Maju Palace (CLOSED)

This halal dim sum institution is one of the places that proved sceptics wrong by showing that yes, it’s possible to serve pork-free dim sum in KL, and delicious ones at that. The kitchen at Maju Palace makes up for the absent porcine factor with its emphasis on texture and flavour. For example, the siu mai is made with minced chicken thigh meat and shrimp for a springier bite, while the smooth and briny red crab porridge is a great replacement for the usual pork ribs and century egg porridge. The poached river carp medallions, served in a clear broth of ginger, mushroom and spring onions, are another testament to the focus on flavours at this dim sum house.

For the fried stuff, the deep-fried eggplant with chicken floss, pan-fried radish cake and fried enoki mushrooms are pretty addictive. If you need more incentive to head there for a leisurely weekend dim sum brunch, Maju Palace offers a 20 percent discount on weekends.