Liku-Likoo – New Cafe in Bukit Bintang KL
Words: Tracy Arensberg
Photos: Matt Wehner
If you ask co-owner Sinleon Ng to explain the “concept” of the new cafe and eatery Liku-Likoo, which sits squarely between Bukit Bintang and Pudu, you are not going to get a quick answer. Instead, he will share an engaging story of growing a business in the pandemic era and maintaining a philosophy of resourcefulness by using the artful aesthetics of what is already in place to create a unique dining experience.
This idea works beautifully at Liku-Likoo, where the unfinished surfaces of brick, concrete, and salvaged lumber dominate the interior. Light pours in through open-air walls and illuminates the two-level interior space. Massive helicopter-wing ceiling fans keep the air moving, keeping the tropical foliage around the perimeter of the dining area swaying like in the understory of a tropical jungle.
On the back wall, there is an array of herbs in jars and aged wooden drawers that might make you wonder if you have stepped into a 19th-century Chinese apothecary. Climb up to the upstairs loft, and you will be greeted by more tables and oversized leather couches that invite patrons to linger. Peer through the window of the room behind the loft and you see a space filled with potions brewing; glass carboys with kombucha at various stages of development. In this “kombucha lab,” sweet tea is converted into a fizzy, refreshing beverage with the help of yeast and bacteria.
Drinks Menu
The drinks are indeed a reason to linger at Liku-Likoo. The kombucha is available by the glass right from the tap at the bar or in glass hip flasks. One sip of the iced beverage and our group shared smiles all around. We enjoyed the chrysanthemum kombucha but were also curious to sample the other flavours on tap, including pineapple and passionfruit (RM11-13). The coffee, roasted in-house just adjacent to the kombucha lab, is available whole bean or ground and brewed to your liking. Each hot drink selection featured a rich aroma and a frothy cap of milk foam: Matcha Latte (RM16), Hot Chocolate (RM16), and a classic Latte (RM12).
Liku-Likoo Menu
Most of our team agreed that the Nasi Ulam with Grilled Chicken and Percik Sauce, Beef Rendang, and Eggplant Pomodoro (RM 42) highlighted the best offerings of the kitchen at Liku-Likoo. As a person still new to traditional Malay cuisine, I was interested to learn about the Nasi Ulam and the myriad ingredients mixed in with the rice, including (but not limited to) torch ginger, hot chilli, and braided coconut. The mixture was surrounded by a nest of slow-cooked rendang, grilled meat and tomato-laden eggplant. With a fork and spoon, we tinkered with combining various flavours in each bite. The adventurous members of our group also added the sambal sauce, which was sharply spicy and salty thanks to the chilis and dried fish ground into the mixture.
The Pomodoro Pasta (RM24) and Pesto Pasta with Housemade Chicken Sausage (RM34) reflected the Italian influence in the kitchen. Both dishes featured ample parmesan cheese, and the bright green pesto especially popped with fresh herb flavour. Either could be made vegetarian by omitting the sausage.
The Chicken Cutlets with Fries (RM 16) were deeply satisfying and best enjoyed hot out of the kitchen. The orange batter was crisp, and not a drop of oil was in sight. A squeeze of lemon was an excellent finish.
Slow-cooked Chicken Rendang (RM 20) and Beef Rendang (RM 24) were fork-splittingly tender—an absolute taste explosion. They inspire me to make a promise to myself to learn the secret recipes of a great rendang during my post here in Malaysia. Food this good deserves to be understood, replicated, and shared.
Reasons to visit Liku-Likoo: The dappled sunlight entering the industrial space with apothecary-adorned walls makes for great photo opportunities or just a backdrop to a lazy afternoon sipping coffee. The menu is limited in the way that reflects the desire to do a handful of dishes very well. The Nasi Ulam is a delightful centrepiece for the grilled or slow-cooked offerings. Transport yourself, enjoy the space and take some whole coffee beans home in the refillable vessel that looks best suited for a potion from another era.
Liku-Likoo
56 Lorong 1, 77a Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah
55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+60 116 281 5355
Link to Liku-Likoo on Google Maps
@liku_likoo
*Vegetarian Options
Liku-Likoo Opening Hours
Daily: 12-10pm
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