Kavila Nair quit her desk job to pursue her passion for cooking full-time. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
KUALA LUMPUR: Located literally in a corner behind a laundromat on Jalan Ipoh here, Kavila Nair, 31, can be seen firing up the wok.
Once tied down to a desk job, she is now the proud owner and cook of Kavila’s Goreng Goreng Corner. And no, she’s not just whipping up mee goreng mamak, she’s also serving fiery dishes you’d usually find in Chinese restaurants.
She has loved cooking since young. “This passion of mine started because of my brother,” Kavila told FMT Lifestyle. “When I was young, I’d follow him to his restaurant in Ipoh, where he also cooked food similar to this.”
Kavila’s Goreng Goreng Corner has been operating in Kuala Lumpur since 2021. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
With ample time on her hands during the pandemic, she reignited this passion, experimenting in the kitchen. By June 2021, she had opened a small stall in the area, working at her office job by day and cooking by night.
“I’m an Indian cooking Chinese food. But we’re all One Malaysia, right? So, I just wanted to give it a try.”
However, it wasn’t smooth sailing in the beginning. “When I first started the business, you won’t believe it, I only earned RM30 in one day. I had just three to four customers back then,” she recalled.
But Kavila persisted, won over more customers, and ended up operating the stall for more than three years. She eventually left her office job, and just three months ago, shifted from her small setup under a canopy to a much bigger space – her own restaurant.
“There were times when it rained heavily, when my customers refused to pack the food home because they wanted to eat it while it was still hot. So, I thought it’s time I moved to a better place because my customers deserve it.”
Lala soup is one of her signature dishes. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
Today, thanks to word of mouth and a few social media videos, Kavila’s Goreng Goreng Corner is now popular for its wok-fried Chinese and Malay dishes that feature her own recipes and homemade sauces.
“I learnt how to make the soy sauce from my brother, who is basically my sifu. Everything else like the lala soup, the nasi goreng sauce are my own recipes.”
FMT Lifestyle watched her in action recently, and she is truly a master. With flames leaping around the wok, she cooks each dish with incredible speed, ladle in one hand, tossing the wok with the other.
Her signature dish is the lala soup – fresh, comforting, and perfect on a rainy day. It hits all the right umami notes, with plenty of fragrant sliced ginger and a generous portion of clams.
For some real spice, order the nasi goreng cili padi. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
Another crowd favourite is her nasi goreng cili padi. If you’re after spice, this is the one to order. The chillies are blended in, so every bite carries a fiery kick. Complete with chicken and fish cake, the wok hei really shines in this dish.
If it gets a little too hot, try Kavila’s fried ice cream, a recent addition to the menu.
Available in chocolate and vanilla, it’s made with two slices of frozen bread folded around ice cream that is swiftly fried, so the outside is hot and crispy while the ice cream remains perfectly chilled inside.
She’s also given a twist to the Malay classic kuey teow basah by adding cheese. It might not suit everyone’s tastes, but one thing’s for sure, you’ve probably never tasted anything quite like it.
There’s plenty more on the menu, from tomyam, and kampung dishes, to vegetarian offerings.
So, drop by if you’re craving something hot and hearty. With plans to open more branches, Kavila continues working tirelessly by her wok.
With many more Chinese and Malay dishes on the menu, Kavila’s restaurant is popular among locals in the area. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
Follow Kavila’s Goreng Goreng Corner on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.
Kavila’s Goreng Goreng Corner
(Behind Cuci Express Laundry Jalan Ipoh)
Viva Residency, B-0-1,
Jalan Ipoh,
51200 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 6pm-11pm daily
