The nasi lemak diaries: Lunch at Nasi Lemak Wanjo Kampung Baru

Date of visit: 8 February 2025 | Updated: 26 May 2026

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Wanjo is one of those names that regularly crops up when I ask locals where to go for nasi lemak in Kuala Lumpur. And when I saw its 4.1-star rating on Google - based on an astounding 10,000-plus reviews - I simply had to try it. [As of May 2026, the number of reviews has soared to nearly 11,800, while maintaining an 4.1-star average.]

As if that wasn't enough, my Canadian friend Trine was visiting from Japan, and what better introduction to Malaysian food than the unofficial national dish, nasi lemak? It isn't meant to be pretty - but it's packed with layers of flavour and texture. Rice infused with fragrant pandan leaves and coconut milk, served with hard-boiled egg, crunchy peanuts and anchovies, crisp cucumber and slow-cooked sambal (chili paste), often accompanied by richly seasoned fried chicken or other proteins. To find out more about what makes this dish so special, see my post The nasi lemak diaries: Lunch at Ali, Muthu & Ah Hock. 

Wanjo's location was yet another reason to take Trine there. Kampung Baru is a historic Malay settlement right in the middle of the city, a patchwork of low, red-roofed buildings dwarfed by gleaming skyscrapers and connected to Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) by a shimmering steel-and-glass bridge. The 225-acre plot, established by the British colonial government in 1899, now sits amid some of the most valuable land in the country - and proposals to develop the area have given rise to strong protests from landowners and residents.

Kampung Baru

Kampung Baru, with Petronas Twin Towers in the background

Saloma Link Bridge, connecting Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) with Kampung Baru

Kampung Baru is also a haven for traditional Malay cuisine. You'll find foods like otak-otak (grilled fish cakes wrapped in banana leaves), satay (meat skewers served with peanut sauce), asam jeruk (preserved fruits), rojak (salad with a shrimp paste dressing) and kuih (bite-sized snacks, often sweet). 

And, of course, nasi lemak, served at many restaurants and hawker stalls in the area. Wanjo is easily the most famous of them; it's even been visited by royalty. It's also one of the oldest, starting as a small stall in 1963 and run by the same family for three generations. Today, it's a sprawling complex with a dining hall, juice bar and kitchen spread across two buildings, and conveniently located just four minutes' walk from Kampung Baru train station, on the LRT line. 

At the entrance, we were met by a greeter, who encouraged us to visit the juice and smoothie bar first. Trine and I both got a mango juice, which was 7 Malaysian ringgit (RM7) or £1.27. It was fine, although not very cold.

Further inside was a large, bright dining hall with canteen-style service and plenty of seating.

We told the server we wanted nasi lemak, and she dished up some rice, anchovies, sliced cucumbers and a boiled egg on our plates. This was their Nasi Lemak Telur Rebus, which literally means 'nasi lemak boiled egg' and is the most basic - and classic - version of the dish. To this, we added my usual side - fried chicken - which turned it into Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng (RM11.40/£2.07). [More than a year later, the cost has only gone up 10 sen - to RM11.50/£2.09 - which is quite extraordinary compared to what I've seen elsewhere in KL.] 

When the server placed the chicken on my plate, I belatedly remembered it might be breast (hard to tell with the chickens here, due to different breeds and butchery styles). So I said I wanted a thigh. She came back with a leg. I said I wanted a thigh. She brushed the rice off the leg and came back with the correct appendage. One thing about service in this country: it might be hard to communicate what I want, but people are very patient!   

Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng

So what was the verdict? 

First off, no peanuts - an egregious omission! I also couldn't detect any coconut flavour in the rice. The chicken was quite tender and tasty, and didn't have an overly thick batter, but the skin wasn't crispy at all. The sambal was mild and sweet - perfect for me but too sweet for Trine (and many others, from the reviews I saw). However, it didn't have the depth you get from a sambal that's been cooked low and slow. I had no complaints about the anchovies, which were light and crispy, and I was pleasantly surprised to get an entire egg, as opposed to the normal half.

Overall, I thought it was a decent, if unimaginative, plate of nasi lemak - a 6.5/10 - which left me genuinely puzzled about Wanjo's immense popularity. 

Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng

After some reflection, I realised Wanjo has two big things going for it: value and variety (which were also mentioned in many reviews).

Their classic nasi lemak is only RM5 and change [RM5.50/£1 as of May 2026] which is astonishing for a sit-down restaurant in central KL. And the fried chicken version - which is my litmus test for every new nasi lemak restaurant I visit - is the cheapest I've had so far. [I've since found an even cheaper one, at Nasi Lemak Bumbung! Post to come.]

Wanjo also has a wide range of options. There are 13 variations of nasi lemak, including ones with beef curry and seafood sambal. But you don't have to limit yourself to just one side - you can add any of the sides from any variation to your order. And you can get extra rice, sambal or anchovies. Now that's customisation! In fact, a Malaysian friend told me that Wanjo is his favourite place for nasi lemak because of the sheer number of add-ons they have.

The beverage lineup is just as impressive. In addition to a long list of fresh juices and smoothies, there are a variety of other drinks, both hot and cold, including classics like Milo, kopi (Malaysian-style coffee) and sirap bandung (a rose syrup milk drink). But inexplicably, no teh tarik - the rich, frothy 'pulled tea' that is as synonymous with Malaysia as nasi lemak.

If you're looking for a quick, cheap meal in historic Kampung Baru, Wanjo is worth a try - and you can make up your own mind about this nasi lemak institution!

Visit Wanjo on Instagram and Facebook.

For more nasi lemak adventures, check out my posts about Grandmum Kitchen (my all-time favourite spot), Tanaair (my second favourite) and Ali, Muthu & Ah Hock (the ever-popular mid-range chain).

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