11 Restaurants In KL For Spicy Food Lovers: From Mala Hotpot To Tomyum And Indonesian Food

Eunis Ong

Last updated 21 Mar 2024

Photo Credits: @thedoubleeaters, @makanmaintengok, @sergerange

Do You Add Chilli To Everything?

This list is for those who always need that extra spice in their life. Test your spice-o-meter by having a taste of the spiciest burger in Malaysia, our favourite mala hotpot spot in Klang Valley, and Indonesian fried chicken tossed with a sambal made with some of the world's spiciest peppers!

We've included a variety of options from Indian to Chinese, Thai, and even Indonesian cuisine - satisfy your pedas-loving tastebuds by popping by these restaurants:

Restoran De Hunan
Kotak Plus (halal)
Salt & Pepper Restaurant (halal)
Xiao Long Kan Hotpot
Nasi Dulang Daun Pisang (halal)
Little Rara Thai Noodle House (halal)
Betel Leaf (halal)
Gajaa At 8 (halal)
Dalongyi Hotpot
Restoran Sichuan Cuisine
Kuanzhai Alley

Enjoy Up To 60% Off Your Bill With Food Deals On Klook!

Restaurants For Spicy Food Lovers

1. Restoran De Hunan 湖南湘菜馆

While most people know Sichuan for its spicy food, the cuisine from Hunan, China is arguably even spicier, with dynamic flavours that will tingle your taste buds (and most importantly, are not just the numbing kind of spicy). Located in Kuchai Lama, Restoran De Hunan is a must-try for spicy food and Chinese food lovers! The menu here consists of a wide-variety of spicy (as well as non-spicy) dishes, some that look slightly intimidating, with bright red chilies piled on top.

You can choose the spiciness level for most of the dishes here, some of the popular items on the menu include the spicy steamed fish head, lamb skewers, tofu with salted egg, stir-fried cabbage, and deep-fried chicken with dried chilies. The appearance and smell of these dishes will be enough to make you salivate!

Address: 2, Jalan Kuchai Maju 6, Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park, 58200 Kuala Lumpur

2. Kotak Plus, SS15

Kotak serves up humble Indonesia fare with a spicy kick that's not for the faint-hearted. This cosy Indonesian restaurant in SS15 is famous for their Ayam Geprek (Indonesian fried chicken crushed and mixed with sambal) with a spicy level up to ten! Kotak apparently uses ghost chilli peppers (one of the spicest peppers in the world) in their sambal, which is then tossed with the chicken, resulting in a fiery dish that will put your spice tolerance to test. Soothe your burning tongue with free-flow soup when the spice starts kicking in - there are also non-spicy dishes like cheesy ayam geprek, bakso, and mi sedaap!

Address: 10, Jalan SS 15/8b, Ss 15, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor

3. Salt & Pepper Restaurant

Salt & Pepper definitely uses more than just salt and pepper in their food. In fact, this restaurant is where you can indulge in the spiciest burger in Malaysia, made with some of the world's spiciest peppers including the Carolina Reaper, ghost peppers, and habanero peppers! Chefs have to prep these burgers with gloves to prevent their skin from peeling off from the heat. Called the "Explosive Inner Core Burger", these monster burgers look mildly intimidating with their thick meat patties, melted cheese, and a generous serving of fiery red sauce.

Expect to start sweating and maybe even tearing as you enjoy your meal! Patrons who've tried it say "it's going to sting, but it'll keep you going back for more". If the spice from the burger isn't enough, add on a side of spicy buffalo wings for that extra kick (oh and please don't forget your box of tissues and glass of cold milk).

Address: 11, Jalan 15/1d, Seksyen 15 Bandar Baru Bangi, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor

Burger deals on Klook:

4. Xiao Long Kan Hotpot 小龙坎老火锅

It's hard to decide on the best mala hotpot in KL, but Xiao Long Kan is definitely one of the spots at the top of our list. Xiao Long Kan has travelled a far way all the way from Chengdu, a city in China known as the motherland of hotpot. The hotpot chain has 1000 stores worldwide and takes pride in their authentic Si Chuan Hot Pot, featuring a signature spicy broth prepared with a century-old recipe that apparently comprises of 90 ingredients.

Dip slices of meat, fresh vegetables, seafood, hand-crafted meatballs (their rose meatball served with rose petals is a must-order!), and shrimp paste into the delicious broth! Besides ordering mala soup, you can also get a twin or three-flavour pot with mushroom, tomato, or pork bone broth.

Address: Mid Valley || Fahrenheit88

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5. Nasi Dulang Daun Pisang

Nasi Dulang Daun Pisang is a humble eatery that went viral a few years back. Located in Kajang, it's a bit out of the way if you're coming from KL (30 minutes drive), but many say it's worth the drive, or a must-drop-by if you're in the area. The food here is unpretentious, fresh, and delicious, with grilled squid cooked with petai and drenched in spicy sambal, udang lemak cili api, and fiery nasi ganja.

Balance out the spiciness with a coconut shake topped with vanilla ice cream or refreshing watermelon juice that will soothe your burning tongue. Do come early or avoid lunch hour as the queues can get crazy!

