I’ve heard lots of good things about the Hungry Tapir, a chic vegetarian restaurant that serves plenty of vegan options. I finally got to visit the restaurant with my fellow eco-warrior, Jasmin on the first day of September 2020.
Read on to know my thoughts on their burger, laksa, satay and matcha cake.
Where Is Hungry Tapir?
If you’re lucky, you may find a hungry tapir deep in the tropical forest of Taman Negara.
Just kidding. But not really. You can find a tapir in Taman Negara, but you might not want to be there when it’s hungry!
The Hungry Tapir restaurant sits along Jalan Petaling in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. You can drive there but parking may be tricky. However, there is a nearby parking spot named DK Parking that is RM 5 for an hour and after that, it’s just RM 10 for however long you park. It’s the cheapest outdoor parking spot that I know of.
I took the LRT and stopped at Pasar Seni station on the Kelana Jaya line. From there, it was about a 5-minute walk to the restaurant.
I missed the entrance the first time walking along that street. I walked back and found the sign. The entrance to the restaurant was sandwiched between two shops. It’s on the second floor so you’d have to climb up a flight of stairs.
Hungry Tapir Ambience
From the outside, you could never guess the size of the restaurant. You could maybe guess the ambience from the pink colour of the painted walls of the entrance – light and airy.
And such it was. The walls were bricked and not painted over (except at the entrance). So it had a vintage feel to it. In the middle of the restaurant, there was a wide glass ceiling that welcomed in the bright rays of sunlight. This made the interior space seem bigger.
I liked the overall interior. It felt spacious and pleasing to the eyes.
Vegan Food At Hungry Tapir
I was happy with the range of vegan options there. I would’ve had a hard time choosing if it were not for a friend who had recommended some food on the menu.
Pink Bombshell Burger
Portion: Looks medium-sized but actually very filling
Taste: The patty is made of beetroot and caramelized onion with bbq sauce and vegan cheese. Somehow I wasn’t totally satisfied with the taste itself. But if it’s eaten altogether it’s definitely a good mix of flavour. It just didn’t have the oomph for me. Maybe I’m too much of a mushroom person.
Price: MYR 35 (USD ~8)
Rating: 6/10
Jungle Laksa
Portion: It’s a huge bowl! Jasmin struggled to finish it. It came with a long and wide crispy Fu Chuk.
Taste: Richly-flavoured and dense. Not very spicy. Lots of veggies!
Price: MYR 20
Rating: 8/10
I tasted just a spoonful of this so this part of the review is based on Jasmin’s point of view. But based on the spoonful, I can say that it was indeed delicious!
Mama’s Satay
Portion: Enough for two or three people to share. There were six sticks and each was a generous portion I’d say.
Taste: YUMMY! The grilled mushroom was so juicy and the peanut sauce was just perfect.
Price: MYR 18
Rate: 9/10
I think it’s value for money considering the taste. But I hope vegan satay in general becomes so common that the price can go down a bit.
Matcha Soy Latte
Portion: Just nice. It was served with a bamboo straw!
Taste: Delicious.
Price: MYR 14
Rating: 10/10
I might be biased because I love Matcha.
Matcha Surprise Cake
Portion: One slice was quite big. It was very filling but probably because we were mostly full from the main dishes.
Taste: HEAVENLY! Seriously it was so good. Not too sweet. The hint of matcha was just perfect. Credits to Iman of @holyshitaeke.
Price: MYR 22
Rating: 10/10
Anything matcha is delicious, I swear.
Delicious Vegan Food, Nice Ambience, Worth A Try!
If you’re ever in Petaling Street, do check out The Hungry Tapir. I hope to go there again and try the other items on their menu.
PS: I’d suggest visiting when it’s not peak hour so that you can go to the back outdoor area to take pictures against the pink wall with leafy greens.
