Chow Kit Road Market

Warning! This market (and some of these pictures) are not for the faint hearted....or vegetarians!

Chow Kit Road Market is in the Chinatown area of KL. It opens around 6am and is all done and dusted by 2pm. It is a typical asian "wet market". Apparently the term "wet market" was coined in Singapore in the late 1970s to differentiate traditional markets from newly popular supermarkets at the time. Selling fresh and perishable produce, they get their name from their wet floors, the result of melted ice from seafood stalls and water used to clean up after slaughtering live animals. Whilst I am pretty confident the slaughtering side of things is now done off site, the place is still a riot of colours, sights and sounds. And yes, the floors are still wet! (Best wear your closed toe shoes). You will find the freshest and the cheapest produce here and as such this is where the locals mostly shop. Compared to the supermarkets, the prices are crazy cheap.

I absolutely love wet markets. I never feel the need to barter as the prices are so low. They assault every one of your senses as you weave through. Vendors calling out their stalls wears and prices, cleavers clunking into massive wooden chopping blocks, fish flopping around in buckets in vain trying to make a last minute escape. Cigarettes dangling from the corner of mouths as everyone assures you their produce is superior! I also love shopping where the locals go and learning about different foods, herbs and spices. Malaysians are incredibly friendly and helpful. Most speak at least a little english and are more than happy to explain what something is and how it is used. I get a few strange looks but mostly big smiles as they are so proud of their offerings. Everything I buy here just tastes better. Fresher and more flavoursome. As mentioned above, its not for the faint hearted. In fact, the optional wearing of masks is an unexpected bonus from COVID! The smells can get, shall we say....pungent!

Nose to tail.  Nothing is wasted.

Still not too sure what this is but was with the coconut people selling fresh coconut milk.  Was described and a key ingredient for traditional Rendang.

My shopping haul