Address: Pt 75024 Jalan Besar Sungai Ramal Dalam, Sungai Ramal Dalam Kajang, 43000 Kajang, Selangor

6. Little Rara Thai Noodle House

While Bangkok's Michelin-starred Jeh O Chula tom yum noodles remain a far-fetched dream this year, you can still satisfy your tom yum cravings at some authentic Thai restaurants in Malaysia. If you're craving some good old tom yum, head to Little Rara Thai Noodle House, a not-so-hidden gem that serves up bowls of street-style boat noodles and tom yum cooked with an aged old family recipe.

The famous tom yum noodles here are loved by spicy food fans, and come with a spicy, tangy broth topped with delicious juicy prawns, mussels, crab meat, and golden egg yolks. While it's not high up the spiciness chart, it's extremely addictive, flavourful, and packs a punch. Don't forget to end your meal with some mango sticky rice or coconut ice cream to soothe your tastebuds a little!

Address: 1, Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur, 50450 Kuala Lumpur || 331, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Chow Kit, 50100 Kuala Lumpur

Thai food deals on Klook:

7. Betel Leaf

Spices are the foundation of Indian cuisine - spices like cloves, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, and black pepper are added generously to fragrant curries and other dishes. Betel Leaf is one of our favourite go-to spots when it comes to satisfying our Indian food cravings. You can get a wide-variety of unpretentious Northern, Southern, and local Indian dishes packed with flavour and spice at this no-frills restaurant.

If you're unsure what to order, you won't go wrong with palak paneer (curry made with spinach and Indian cottage cheese), gobi manchurian (deep fried cauliflower), and butter chicken! Pair your meal with some biryani rice or garlic naan for a satisfying finish.

Address: 77A, Leboh Ampang, City Centre, 50100 Kuala Lumpur

Satisfy your Indian food cravings:

8. Gajaa At 8

Gajaa at 8 is a Royal Indian Restaurant in Bangsar that claims to be one of the best and classiest Indian restaurants in KL. The restaurant offers mouthwatering, authentic Indian cuisine in a cosy setting that's perfect for gatherings with family and friends, even for special celebrations! Here, you can taste the best traditional Kerala food in KL that is known to not just be hot but also spicy.

The dishes here are beautifully plated and full of flavour, we recommend trying their chicken biryani, koonthal nirachathu (stuffed squid), chicken lollipop, and fish pollichathu (fish cooked in banana leaves)! If you're dining with a group and would like to try a bit of everything, you can order a platter that will give you a taste of all sorts of different dishes. Get 25% off when you book discounted vouchers for the restaurant on Klook!

Address: No. 8, Lorong Maarof, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur

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9. Dalongyi Hotpot

Also originating from Chengdu in Sichuan, Dalongyi Hotpot is a prominent brand name in the Chinese hotpot industry with over 300 restaurants set up all across the globe. The globally-established flavours of Dalongyi finally stepped foot in Malaysia this year with the opening of a spacious outlet in Kota Damansara. Some claim that the mala soup spice blend here is one of the best in KL!

If you're hesitant to dine out during this period, you can even get Dalongyi Hotpot delivered to your doorstep with Klook! Book a hotpot set for 2 - 6 pax that comes inclusive of a balanced list of ingredients from handmade prawn paste to meatballs, a mushroom platter, meat, and 2 delicious soup bases.

Enjoy A Satisfying Hotpot At Home!

10. Restoran Sichuan Cuisine 川香阁

Sichuan cuisine is famously known for its crazy use of spice from generous amounts of peppercorn to piles of dried chilli. Restoran Sichuan Cuisine in Kuchai Lama serves authentic Sichuan cuisine with flavours that are satisfying for spicy food lovers. The star dishes here include delicious Chongqing-style fried chicken (with heaps of dried chillies and peppercorn, of course!), Sichuan boiled fish (shui zhu yu 水煮鱼), Chongqing roast fish (烤鱼), hot and sour potato (醋溜土豆丝), and humble yet super-comforting mapo tofu. If you're a fan of dumplings, order some boiled or pan-fried dumplings as a satisfying side!

Address: Kuchai Lama, No.6, Jalan Kuchai Maju 6, Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park, 58200 Kuala Lumpur

11. Kuanzhai Alley 宽窄巷子成都串串香

Chuan chuan xiang (串串香) is a unique skewer-style hotpot with origins from Chengdu in Sichuan province, China. Hotpot ingredients such as meat, veggies, tofu, mushrooms, and seafood are typically skewered and cooked in a Sichuan-style broth that is spicy, rich, and numbing (much like lok lok or satay celup, but with mala soup!). This unique way of enjoying hotpot is believed to have been started off by food stall vendors along the bustling streets of Chungdu in the 1980s!

For those who'd like to have a taste of chuan chuan xiang, you can do so at Kuanzhai Alley, a hotpot restaurant in Sunway Velocity that serves up a variety of delicious Chengdu delicacies and their popular mala hotpot with 4 different spiciness levels for you to choose from. Pick your own ingredients (at only RM1 per stick) and don't forget to add on some side dishes (or beer) to balance out the spice - we heard their pumpkin cake is divine!