Sek Yuen Restaurant was established by Phang Shue Tang, Phang Chew Kan and Phang Meng Yun in 1948 and remains one of the few old-style Chinese eateries to uphold both quality and tradition. Their dining area can feel either vintage and nostalgic or fresh and bright depending on where you sit – depending on which seating arrangement is chosen for an experience that satisfies either criteria.
Our menu was extensive, from raw fish (known in Malay as Ikan Mentah) to glutinous rice dishes. We ordered chicken jumps over the wall soup, steamed sea cucumber fish and steamed glutinous rice with Chinese sausages – which all were excellent choices.
Authentic Cantonese cuisine
Sek Yuen is one of the oldest surviving restaurants in KL, serving some of the finest Chinese cuisine around. Their Pipa Duck is unmissable; in addition, there’s Dudan shrimp and Nandai full pig on their menu – perfect if you want a nostalgic ambience and old world atmosphere with simple yet tasty food options!
Interior of The KopiTiam Restaurant: simple. Classic kopitiam chairs and tables have stood the test of time, along with black-and-white photos of founders and important events adorning walls. A mix of old hands and newcomers serve customers promptly; waiters are friendly as well!
At Jalan Pudu’s heart lies one of the last remaining old-school Chinese restaurants. Beginning as a push cart selling wantan mee in a hawker center in 1948, this restaurant now spans five shop lots with seating capacity of up to 800 diners. Established by Phang Shue Tang, Phang Chew Kan and Phang Meng Yun; today still run by their family today.
Famous for their classic dishes, the restaurant is well-known for their eight Treasures Duck and Special Stir Fry Egg with Seafood and Crab Meat dishes as well as Cold Jelly Chicken and Butterflied Roast Duck dishes. Their cozy atmosphere provides customers with red tablecloths and wooden chairs at tables covering red tablecloths – parking space can also be found in their back alley while some shop lots feature air conditioning units.
Old-school stalwarts
One of KL’s oldest restaurants, Sek Yuen was opened near Jalan Pudu by three brothers named Phang Chew Kan, Phang Meng Yun and Phang Shue Tang in 1948 near Jalan Pudu. Over 60 years later it still retains an old-world charm which makes dining here such a special experience; tables feature wooden chairs covered with vintage tablecloths; walls are decorated with black-and-white photos from diners decades earlier; the cavernous kitchen still functions over wood fires!
Food at Eight Treasure Duck and Yu Sheng Noodles is packed with punch and flavour thanks to garlic, oyster sauce, and siu heng wine – three classic elements used in Chinese banquets of years gone by. Meanwhile, their service staff all boast silver haired servers who know just what to do for an exceptional dining experience! The Four Seasons platter takes diners back to classic Chinese banquets of yesteryear while Eight Treasure Duck is an exceptional New Year dish! Furthermore, service from servers all aged 60 or more with silver locks and deft fingers ready to please.
During the pandemic, Sek Yuen restaurant encountered its greatest obstacle. Their traditional shared-dish approach wasn’t suitable for deliveries, causing up to 80% of their business to evaporate. Thankfully, Yew Kee’s team had enough foresight to revamp the menu with quality single-dish meals that could easily be packaged and transported; and began using social media as a marketing strategy to promote them further.
Old-school ambience
Since 1948, Sek Yuen Restaurant has been an institution in Kuala Lumpur’s hawker center area. Soon thereafter, however, its brothers who owned it moved it into its current permanent shop lot on Jalan Pudu. Over time they expanded the menu while still keeping its original canteen style shack intact, decorated with original items and black-and-white pictures of the founders. Today it can seat 800 diners on five separate shop lots along Jalan Pudu! Founded by two brothers named Xin Guo.
Sek Yuen’s longstanding history has allowed it to maintain an old-world charm. Sitting in either of its air-conditioned spaces will transport you back in time – you might even witness cooks using wooden blocks for steaming rice! Such an experience would have been unthinkable in modern restaurants.
Not only is the restaurant known for its charming ambience, but also for serving some of the city’s most delicious cuisine. Their sweet and sour pork is delicious – not floury or batter-heavy – with plum sauce and tomatoes that taste truer to life than ever. Eight-treasure duck is another must-try dish.
Contrary to many newer establishments that have opened recently, this place has not attempted to make changes for their own sake and its prices remain comparable with newer restaurants – making it a favorite among many locals because of its affordable Chinese cuisine.
Family-owned
Established in 1948 by three brothers Phang Chew Kan, Phang Meng Yun and Phang Shue Tang, Sek Yuen is an enduring tradition Cantonese restaurant located in KL and still serving dishes according to original recipes from 48 years ago. A visit here promises an experience unlike any other!
Once inside, you will be transported back in time as the interior features nostaligic kopitiam chairs and tables, walls with black-and-white pictures, stainless steel standing fans that have been around for decades, as well as wood-fire stoves used by chefs to prepare delicious food despite time passing by.
Not to be missed among Cantonese foodies is Pipa Roasted Duck, which has become one of the signature dishes. Crafted using giant charcoal-fried ovens and finished off with crisp skin for optimal crunchiness and moist yet flavoursome meat, other dishes include mock shark fin in fried scrambled eggs accompanied by raw lettuce; Lup Mei glutinous rice made special during Chinese New Year with waxed duck and Chinese sausage are other must-tries!
Though now larger and featuring two locations, the restaurant remains under the direction of Phang family members – specifically its third generation leadership who have expanded it with an air-conditioned dining area next door.