Brickfields are spots where you can find some of the best breakfasts, especially popular Indian food like dosa. Almost everywhere you walk, there are so many options to choose from. However, there’s this one popular gem of a place that is worth highlighting, because of its
It’s called MTR 1924 and is located 10 minutes away from LRT KL Sentral. This place is a popular dosa breakfast spot in Brickfields where it has ranked 4.3 stars with over 2.3k reviews on Google Reviews! That’s when you know that this place means business.
What MTR stands for
To know why it’s a crowd favourite, let’s dive deep into the history of this place. In 1924, Parameshwara Maiya and his two brothers started a small restaurant named Brahmin Coffee Club, serving idlis and coffee in a little town called Bengaluru, India. The restaurant became popular amongst the locals and they renamed it ‘Mavalli Tiffin Rooms’, and its acronym has stuck till the present!
The food
What’s amazing about this place that sets it apart from other dosa breakfast spots in Brickfields is that all of its food uses a 100-year-old recipe from India. That’s right, the same recipe used back in Bengaluru. They have many foods to savour such as Masala Dosa, Rava Idly, podi idly, butter dosa, pudi masala dosa, and more! Plus, everything is all made fresh upon order.
Slightly upscale pricing
Not gonna lie, if you eat here, these are not your typical dosa kind of pricing. For the Masala Dosa, it costs about RM12.50! Yes, it’s on the slightly ‘atas’ pricing for a dosa, but its recipe and ingredients make them special and worth it.
This place is located opposite Tamil Methodist Church in Brickfields. To be honest, parking can be a little difficult here, especially during peak hours. So best to come via Grab or LRT nearby. This restaurant is also air-conditioned, spacious and comfortable for big or small groups. I love how they put their origin story on the walls so people can understand this place better and have deeper appreciation for the food here.
Is this place really worth the hype?
What I love the most about their food here is how they prepare them. I was lucky enough to discover that most of the ingredients used were imported from India. Their famous masala dosa uses ghee imported from India, and the filter coffee’ beans and milk are from India as well.
Their masala dosa was unlike any other dosa I’ve eaten before. It was crispy and the portion was huge. There’s always a mini “surprise” when you tear the dosa apart, which was this spiced potato that made all the difference to this dosa. It was flavourful, and spicy that paired well with the crispiness of the dosa.
Next, I thoroughly enjoyed their Rava Idly. According to the owners, we finally knew why this unique rava idly was created. So, during World War 2, when rice was short in supply, one of the owners experimented with rava and discovered how to make rava idli. Now it’s one of the most popular items on MTR’s menu!
It is fluffy and creates just the perfect seasoning with their special green chutney and potato sagu. Although the texture was not exactly how I wanted it to be because I’m so used to having idly, this was a pretty pleasant experience that I will come back for more.
Last but not least, the signature freshly brewed filter coffee is what you definitely need to try here in MTR1924. This coffee is what makes MTR a legacy now. This coffee has made an impression upon many, from businessmen, to freedom fighters, and more in the past. So the owners felt the need to go the extra mile to get the recipe right.
From choosing the right beans, to roasting and grinding them daily so there is no loss of flavour. The secret here also lies in the accurate ¼ of an inch of froth. It was comforting and the taste just hits you like a strong cup of coffee hitting you in the morning but with more of a fresh milk flavour.
This place also serves some of the best vadai, and Indian desserts for sweet tooth lovers. It’s also a great spot for vegetarian lovers.
Overall, I would recommend this place for the high-quality ingredients used, friendly staff, and as a delicious breakfast spot!
MTR 1924
Address: 69, Jalan Thambipillay, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: Opens from 8am to 10:30pm
Vegetarians, Halal-supplied ingredients
