A taste of traditional Malay cuisine from Hening

Off the eaten track, 3 handsome abang – Irham, Ehsan and Syariman – have banded together to open Hening in a lovely vintage bungalow off Jalan Damai in Kuala Lumpur. Decor has been kept simple, original rooms and terrazo floors retained and walls decorated with local artwork. The sprawling garden is perfect for events or al fresco dining, weather permitted.

With an aim to raise the bar on traditional Malay cuisine and making it accessible cuisine for locals and tourists alike, Hening offers mainstays such as Ikan Asam Pedas and Daging Masak Lomak to state specialties like Pekasam and Daging Batang Pinang Bakar Air Asam.

The beef (masak lemak daging bakar), came in flavourful creamy santan-rich turmeric gravy which was not too concentrated. I expected the Ikan Asam Pedas to be spicier but it had a low-grade burn, easy on the tongue for those who can’t handle the heat.

The Kerabu Limau Bali had  Thai accents, featuring spicy sour pomelo salad. Pekasam, a unique fermented fish dish cooked with ground roasted rice, had a strong full-on tangy funky salted fish taste with a hint of sour, crispy gritty rice bits, accompanied by sauted onions and sliced chilli. Takes a bit of getting used to, but once you learn to appreciate this, it’s  wonderful together with the hot basmati rice wrapped in banana leaf.  

The Daging Batang Pinang Bakar Air Asam were delicious too, skewers of grilled tenderloin served with tamarind sauce with chopped tomatoes and onion in it.

Food is good, very reasonably priced and the ambience perfect for a family meal or to bring visitors getting acquainted with Malay food.

They also open for tea time with local kuih as snacks and you can book the bungalow for celebrative events as well. 

What’s even more interesting is that the house also acts as a living gallery displaying artworks with Malaysian scenes for diners to enjoy by local artists; all these are also up for sale. 

Hening, which means peaceful or tranquil in Malay, is certainly worth the visit, both for the food and the setting.

Add: 56, Lorong Damai 1, Jalan Damai Off Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur. hp: 017-31 6964