Nestled within the historic Old Malaya is Irama Dining Kuala Lumpur, a popular eatery that specializes in classic Malay cuisine. The restaurant is an extension of Irama Dining Penang, which has received widespread acclaim for its authentic recipes.
Old Malaya
Old Malaya is located at the foothills of Bukit Nanas in Kuala Lumpur. Built in 1919, it original served as housing for British military officers during the colonial days. The building later evolved into a Eurasian neighborhood, earning the moniker “Old European Settlement”.
Post independence, the place was abandoned for decades and was slated for demolition. Thankfully, a team of conservationists led by Dato’ Syed Mustaffa Shahabuddin and Mr. Kana Theva restored the dilapidated building into its former glory.
Today, Old Malaya’s prime location in the city center affords it front-seat views of the iconic Kuala Lumpur Tower.
Elegant Decor
Irama Dining Kuala Lumpur pays homage to the building’s past through carefully preserved vintage details. Traditional arched doors and windows frame the space with nostalgic charm.
Hanging from the wooden ceiling are fancy chandeliers, illuminating the mosaicked floor tiles at the dining area.
A wooden flight of stairs leads to the upper floor.
The upper level opens up to a more spacious dining area. Soothing music fills the air, creating a feeling of tranquility within the brick walls.
Like its sister outlet in Penang, Irama Dining Kuala Lumpur also features a large mural of Bella, the graceful lady of the house.
A small private dining section is covered by a glass ceiling. While the incoming sunlight may be too intense during the daytime, the tables here are highly sought for the unique experience after nightfall.
As the sun sets, the glass panels frame the mesmerizing Kuala Lumpur Tower from a distance. Under such romantic setting, this spot offers the perfect opportunity to get down on one knee!
Reserve an evening table upstairs to enjoy your meal bathed in the golden radiance of Kuala Lumpur’s most iconic landmark.
Malay Cuisine at its Finest
Irama Dining Kuala Lumpur takes pride in serving authentic Malay cuisine of premium quality. While many recipes hail from northern states like Penang, the menu also covers delicacies from around the country. Let’s explore the signature dishes here.
Pulut Kelapa Dip with Rendang Kerang
An ideal sharing starter, this dish features glutinous rice coated with freshly grated coconut and kerisik (toasted coconut butter).
These sticky rice balls are accompanied by rendang kerang, a curried gravy loaded with juicy cockles. The cockles’ briny flavor complements the turmeric-flavored rice balls.
Choices of Rice
Rice is the staple food in this region since time immemorial. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Malay cuisine has developed variety of rice dishes. At Irama Dining, this tradition is reflected by three distinctive versions. Each dish offers a different perspective of Malay culinary heritage.
Nasi Bunga Telang
Hailing from the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Nasi Bunga Telang is infused with extract of butterfly-pea flowers. This gives the rice dish an alluring blue hue. Nasi Bunga Telang is cooked with a hint of coconut milk, and then topped with fried onions for better aroma.
Nasi Ulam
Nasi Ulam contains finely chopped herbs such as daun kaduk and pucuk gajus, making it a nourishing rice dish indeed. The herbs cling to each rice grain and deliver vibrant herbal notes in every bite. Nasi Ulam is wildly popular in northern states such as Penang.
Nasi Beringin
Once a guarded secret of Johor’s palace kitchens, Nasi Beringin remains a rare treasure in Malaysian cuisine. Traditionally served only to royalty, this rice dish owes its regal status to two key ingredients: lemongrass and pandan leaves.
Sambal Platters
Sambal is an essential element of Malay cuisine. These dipping sauces are prepared by pounding chili peppers and other spices with stone mortar and pestle. While Irama Dining allows customers to order sambal individually, we recommend that you opt for Sambal Platters so that you can select three types of your liking.
Sambal Hijau Petai
This sambal contains petai (bitter beans), green chilies and shallots. Petai has a distinctive aroma and crunchy texture that makes it so appealing. Also included are anchovies for an extra layer of savoriness.
Sambal Belacan
Sambal Belacan combines fiery red chilies and belacan (fermented shrimp paste), pounded to a coarse consistency. A squeeze of lime juice gives this iconic condiment an extra tangy note. Sambal Belacan delivers a pungent punch that goes well with virtually any dish.
Sambal Goreng
This cooked chili paste showcases the “tumis” technique – a slow simmering in oil that transforms fiery chilies into a complex blend. The process yields a distinctive character: semi-sweet with creeping heat and rich umami depth. Unlike raw sambals, this preparation showcases Malaysian cuisine’s mastery of transforming spices through controlled cooking.
Kerabu Platters
In Malay cuisine, kerabu are vibrant, crisp salads that perfectly complement rice dishes with their bright tropical flavors. Irama Dining honors this tradition by crafting each version with freshly shredded coconut and local ingredients—a true taste of the tropics.
Kerabu Pucuk Paku Kerang
Plump cockles (with their distinct briny sweetness) and earthy fiddlehead ferns (pucuk paku) are lifted by the bright citrus of torch ginger and the chef’s tangy kerabu dressing. The result? A vibrant interplay of textures—the springy bite of cockles against crisp ferns, unified by that signature lime-kissed sauce.
Kerabu Mangga Anchovies
This vibrant salad combines tart shredded sweet-and-sour mango with the floral perfume of bunga kantan (torch ginger flower) and the umami crunch of crispy fried anchovies. The chef’s signature kerabu sauce with a zesty blend of lime juice ties all elements together with refreshing acidity.
Kerabu Kacang Botol Sotong
Freshly cooked squid lends a tender contrast to the crisp snap of kacang botol (winged beans), while bunga kantan (torch ginger flower) adds its signature citrusy fragrance. As with all kerabu at Irama Dining, the magic comes from the dressing—the chef’s specialty lime-infused sauce that harmonizes every ingredient.
