Lo & Behold – Jalan Petaling KL, Chinatown
Words: Joanna Florento
Photos: Han Sen Hau
Playful, modern, and just a touch mischievous, Lo & Behold has arrived in Jalan Petaling, KL, ready to charm and beguile with simply well-done smash burgers and a cup of inventive soft-serve.
We are welcomed by Chef Xing Yu Tan (you might know him from sister restaurant Ora Dining), who honed his craft in Soho and aspired to bring home elements of casual American dining while incorporating Southeast Asian palates. Executive Benny Haw describes their collective vision for Lo & Behold as an extension of Up & Away (the cocktail bar above), where guests can enjoy comforting fusion food before hitting the dance floor upstairs, or vice versa.
Although they have only been open for a month, Lo & Behold has all the confidence of a longstanding Chinatown haunt, with pops of neon illuminating eye-catching fox-themed artwork and exposed brick adding texture and personality. Manager Leon Hee designed all of the incredible artwork by hand, selecting the fox as their cheeky and nocturnal mascot. We admire the triptych, which Leon explains represents three facets of one’s persona: what you display to the world, what you share with friends and family, and what you reveal only to yourself. On the opposite wall, the nine-tailed fox represents shape-shifting and a sense of yearning for desires yet to be realised. Since our desire for comfort food with an Asian twist can be imminently realised, we take our seats and tuck our figurative napkins beneath our collars.
Lo & Behold Menu
Tacos
Things are off to a strong start with the Baja Fish Tacos (RM 36 for two tacos), with crispy perch, gochujang aioli, red cheddar, and tomato salsa. The fish is coated in tempura batter, and the iceberg lettuce adds an element of freshness and a satisfying crunch. The gochujang aioli and tomato salsa expertly combine to provide tanginess and a hint of spice. Each bite is well-seasoned, crispy, and delightful.
Hot on its heels is the Ribeye Carne Asada Tacos (RM 48), with chunks of sliced ribeye drizzled with jalapeño sauce and garnished with bits of red cheddar and pineapple. The ribeye is sliced yakiniku-style and cooked quickly to retain its moisture. The pineapple chunks add a welcome sweetness that tempers the heat from the pickled chillies.
Burgers
Before we get our hands on the Smashburger (RM 40), Chef Xing Yu informs us that it took a month to perfect the patty ratio, prioritising crispiness and juiciness in equal measure. With a Double Australian beef patty, cheddar, caramelised onions, special sauce, and U.S. fries, the Smashburger is a sight to behold. We take a few blissful first bites and savour the caramelised edges of the juicy patty drizzled in a slightly smoky sauce, relishing the extensive trial-and-error that went into its preparation.
Fried Chicken
Equally showstopping is the Chilli Fish Sauce Fried Chicken (RM 32), with crispy wings coated in special nam jim sauce, lime, and fried garlic. It also took one month to perfect this recipe, and a single bite tells us why. Each wing has a fermented taste that is tempered by a gula Melaka infusion, adding a kick of spice drawn out by sweetness. The fried garlic adds crunch and mellows out the zesty lime. This is one of Lo & Behold’s signature dishes. We consume as many wings as we can with gleeful abandon, knowing that saving room for other dishes is probably wise, but aren’t we here to bend the rules a little?
Pasta
Just when we’ve settled on our favourites, the Creamy Thai Tom Yum (RM 32) – emphasis on “yum” – compels us to think again. With tender farfalle coated with coconut cream and togarashi and a generous helping of tiger prawns, each bite brings equal helpings of spice and acidity with extra creaminess folded in. The prawns are incredibly succulent and slightly sweet, and the lime juice and chilli flakes take centre stage and expertly balance out the tom yum seasoning. Such is the impact of this dish that I’m still thinking about it with longing one week later.
Snacks
Speaking of impactfulness, the Signature Loaded Fries (RM 38) are not to be missed. We dip blissfully into crispy fries topped with minced beef, mozzarella, yuzu garlic aioli, homemade cheese sauce, and a fried egg. It’s almost luxuriously cheesy, and the extra parsley mayo adds a taste of herbs that keeps every bite fresh-tasting. The homemade cheese sauce is creamy and balanced with stringy mozzarella. Somehow, these cheesy fries also host an element of acidity carefully matched by creamier elements, making this seemingly simple creation anything but.
The Mushroom Quesadilla (RM 30) features shitake and button mushrooms folded in with sweet corn, mozzarella, red salsa, and red cheddar. Each bite is slightly sweet and comforting with its mushroom medley. Although the flavours are light, it is still filling and (as with many items on the menu) easy to enjoy with one hand.
Dessert Menu
Lo & Behold’s spirit of fun and mischief extends to Kwai Chai Hong Alley, their second entrance marked by a window where guests can stop by and grab their signature soft serve. A sign on the wall reads, “Indulge”, and we gratefully oblige and dig into their Peanut Butter (RM 16) and Matcha (RM 16) soft serve flavours.
The peanut butter is decadent, with a chocolate chip cookie base layered with peanut butter soft serve, drizzled with caramelised banana sauce, patted with Oreo cookie crumbs, and topped with torched meringue (phew!). This manages to be sweet, rich, and nostalgic all at once. Name a more iconic duo than peanut butter and caramelised banana … I’ll wait.
Meanwhile, the matcha is served with a red velvet cookie base, matcha soft serve, red velvet crumbs, torched meringue and raspberry coulis. This tastes very light and refreshing, while the raspberry coulis adds a sweet tartness to round out the matcha’s depth.
Drinks Menu
We fully expect the inventive dishes to take the spotlight when, lo and behold, the drinks have their moment in the sun. The Ice Blood Soju Set features cold soju served with signature flavoured ice cubes in Yakult (RM 35 per set, RM 5 per cube), Lemon Zest (RM 37 per set, RM 7 per cube), and Ice Blood (RM 37 per set, RM 7 per cube) variations. We toast these creations with Jinro Chamsul Fresh soju and watch as the ice cubes slowly melt and infuse the soju with even more flavour over time. Each drink has a creamy taste but bears a slightly different profile: the Yakult is tart and brings me back to childhood, the Lemon is tangy but not too sour, and the Ice Blood has a fruity sweetness that tastes like grenadine.
Next, we sip the Passionfruit Mojito (RM 35 per glass, RM 150 per jug). It’s sweet but not cloyingly so; a sprig of mint and a wedge of lime keep things refreshing. The Spiked Lemonade (RM 22, booze-free option for RM 12) is appetisingly sour and reminiscent of summer; the vodka smoothly blends in and is brightened by the citrusy flavours.
Lo & Behold Review
When it comes to crafty fusion comfort food served with both precision and playfulness, it’s hard to outfox Lo & Behold. We’ve got nothing but admiration for their artful reimagining of the classics, colouring outside the lines to create magnificent takes on burgers, fries, pasta, tacos, wings, and soft serve – all in a beautifully constructed dining den with original art backlit by the soft neon glow. Whether you’re grabbing a cup of out-of-this-world soft serve on a hot day or ordering the Chilli Sauce Fried Chicken to gear up for a fun night out, let yourself be enchanted by the foxy and fabulous Lo & Behold.
Reasons to visit Lo & Behold: Inventive fusion comfort food, beautiful original artwork, crafty soju cocktails, delectable smash burger and tom yum pasta, fabulous soft serve.
Lo & Behold
141G, Jalan Petaling, Chinatown City Centre,
50000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Link to Lo & Behold on Google Maps
@loandbeholdkl
+6 017 588 2247
Parking in open lots nearby or underground at Four Points
Lo & Behold Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday to Sunday: 12 pm to 12 am
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