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A DIFFERENT VIBE
Out and about in the Malaysian capital? Check out these five places for
a taste of the city’s trendy and cosmopolitan side
PHOTOS BY
MUHAMMAD HIDAYATULLAH
C
ool isn’t a word that
automatically comes to
mind when describing KL.
The city is better known for
its homegrown cuisine (curry laksa,
anyone?) and heritage buildings — a
railway station built in the Mughal
architectural style, a Persian-
influenced KLCCmosque — both made
unique by the city’s multicultural DNA.
But something new is adding even
more texture to the Malaysian capital
— away fromBukit Bintang’s touristy
row of large malls and souvenir shops,
pockets of decidedly contemporary
establishments are popping up in the
side streets all over the city. However
far apart these new pockets of cool
are, an unspoken agenda — to play,
experiment and be adventurous —
seems to bind them. Think inventive
twists to cocktails; modern takes on
comfort food; personal touches to
fashionable items. The buzz these new
KL’s cool factor
WITH REPORTS FROM NEAL ESTAVILLO
