Chocha, which means “sit and drink” in the Chinese Hakka dialect, feels like a tea and wine garden (a small selection of both are served here) housed in concrete. Located in an old hotel in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, Chocha was initially an experiment in heritage building conservation for its architect founders, who furnished it in raw wood, pastel tiles and accented with potted plants.
Soon, it became a more serious experiment in food. Like a growing number of restaurants in the city, Chocha emphasises the use of local ingredients, sometimes mixing them with foreign flavours and coming up with interesting results such as the duck rendang (a method of cooking where meat is slow-cooked and braised in coconut milk) and hummus. After your meal, head upstairs to Chocha’s companion bar, Botak Liquor, for a tipple. Like Chocha, it’s a botanical pleasure to sit in.
