What the fish? Tracing KL’s undying love for Kari Kepala Ikan

WHEN you think of authentic Kuala Lumpur cuisine, there is no singular dish that is able to be proudly identified as a staple – not even nasi lemak. 

While it is a national dish, and much like roti canai, they are considered as common go-to(s) when one simply does not want to contemplate too much over what to eat.

However, this article is about more than that. 

This is because the variety of local cuisines in Kuala Lumpur itself is celebrated widely, due to the melange and cross cultural overlap which equally translates into what is deemed palatable among KL-ites.

In all honesty, each pocket of KL’s booming residential and commercial areas have their own champion meal.

As any true-blue foodie would attempt to do, the writer went down on the ground to discover what is considered palatable among local tongues and tummies.

Savouring memories

Whilst on a separate assignment for the Lens KL project, the first indication of what has stood the test of time according to the people of Kuala Lumpur is its peculiar love for a rich, punchy and filling dish known as Kari Kepala Ikan, aka Fish Head Curry.

A security personnel in his 60s, who was on nightwatch guarding the iconic Stadium Merdeka, was the first to point out that there was a famous spot where locals would get their fix back in the late 20th century at the now gone Merdeka Park.

Growing up, he would frequent the stall, detailing the fond memories he had in his yesteryears. 

“My father was in the military, and we lived somewhere in Sg Besi. So growing up, he would never fail to bring us to the park every weekend. 

“Of course, later with ‘Kari Kepala Ikan Stadium Merdeka’ groomed into becoming its own establishment, the motivations for me going to the area changed,” he said.

Since the public park eventually became a carpark, and today, the site of Merdeka 118, the supposed retiree pointed us to where the eatery had relocated and recommended other food joints that offer similar, but distinct, fish head curry experiences.

Upon further research, we found that the stall has a branch in Titiwangsa Sentral. Sadly, our latest ‘spotcheck’ found that the eatery has since closed down. No one within the area seemed to know of what had happened to the place and if it had moved (again).

Sixty-three year-old Ahmad Mokhtar Osman shared that when he used to work with DBKL, he would have his meals at the restaurant at its original domain for lunch, back in the late 70s.

“It started with a humble stall before moving into a proper premise, and what’s great about the place is that they make fresh batches of curry daily so there is no saving and reserving batches from previous days.

“Even when they opened a branch while still operating at the site within the city centre, the taste is not the same. 

“Since the place is no longer around, I now go to a spot that is famous in Petaling Jaya. I don’t think it’s of the same owner, but irrespective it checks well with my appetite."

To note, there is a particular restaurant called Restoran Stadium Merdeka located along Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, but the eatery is in fact a Chinese seafood restaurant. We could only assume that it carries the ‘Stadium Merdeka’ name by coincidence seeing how prominent such a name is.

A craving that can’t be broken

Our food trail certainly came to a bittersweet pause after finding out the unknown legacy of a dish from a stall well loved by many. The build up of word-of-mouth accounts and findings was cut short of excitement.

That said, life goes on and cravings of KL dwellers are easily satisfied because options are aplenty. It is among what makes this city so flavourfully robust.  

Among the leads that the writer gathered, a trip to Restoran ZK situated in Kg Attap had to be made to understand the craze surrounding Kari Kepala Ikan.

True enough, we weren’t disappointed with our visit as of course a long queue greeted us as we entered the eatery.

Aside from the lunch crowd that was not fazed by the line as they attempted to get food on their plate to dine-in, you might also be surprised by the enormous plastic takeaway containers provided to customers to pack their selected size of fish head curry to comfortably bring back home.

Azhar Derani came all the way with his motorbike from Bandar Tun Razak and said he would get his cravings satisfied at least once every two months.

“Different people have different picks for where to get the best Kari Kepala Ikan, I love this place because I have been coming here for decades since I worked with the land office in the city.

“Today, I’m bringing home two containers. My family members all love the dish prepared here (at Restoran ZK) so it’s an easy choice when we pick what we want to eat – cost aside,” added the Perak-born sixty-nine year-old.

“I have eaten the famous Stadium Merdeka version, and the many others, all of which have distinct flavours. It’s just about preference really.”

Talking about preferences, browsing around KL now with the information gathered will definitely make you more attentive to the variety of restaurants promoting this signature dish.

We even managed to try the dish at KL’s beloved Restoran Kampung Pandan Kari Kepala Ikan, which opened in the late 70s, and is still a proudly run family business.

Successful meals come from the heart

Restoran ZK founder and owner Hj Zabarullah Khan sat down to talk about his early days starting up his restaurant.

“We were actually located at the carpark just in front of the current space where it was a small stall, but we definitely have been here for ages,” he said.

“Previously I had a restaurant at Taman Connaught, where I’d sell normal ‘goreng-goreng’ (fried) mamak food, which I am still selling today.

“Then, after observing neighbouring restaurants, most of which where specialising in Chinese cuisine and saw how interestingly well their business was doing. I noticed they usually prepare set-like meals.

“I took some pointers from my observations and decided to create a specialised dish which the restaurant would eventually have a signature on the menu. The rest of it was history.

“Malaysians in general love nasi campur (mixed rice) and grew up knowing nasi kandar (a specialty dish from the northern parts of the peninsular). 

“I think why Kari Kepala Ikan specifically is so popular is that the ingredients are just infused with fresh herbs and spices. This is then coupled with the best selection of fish that provide a flavour profile that is welcomed by many. 

“We also make our food fresh because we only want the best for the customers. At the end of the day, if we are honest, it is what makes our operations last,” he added.

Zabarullah now lives in Shah Alam, but makes a trip to be at the restaurant daily just to make sure operations and quality are well kept.

“It’s not so much about not trusting my staff or micro-managing. In fact, some of the people working here have been with me since they were in their late teens, now with families of their own.

“I believe the key to being in the restaurant business is not just passion but the time you are willing to put in with your presence,” he said.

“Thankfully we were able to ride through the pandemic, and now are in the works of expanding to take over two new shop lots along the same stretch to accommodate the business.

“With the recent pandemic, we have done deliveries but the best is still for our customers to come to the restaurant physically and enjoy their meals here while it is hot,” he added.

Indeed, the discussion surrounding winning the hearts of many through their stomachs has never been more evident through this particular assignment.

What allows businesses (including the product or service it promotes) to survive is the support of the community it serves.

Perhaps, the undying love for a dish seen so special to the people of KL, even though it does not claim to originate from the city, lies in how harmonious a plate can bring people from all walks of life together.

Plan your own Kari Kepala Ikan fix next, and you will find this realisation out for yourself. – The Vibes, May 29, 2022

* This article is part of a series of content produced for Lens KL, The Vibes Culture & Lifestyle’s fortnightly series that sheds light on the past, present and future aspirations of Kuala Lumpur.