Chinatown of Kuala Lumpur, or Bangladeshi town???

Have you ever been to Chinatown or some called it as Petaling Street? Well, my last visit to this Chinatown was back 8 years ago and the fried chestnut smell, pirated VCD sellers and young Chinese guy whispering if I need a porn VCD (Called as "Blue") a among my personal memories of this place.

My recent visit to Petaling Street was very interesting. Maybe not for shopping (as I know I will get ripped off), but for sight seeing and join the crowd. I was there around 5.00pm and some sellers are just started with their outlets or selling partitions. As usual, this Petaling Street is a tourist places especially the Middle Easterners, Whites and Asians and good negotiation skills is truly needed. Not to worry, all sellers speak a good Malaysian English. 

What you can find in Petaling Street?

Fake cheap items

This reminds me to my last year article about fake cheap items in Ben Thanh Market in Vietnam. Well, the scenario is almost the same. many years ago, the seller of those fake cheap items are Chinese sellers. But now, I will say the Chinese seller now get richer and now can hire Bangladeshi or Nepalese to take care their business. So, should I call this place as Chinatown or Banglatown? 

Anyway, you name it, they have it. Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Coach are among the famous fake cheap items available here. It is very funny when a Middle Easterner women ask the seller, "Can I have the Prada please?" and I just smile and walk away.

Flowers

I have many friends who own restaurants in Kuala Lumpur city centre. Many of them said that the flowers from the florists at Chinatown offered a cheaper deal for them. A bouquet of flowers with 3 roses, and bunch of leaves and small flowers will cost you around RM15. A bigger bouquet of flower will cost you around RM40 and above. Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!

Chinese Food

Yes. There are a lot of Chinese foods available in Chinatown. Perhaps the price is KL standard, but the standard is still there. Browse around the sidewalk of Petaling street, you will find many hawkers selling delicious noodle, fried rice and seafood. Beer, maybe not as cheap as in Thailand, Cambodia or Vietnam, but you can have one or two glasses of beer instead.

Fruits

You can get some local fruits such as banana, mango, mangoesteen, durian and mandarin oranges in Chinatown. 

Fruits Seller, Chinatown

Drinks

If u feel thirsty, there are many street vendor selling cool drinks such as Longan Drink (Air Mata Kucing), Fresh Coconut Drink and Soya Bean Drink. 

Roasted Chestnut 

The shining chestnut will be heaped in a high mounds and waiting for its turn for roasting. The roaster will keep spinning and slowly roast the chestnut with good smell of coffee and butter. if you walk to the centre part of the Chinatown, the good smell of roasted chestnut will firstly come to your nose. 

Delicious Mua Chee

This Mua Chee is very popular. The seller, Madam Tang had been selling in Petaling Street for nearly 50 years. While busy preparing this peanut and flour base Chinese cake, her mouth will be continuously pitching her customers. Plus, this cake is halal for her Muslim customers. 

Overall, Chinatown still haven't change since last 8 years ago. The only thing is, there are more and more Nepalese, Pakistanese and Bangladeshi taking over the business here. The Petaling Street still have it's charm, and I will definitely come again for more food tasting instead of shopping. ENJOY KL!