A traditional yet satisfying meal could be this simple:
Nasi bunga telang paired with Kerabu Mangga Anchovies and sambal belacan. For the full experience, eat with your hands Malay-style—the perfect way to blend these vibrant flavors.
Exploring Main Dishes
Now, let’s turn to the main dishes—a showcase of Malay cuisine’s vibrant diversity. From poultry to seafood, each dish reflects the rich culinary traditions of the Malay Archipelago. Across Malaysia’s states, distinct cooking styles emerge, blending local ingredients and time-honored techniques.
Lamb Shank Kurma
This mild, creamy kurma distinguishes itself from bolder Malay curries through its delicate balance of flavors. Succulent lamb shanks undergo hours of slow braising in an aromatic kurma gravy, with fresh coconut milk adding the final touch of velvety richness.
The process yields fall-off-the-bone tender meat immersed in a perfectly balanced gravy – warm with toasted spices and subtle sweetness, accented by soft potatoes and caramelized onions.
Originally developed as the signature dish of Irama Dining’s Penang establishment – celebrated for serving Georgetown’s best kurma – this authentic recipe now brings northern Malaysia’s distinctive flavors to Kuala Lumpur.
Pais Barramundi
Pais refers to the traditional Malay technique of grilling food in banana-leaf wrappers. Fresh barramundi (ikan siakap) is marinated in ground turmeric, grated coconut, and cili padi (bird’s eye chili) before being wrapped and grilled.
The banana leaves serve dual functions: imparting a smoky aroma while preserving the fish’s moisture. As they char, the leaves release aromatic steam that infuses the flesh with earthy notes. For optimal balance, pair with air asam—a tangy tamarind-lime dipping sauce that cuts through the dish’s richness.
Smoked Duck Massaman Curry
A Malaysian twist on Massaman curry, this dish pairs cured smoked duck with terung pipit—local baby aubergines that soften into the spiced coconut sauce without losing their shape. The duck’s richness melds with palm sugar’s sweetness, while the eggplants add a balancing bitterness.
Distinct from typically fiery curries, this milder rendition allows the smokiness of the duck to take center stage alongside warm spices. Offering variations with duck, beef, or chicken, this dish truly captures Malay culinary balance: luxurious yet grounded, sweet but complex, and intensely aromatic.
Masak Lemak Udang
There’s something deeply comforting about plump, fresh prawns swimming in golden coconut gravy—the kind of dish that makes you instinctively reach for a second spoonful of rice. The masak lemak here is everything it should be: creamy from slow-simmered coconut milk, fragrant with turmeric’s earthy warmth, and just spicy enough to make you notice.
One taste of this masak lemak and you’ll understand—plump, sweet prawns in golden turmeric-coconut gravy, with just the right chili kick. Pucuk ubi leaves whisper their earthy balance beneath the richness—this dish tastes exactly like a Malaysian grandmother’s approval.
Sotong Sumbat
Fresh squid is stuffed with glutinous rice cooked in fenugreek-spiced coconut milk, then simmered until tender. True to its Kelantanese roots, this dish features a mild, subtly sweet flavor profile rather than spice, with its pale golden hue hinting at the delicate coconut milk richness within.
The result? A perfect contrast of textures – the squid’s delicate chew against the rice’s sticky richness, all enveloped in that distinctive, creamy gravy that characterizes Kelantan’s gentle approach to flavors.
Serawa Pisang
Serawa Pisang is a classic Malay dessert featuring ripe bananas simmered in fragrant coconut milk until luxuriously soft and creamy. This humble yet satisfying dish is a staple in Malaysian homes, showcasing how simple ingredients—bananas, coconut milk, and sago—transform into something deeply comforting.
The Beverage List
Complement your meal with the curated selection of beverages, each crafted to enhance the dining experience—from refreshing teas to local delights that celebrate Malaysian flavors with modern flair.
Irama Teh Ais
Brewed tea blends with velvety condensed milk and a floral hint of rose syrup, creating a luxuriously creamy base. Crowned with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this decadent twist on classic teh ais transforms the drink into a dessert-like indulgence—cool, sweet, and deeply satisfying.
Irama Dan Lagu
This signature fresh fruit mocktails harmonizes local spirits with tropical fruits and aromatic accents for a lively, multi-layered sip. Expect a playful balance of fresh lime, apricot and lychee—a drink as dynamic as the music that inspired its name.
Strawberry Mint Tea
Fresh strawberries and mint leaves are steeped in iced tea, creating a vibrant infusion that’s lightly sweetened for balance. The result is a refreshing blend of fruity brightness and herbal coolness, with the tea’s subtle depth tying it all together.
Why You Should Visit Irama Dining
At Irama Dining, both Malaysian guests and international visitors are welcomed to experience the heart of Malaysia culture through food. For the local patrons, it’s a chance to rediscover perfected flavors of home—where grandmother’s recipes meet modern presentation in a space celebrating our nation’s layered history. For our overseas friends, consider this your passport to authentic Malay cuisine: let century-old recipes like satay and rendang—served beneath the glow of the KL Tower—be your delicious introduction to Malaysia’s rich culinary heritage.
5 reasons you should not miss Irama Dining
✅ Historic Old Malaya building with British-style charm
✅ Authentic Malay cuisine that showcases local flavors
✅ KL Tower views from the upstairs dining area (best at night!)
✅ Recipes crafted with locally-sourced ingredients, just like tradition demands
✅ Perfect for international visitors wanting a taste of Malaysia’s culture
Make your reservation now for the: Real food. Real history. Real Malaysian moments. Open daily except Monday from 12pm to 10pm.
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Direction to Irama Dining Kuala Lumpur
