Sek Yuen Restaurant in Jalan Pudu was established in 1948 and quickly became a local landmark known for their Cold Jelly Chicken and Pei Pa Duck dishes.
Yee Sang (RM24 small), featuring snow pear instead of turnips, spring onions, and cilantro; as well as sang yue or snake head fish marinated with ginger slices in light plum sauce are some of the highlights of their menu.
Authentic Cantonese cuisine
Sek Yuen Restaurant is an iconic family-run establishment with decades of history, serving classic Chinese fare in an amicable atmosphere. Boasting original kopitiam chairs and tables as well as an almost unchanged building that dates back nearly seven decades, Sek Yuen exudes old world charm that can be hard to come by in modern KL.
Though it has since expanded, its original branch still offers an authentic Chinese dining experience with long forgotten Cantonese dishes that you won’t find elsewhere on its extensive menu.
Be sure to try their Pei Pa duck (crispy skin roast duck), which is first boiled before being slowly roasted until tender. Enjoy this succulent duck served with traditional sweetish bean sauce dip! Plus, the restaurant offers an impressive array of seafood and vegetable dishes!
Restaurant also features unique dishes like Eight Treasure Duck, cold jelly chicken and Yusheng which is a Chinese New Year dish composed of raw fish and noodles. One of few restaurants still using wood-fire stoves to prepare their food gives their meals an exquisite flavor that cannot be replicated elsewhere; their steamed chicken with Kai Lan in light soy sauce as well as deep fried hai jo balls made up of meat wrapped inside bean curd skin are both outstanding dishes too!
Old-school stalwarts
Visit Sek Yuen Restaurant on Jalan Pudu if you want a taste of history in KL – one of the oldest surviving restaurants since 1948, founded by three brothers but now managed by over 80 descendants from their original family. They specialize in Old Style authentic Chinese food such as Pipa Roasted Duck; delicious Eight Treasure Duck; cold jelly fish served with steamed chicken; as well as one of the best Yee Sangs ever with snow pear strips, spring onions, parsley leaves, homemade crackers and sesame seeds served alongside light plum sauce.
Since its opening, this restaurant has remained at the same location, still filled with original trinkets and photos that date back decades. A time capsule from yesteryear that serves up mouthwatering dishes. Rarely is one place able to maintain both quality and tradition – Sek Yuen stands as proof.
Long lines at this classic Chinese establishment attest to its immense popularity. Situated in an air-conditioned section, this restaurant provides an immersive dining experience and boasts critically acclaimed dishes such as steamed gelatine chicken and jellyfish, fried scrambled egg with raw lettuce wrap, stuffed 8 treasure duck and special lup mei glutinous rice.
Family-run business
Sek Yuen has been operating continuously since 1948. Beginning as a push cart selling Wantan Mee in a hawker center, Sek Yuen eventually transformed into an authentic Cantonese restaurant located along Jalan Pudu and offering authentic Cantonese cuisine. Boasting an elegant interior featuring antique decor such as original artifacts and photos lining its walls as well as wooden tablecloth seating, Sek Yuen offers an extensive menu, from tasty Pei Pa Duck to the less common Paper Wrapped Chicken dish which requires call-in orders at least 24 hours in advance but sure to satisfy!
People flocked to Sek Yuen for the delicious food and unique atmosphere back in its day, which combined garlic and oyster sauce with homey touches like tender tofu and fish paste, creating an indelible memory of home cooking. Plus, its traditional wood-fire stoves added depth of flavor; in fact, some family members doubled up as woodcutters to keep its stoves going!
Sek Yuen provides an old-school dining experience like no other restaurant can, serving classic New Year dishes like Eight Treasure Duck and Yusheng noodles for good luck – both New Years traditions! Plus, their staff is exceptionally welcoming; some speak only basic English but that only adds charm!
Good value
If you enjoy Chinese cuisine, Sek Yuen is an unmissable experience. Established over fifty years ago and managed by its original family owners, they offer unsurpassed consistency in preparing classic Cantonese fare through 100% wood-fired cooking to maintain authentic flavors. Their expansive menu offers many unique offerings.
Sek Yuen Restaurant first opened for business along Jalan Pudu in 1948 by three brothers Phang Chew Kan, Phang Meng Yun, and Phang Shue Tang. Today it remains one of KL’s oldest surviving restaurants, still boasting old world charm with walls lined with black-and-white photos and staff wearing vintage uniforms.
Dining at this classic establishment feels like entering another time machine. The original building hasn’t changed much for over seven decades, while wooden tables bear wear marks from their years of use. And waiters and chefs may look older than they actually are; yet many remain fitter and agile than most young adults today.
We ordered several dishes to share, including the famous Pipa Roasted Duck. Its crispy exterior was balanced by its succulent interior, served with an irresistibly tasty sauce of vinegar, oyster sauce and siu heng wine. Also outstanding was Sweet and Sour Pork which proved quite succulent compared to what often is available from China – being tender yet batter-heavy in texture.