Eating in Kuala Lumpur - Food Republic at The Pavilion

Food courts are great. During those times when you don't really know where to go, or can't agree on what to eat - they can be a real life saver. I'm not surprised if 1 or 2 marriages have been saved by a food court. Every shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur has one. The only difference is the ambiance and quality of the stalls. One of the best is Food Republic at the basement of The Pavilion Shopping Centre.

Food Republic is a part of the popular Singapore chain of premium food courts. The concept is the same as other food courts, but the decor and stalls are more high end. There are so many stalls to choose from, it warrants several visits. Most of of the stalls I've tried are pretty good - highlights are the oyster omelette, Hokkien prawn noodles, kaya toasts and the iced desserts.

During a recent visit we decided to try the Vietnamese and Taiwanese food. We ordered the beef pho set - which came with a big bowl of pho, a rice vermicelli salad and deep fried spring rolls. The Taiwanese chicken noodle set came with a bowl of noodles, dumplings and deep fried chicken nuggets.

The pho was surprisingly good. The broth was rich and flavourful, and the generous garnish of basil served to enhance the beefy taste. The vermicelli salad was also nice - slightly sweet and spicy, and even the crunchy shell container was edible.

The Taiwanese noodle was a disappointment - it tasted like instant noodles. Good thing the chicken nuggets and dumplings were good. The nuggets were salty and spicy, with the added perfume of curry leaves. The dumplings had a sweet meaty filling of chicken and chives - always a great combination with the ginger vinegar dipping sauce.

The Vietnamese outlet - Vietnam Kitchen.

The Taiwanese stall - Little Taiwan.

The next time you are in the Bukit Bintang area and can't make up your mind where to go - head for the Food Republic. You are bound to find something you'll like.