Sure, you’ve seen Turkish kebabs, or maybe even Turkish baklavas. But “kumpir”? Up till recently, even we hadn’t heard of this viral Turkish street food. So when we caught wind of it, we had to grab a taste for ourselves.
Viral Turkish street food: Kumpir, what is it?
But what exactly is kumpir? The viral Turkish street food can be defined simply as a large loaded baked potato. But it’s a little more than that. Butter and cheese absolutely may not be omitted from the equation.
Once baked and split open, cheese and butter are mashed with the potato to create that luscious texture it’s known for. Creamy and fluffy and cheesy all at the same time. And that cheese pull? That’s what we’re all here for!
And you cannot forget the iconic pile of toppings! There’s the traditional way of course, with olives, corn, sausage, various ground and/or shredded meats. But the allure of kumpir is how customisable it is, and that’s why it skyrocketed in popularity in places like Ortakoy, Istanbul, where it’s commonly bought from street vendors for a quick and satisfying meal.
Tracking down the elusive kumpir
Hungry yet? Bet you’re hankering for a delicious steaming hot kumpir as we speak! But where does one track down this elusive kumpir? Well, it’s rather easy.
If you’re an MRT girlie, simply travel your way to MRT Bukit Bintang, and exit through Entrance F. Walk along merry Bukit Bintang, passing by popular landmarks like Lot 10 and KKV Bukit Bintang. The tiny stall with loaded kumpir is just a minute’s walk away.
The menu
On the menu, there are three options: kumpir, pasta, and salad. The salad menu presents just two versions, a Ceaser Salad (RM11.90/RM14.90) and Pasta Salad (RM14.90/RM17.90). Both come with the option to add chicken for a small price of RM3.
The pasta menu is a little more vibrant, with options like the tomatoey Arrabiata Pasta (RM23.90) and the flavourful Mexican Pasta (RM23.90). However, the crowd favourite seems to be the Alfredo Pasta (RM23.90). No surprise there, as they also use the same Alfredo recipe for their kumpir!
Speaking of kumpir (because that’s what you’re here for after all), there are four sauce options for you to pick from. We tried the Turkish Kumpir (RM17.90) and the Alfredo Chicken (RM21.90), but trust us when we say that we’ll be going back for the Mexican Chicken (RM21.90) and the BBQ Chicken (RM21.90).
How it’s made
We asked very nicely, and I mean very nicely, if we could take a sneak peek behind the counter to see the process. Perhaps it’s because of my charm, but the staff said yes! Behind the counter we went, and wow, were there a lot of potatoes.
These potatoes, imported from Turkey, were massive. Way bigger than the typical ones you get at your local Malaysian supermarket.
Baked in an oven, low and slow, till the potatoes are fork-tender, they are then moved over to the toppings counter.
A hefty amount of Turkish cheese is added to the potatoes, as well as a generous slice of butter, then salt and pepper too. For the Alfredo Chicken, Italian Alfredo sauce was added to the mix. And for the Turkish Kumpir, chilli sauce.
They are then mashed together with the hollowed-out potato within the skin. The result? A silky smooth and super cheesy concoction!
Toppings depend on what you order, but for the Alfredo Chicken, it’s a no-frills affair of sweet corn, mushrooms, and grilled chicken! Topped with Alfredo sauce and a shower of parmesan cheese, our mouths were already salivating at this point.
But we had to wait. The Turkish Kumpir was yet to be made. And boy, was it a beast of a potato. Loaded with first a coleslaw, it was followed by sweet corn and mushrooms. Next came the olives, black, green, and pickled. Then sausages.
A layer of Alfredo sauce and chilli sauce, but wait, it’s not done. Topped with bell peppers, fried onions and pickled jalapenos, the beast is finally complete!
MFT’s Review
So here’s the moment you’ve been waiting for. What do we think of the viral Turkish street food that’s been causing queues up and down Bukit Bintang?
First, the Turkish Kumpir. Unfortunately, it was not to our personal tastes. The chilli sauce that blended into the potatoes was slightly overpowering and masked the taste of the potatoes, rather than complimented it. And though the tower of toppings was really nice to look at, the taste was very vegetable-heavy, dare we say, almost healthy.
But man, the Alfredo Chicken. The mashed potato paired perfectly well with the Alfredo sauce, creamy and buttery and fluffy. The chicken was seared to perfection and somehow retained a juiciness that was incomparable. And the mushrooms were a nice umami touch too, further enhanced by the texture that the sweet corn provided.
Conclusion? We’re definitely going back for the Alfredo Chicken, and to try the other flavours of kumpir!
Loaded Kumpir Bukit Bintang
Halal Status: Pork-Free, Alcohol-Free.
Contact: 011-2163 4223 or Instagram page
Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 12:30pm – 12:30am, Friday to Sunday 1 pm–12:30am
Looking for more viral food trends? Try out this article on Nasi Lemak… Anjing?
