Here’s our deep dive into Lad & Dad KL, is it going to be the next best fish & chips in KL?
I was never a fan of fish & chips growing up. During trips to Western restaurants with my parents I’d always wonder why my aunts would order deep fried and battered fish. Usually the fish was either too chewy or too oily.
However, I had heard that there were authentic fish & chips spots which served things just like they were in the UK. So I hoped one day I would be able to savour a ‘true’ plate of fish & chips when I got the chance. Well, that day finally when I visited Lad & Dad’s new Kuala Lumpur store.
Known as one of ‘the best fish & chips’ in Singapore, Lad & Dad has come to the shores of its neighbour and is planning to hook Malaysians in with a local twist. Started by Keith Koh and his dad in 2015 as a humble food stall, the pap-and-son fish & chips joint now has two outlets in Singapore (which serve beer!) and now one in Kuala Lumpur.
Lad & Dad promises to serve fish & chips to the best quality, and that’s it really. Unlike other Western restaurants that promise to be 10 things and more, Lad & Dad KL promises one thing and to do it bloody well. So does the Malaysian version live up to hype? Or will it be another case of majulah Singapura. Let’s find out!
Where to find Lad & Dad KL
Located in Wisma Cosway—a retro 1970s building turned emerging food hub along Jalan Raja Chulan—Lad & Dad offers a nostalgic escape from the polished high-street malls just down the road. The warm lighting, brown tiles, and glass made me feel like I was in a 1990s Wong Kar Wai film. During lunch hours, the spot bustles with office workers and retirees enjoying a cheeky break, giving the space a lived-in charm that contrasts beautifully with its old-school setting.
I reached Lot G-30 the very end of the ground floor and immediately noticed the bright yellow and green of the restaurant. The chairs and tables were exactly the ones you’d find in a hawker stall except painted in the store’s signature vibrant colours. I was warmly greeted by Keith and told that there were two items on the menu and an in-house lemonade.
Here’s what we tried at Lad & Dad KL
I started with the UK-style Classic Perch fish & chips. From the first bite what hit me was the crisp of the batter and the freshness of the fish. The locally sourced perch was soft yet firm which perfectly complemented the buttery crunchy batter. Add a dollop of their tartar sauce and a wonderful sour tangy creaminess meld the flavours wonderfully. I tried adding some vinegar to add to the ‘British-ness’ of the fish and it did give a salty-sour note.
The Original Thick-cut Chips are also cut in a wedge shape, which makes it great for scooping up the variety of sauces served up to us. The chips were soft on the inside and crispy on the outside with a touch of salt that reeled me back for more. Their sauces include tartar, mushy peas, curry sauce, spicy tartar, and sambal aioli which is only available in KL.
My personal favourite sauces were the curry sauce and sambal aioli. The curry sauce had a texture and taste like a good Japanese curry (always a plus for my tastebuds) and I heard it’s an authentic UK chip dip. The sambal aioli also added a creamy chilli flavour that was not too spicy.
Up next was the Premium Haddock fried in a batter with seven secret spices and with the Battered Thin-cut Fries. The Norwegian haddock hit me with it’s strong taste and the texture of the delicious fish-skin which was layered between the crunchy batter which gave a little kick of spice. The batter of the haddock added extra depth of flavours, elevating the thin-cut fries to a new level of crunch.
The crunchy oily duo was paired with the Signature Purple Slaw which gave a creamy crunch to the melding of fish & chips in my mouth and helped me feel a little less-guilty. This was all washed down with their House Made Frozen Lemonade, which helped to cool down the palate. The drink was a crunchy-iced slush at first, but as it slowly melted through the meal it gave a refreshing lemony sweetness that perfectly complemented the heaty food and Malaysian weather.
So, would I come here for their fish & chips again? Absolutely. However, this isn’t a fine-dining seafood place, neither is it a pub to grub and chug beers. As Keith said, the KL outlet is an homage to Lad & Dad’s hawker stall roots. A place for family and friends to gather around and share some great fish & chips. And after a decade of business in Singapore, it looks like Lad & Dad will be serving in KL for another decade to come.
Lad & Dad KL
Address: Lot G-30, Ground Floor, Wisma Cosway, 88 Jalan Raja Chulan, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Operating hours: 11:30AM – 2:30PM, 5:00PM – 8:00PM (Closed on Sundays & public holidays)
Instagram: @ladanddad.kl
(All images by Lad & Dad KL)