Singaporeans aren’t stranger to traditional Chinese desserts. Also known as ‘tong sui‘ or ‘tang shui‘, these sweet bowls of comforting goodness are nourishing and delicious. If you’re headed to Klang Valley’s Kuala Lumpur and Selangor any time soon for a feast, leave room for dessert with these best tong sui you can find around KL and PJ.
But what is tong sui? In a literal sense, it translates to “sugar water”, which doesn’t even begin to describe the depth and complexity of it. This sweet treat is usually served after meals in Cantonese cuisine but has since become a staple dessert in many Asian meals. There are many variations to tong sui, and these speciality dessert stalls and cafes around Kuala Lumpur and Selangor know just how to craft the right bowls.
Traditional classics of tong sui include red and green bean soup, burbur chacha, chng tng and glutinous rice ball (tang yuan) in ginger soup. Other hot favourites include black sesame, peanut, and almond paste, as well as wheat porridge and sweet potato soup. The best part? You can have your tong sui in two ways — either hot or cold, depending on one’s preference.
But we shan’t bore you with the intricacies of these old-school desserts too much. As much as we enjoy these fudgy chocolate cakes, flaky apple strudels, and custardy canelés in KL, we’d never say no to these best bowls of tong sui on our next trip to Kuala Lumpur and Selangor in Malaysia.
8 places for the best tong sui in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor today
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While its name may make you want to laugh out loud, don’t let LoL Soon Kee fool you. It serves up traditional tong sui as well as other desserts like its signature sweet walnut sesame soup and the pork chop polo bun. There are different outlets to choose from wherever you’re craving a good bowl of traditional dessert in the Klang Valley, from the outlet in KL’s Sri Petaling to the one in Selangor’s Kota Damansara.
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You will find Dawa Dessert just a stone’s throw away from Bukit Bintang serving up some of the best and most authentic Cantonese tong sui in KL, such as black sesame paste as well as red bean soup. Other popular dishes there include the fried radish cake, so save room for the savouries here. This run-of-the-mill shop has been around for quite some time now and has even garnered a loyal following who swears by this establishment.
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Just opposite from Dawa Dessert lies Restoran Ruby, another OG tong sui location in the heart of KL best known for classics like the creamy steamed egg custard, black sesame paste, as well as its peanut paste. Also known as Ruby Dessert House, it has been passed down through five generations within the family. What Restoran Ruby does really well is incorporating designs into its desserts, giving it an extra appeal for the ‘gram.
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Considered to be an icon in SS2, K.T.Z. Food has been around for close to three decades. It has plenty of different tong sui available with water chestnut, black sesame, and creamy wheat being some of the popular choices. But K.T.Z. Food offers more than just tong sui. If that isn’t enough to fill you, it also has plenty of shaved iced desserts with its most popular choice being mango.
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For nostalgic and traditional Chinese dessert in Kuala Lumpur that’s comforting and satisfying, you’re best served at Hiao Po Tong Shui, which are aplenty. Classics like the glutinous rice balls in ginger soup, bobo chacha, and red bean soup are hot favourites here.
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This tong shui joint in Kajang, Selangor, has made its mark since its establishment, and while not as old as the others in the list still know how to make mean bowls of traditional Chinese desserts. Expect a menu that includes red bean soup, wheat porridge, sweet potato soup, Bubur Cha Cha and Ginkgo Barley with Yuba. Save room for snacks like the ang ku kueh, Chinese turnip cakes and an assortment of authentic Nyonya kuehs.
Those looking to satisfy their sweet tooth in Selangor will love Leong Seng Dessert House, which offers some of the best tong shui in Klang Valley despite its humble location. After a hearty dinner at the other stalls, order warm bowls of red bean soup and burbur chacha, as well as plates of Nonya kueh.
(Image credit: Zoe Tan Pui Yee/Facebook)
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This article first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Singapore
