Best workday lunch spots in Damansara Uptown

When your craving hits, there’s no avoiding the nasi lemak institution that is Village Park, even if it means squeezing through the crowd. But if you want to keep your sanity intact (and your office attire sweat-free), you’d need to avoid the peak lunch hours – so get here before 11.30am or wait until after 2.30pm. The reward is worth it: fluffy and fragrant coconut rice, sweet and spicy sambal, and the perfect fried chicken.

Capital offers one of the most authentic nasi dagang this side of the peninsular. You could go for the default nasi dagang with gulai ikan tongkol, or choose to pair the coconut milk brown rice with chicken curry, beef rendang, prawn curry or sotong. There are also nasi kerabu (choose your side: ikan percik, ayam percik, chicken rendang or fried chicken) and laksa, as well as laksam on Friday and the weekends.

Ayam goreng berempah on a bed of fluffy steamed rice, doused in curry and topped with a dollop of spicy sambal, accompanied by slivers of pineapple – what more could you want for a cheap, fast and fuss-free lunch? And to stave off the heat – from both the sambal and the afternoon sun – go for their ice-blended coconut shake; they throw in a scoop of vanilla ice cream as well for good measure.

Come here if you’re feeling indecisive. Because aside from the Menglembu wantan mee, which they are famous for, Annie 1’s extensive menu covers everything from curry mee, Hakka mee and nasi sambal ikan bilis (with pork curry!) to fried rice, toast, tong sui and chee cheong fun. Even their wantan mee come in 13 variations, each with different accompaniments such as braised chicken feet, stewed spare ribs, oyster sauce chicken, char siew and more.

Formerly known as Iku, this homey Japanese restaurant is popular with family dinners over the weekends. But come lunch on weekdays, you get to sample the simple but filling teppanyaki bento box for just RM13.50. Choices include fried udon, shrimp fried rice, teppanyaki beef, Japanese fried chicken and more. Add RM1 for iced green tea or RM3 for fruit juice.

Sure, it's a chain but the lunch set is a good deal. You can get an assam pedas claypot set (choose from tenggiri, pari or ikan kembung) complete with rice, ulam, half a salted egg and a drink for just RM13.50. There are other choices on the menu too; nasi lemak, fried rice with fried chicken, ayam masak merah with rice and more, all for less than RM10.

There are several zhap fan outlets in Damansara Uptown but Home Kitchen is one of the best, based on three counts: the canteen-like setting looks cosy, comfortable and proper; the food are presented well in metal trays complete with labels; plus the dishes have a home-cooked quality to them, with no MSG or colouring. There are also special dishes here that aren’t usually found at other similar restaurants, ie salted egg fried chicken, Thai-style pickled pork ears, stir-fried chicken with sambal and more. Don’t forget to help yourself to the free soup and drinking water.

Superthai’s set lunch comes with tom yum soup and a drink. Prices range from RM15 (pad Thai, minced pork basil noodles, green curry chicken rice, etc) to RM20 (the Nasi Superthai Special is like a platter of the café’s most popular dishes: salt and pepper squid, barbecue pork belly, green curry chicken and more).

A selection of the café’s most popular dishes are offered as set lunch for just RM11.90, complete with a drink. However, these dishes – including spicy kimchi rice, onsen carbonara, banana French toast – are simplified versions of their à la carte portions.

Give yourself a caffeine jolt on the cheap. Baristar, a tiny takeaway coffee bar, offers the cheapest espresso coffee in the area. A long black, piccolo latte or green tea latte will only set you back RM5.