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The opening of the Cochrane MRT station was wonderfully timed too. MRT users now have easy and safe access to three popular shopping malls within the vicinity. IKEA / MyTOWN is about 200 metres (m) from the station while Sunway Velocity is about 800 metres away. Aeon Big Peel Road is approximately 650 metres.
An underground pedestrian walkway, connecting MyTOWN and the Cochrane Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station, is expected to open soon. Meanwhile, those alighting from Cochrane MRT could just exit the station and cross the road into MyTOWN Shopping Centre which is linked to IKEA Cheras.
IKEA Cheras is 20 per cent larger than its Mutiara Damansara counterpart and here’s the gleeful part — the IKEA food hall is likewise bigger, not to mention better-looking too, mimicking the look and feel of an IKEA designed space rather than a plain cafeteria.
It is cool too that here, kids up to the age of 12 months are given free baby food with purchase of any adult meal. The free flow of coffee is a blessing in the mornings and IKEA’s popular hotdogs, curry puff and the vanilla ice cream are now closer to KL/Cheras folks.
Breakfast and lunch options are pretty much confined to MyTOWN and IKEA but once the sun sets, the locals throng the Jalan Peel hawker street as well as the 50 year-old Restoran Queen’s for cheap, delicious hawker delicacies. The majority of the hawkers have been operating for decades and some are third generation family members.
Jahabar Ali, the 3rd generation vendor for the sup kambing /mutton soup stall said he has been there for 10 years. I took a sip of his rich, savoury broth, heady with spices and was hooked. Each piece of meat was tender yet has a bit of bite. A thick toast to soak up the soup is a common practice.
David, the affable chap manning the Lucky Pau stall, is perpetually busy. In addition to dine-ins for his dim sum, his regulars buy fresh, handmade pau in bulk. I’m personally a fan too, having tried about seven sweet and savoury varieties and finding them generously stuffed with tasty fillings.
Both stalls deserve special mention as cheap, non-commercial, handmade pau and sup kambing as gratifying as Jahabar’s are increasingly difficult to come by.
Other favourites in Queen’s are satay, chicken wings and the cooked-to-order “dai chow” dishes where steamed fish is the specialty.
Some of the hawkers here operate as early as 2.30pm but evenings are your best bet for variety.
Hence, daylight sustenance in this area might be a better bet within IKEA and MyTOWN. Truth be told, the MyTOWN food and beverage offerings are satisfactory. You have the crowd favourites like Rakuzen, Sushi Zanmai and The Chicken Rice Shop.
Then there are the familiar local kopitiam outlets like The Teh Tarik Place and Papparich. As expected of a mall, international cuisine such as Korean, Western, Thai, Hong Kong and Vietnamese are available too.
Food Empire is the mall’s food court and the variety is fair with most dishes priced below RM10. The spacious space, with its hanging bicycles and green foliage décor, radiates a relaxed and playful vibe which makes for a nice dining experience.
For budget Japanese and Western dining, head to the Village Grocer Food Hall. The prepacked meals as well as cooked-to-order ones comprising pastas, roast meats and sandwiches are going for less than RM20.
From the numerous standalone eateries, Hill Street Coffee Shop stand out for being one of the few (perhaps the only one!) outlets within Klang Valley to offer Singaporean local favourites. In fact, this is their first branch out of Singapore.
I’ve always been a fan of Singapore Hokkien mee and bak chor mee (minced pork noodles), so I was delighted to find both on the menu. Other items worth considering include the pork belly mantou and the traditional Singapore Laksa.
LRT/MRT: Cochrane
Distance: 260 metres
Operating hours: 10am to 10pm.
