ride to Mori Kohi.
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Oftentimes, the belief is that healthy meals are only meant to serve as fuel for the body as opposed to indulgences for the palate. Wholey Wonder will argue otherwise and make a case for itself through a sumptuous spread curated by master chef Akiko Haruyama. With 20 years under her belt perfecting the art of balancing macros with morsels, the food here won’t leave you wanting. Broths prepared using 10-year-old aged miso with springy soba buckwheat noodles and rainbow-flecked Korean-inspired bimbap rice bowls are the name of the game.
Getting there:
Board the Kelana Jaya LRT line and disembark at the Damai station, before taking a 7-minute Grab car ride to Wholey Wonder.