Founded by Haji Zabarullah Khan (ZK) in 1992, it evolved from a tiny roadside parking-lot stall into a massively popular multi-lot restaurant cluster that draws long daily queues of corporate leaders, business people, government officers, known politicians, local and international tourists. The first indication of what has stood the test of time according to the people of Kuala Lumpur (KL) is its peculiar love for a rich, punchy and filling dish. The fish head curry, aka Kari Kepala Ikan, is a signature of Restoran ZK at Jalan Kampung Attap, KL that has along with other side dish combinations which include the sambal sotong (squid), gravy fried chicken with honey glazed sauce, stir-fried cabbage, as well as the special red onion and green chili in sweet soy condiment.
My children growing up at Federal Hill KL in the 1990s, are familiar with restaurant when it started the culinary business, and its legendary Kerala-style fish head curry. The robust base relies on rich Indian spices - such as turmeric, star anise, and cumin combined with fresh red snapper, okra, eggplant and tofu. So, even when we have shifted to Putrajaya in early 2000s, we still continue to patronize Restoran ZK every time opportunity arise for visiting KL city.
My wife, Zarina & I with our children love the premium ingredients. ZK chefs use fresh, high-quality red snapper, ensuring the meat stays tender and the cheeks remain smooth and gelatinous. They cook a limited number of heads (around 20 to 30) each day, it is highly coveted and to arrive early for lunch.
Restoran ZK is proud of its core values of Malaysian family-run business, and the family-driven management style has remained central to maintaining the brands quality, consistency, and close community feel. I observed Haji Zabarullah Khan, the owner practiced hands-on leadership by actively oversees the daily operations, ensuring that the traditional Kerala-style curry recipe remains unchanged & that the food must be prepared completely fresh every day.
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