Eat street: Jalan Alor

MANILA, Philippines - At night, Jalan Alor turns into a seemingly endless stretch of food stalls and open-air restaurants. The side street, located in Kuala Lumpur’s former red-light district and running parallel to Changkat Bukit Bintang, may seem like a tourist trap.

With a noticeable absence of fancy decor, mood lighting and crisp tablecloths, it’s the culinary treats — cooked in a furious fashion and eaten while perched on rickety plastic stools — that truly draw the tide of people. Competition for patrons is fierce and staff will not hesitate to encourage you to sit down, so it’s probably best to look around before picking a place, preferably one with the most traffic flow.

Bak kut teh, a soup made with pork ribs, infused with cinnamon and star anise and loaded with dried shiitake mushrooms and tofu puffs, is something to order — and consume — with enthusiasm. There, too, are the al fresco standbys:  grilled chicken wings, beef skewers and black pepper crab. It was my first time to sample stingray, barbecued and served with a sambal chili and turmeric dressing, and I found it to be perfect.

Aside from being thick with charcoal smoke, the air is pungent with the distinct smell of durian. While I’m not a fan, I’ve been told that these buttery yellow pods are creamier, sweeter, and more floral than the ones in the Philippines. I guess that, as with all divisive foods, once you’re hooked, there’s really no looking back.

As Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail, mayor of Kuala Lumpur, says in the KL Good Food Guide, “Selamat menjamu selera!” or “Happy eating!”