Dumplings, steamed and fried, make for a perfect breakfast at Restoran Lok Yu in Kepong

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — What counts as breakfast?

For some, it’s a cigarette and an espresso; for others, it's a pricey slice of sourdough with an even pricier spread of avocado. That’ll be RM30, please.

I enjoy the latter from time to time, but nothing has ever quite measured up to a kopitiam breakfast.

That sliver of white bread that’s basically air? The spread of kaya with fat sticks of butter inside? It holds up to any fancy avo-toast breakfast, propped up by the irrepressible power of nostalgia.

Or maybe you’ve got an itch that only food from a bevy of hawker stalls can scratch: a plate of simple, comforting wantan mee; a fiery red bowl of curry mee; chee cheong fun and of course, the eggs, pork chops and chicken cutlets that make up the unique brand of kopitiam Western food.

But what about dumplings?

It’s hardly the first thing that comes to mind at a kopitiam, but jiaozi and especially xiao loong bao are common breakfast items in China.

They’re dainty little self-contained parcels of deliciousness, so I’m always game when I find a place that serves them.

Two pairs of 'jiaozi', still steaming in their baskets (left). A crispy, golden and delicious 'guotie' (right).

Restoran Lok Yu in Kepong has one such stall selling traditional steamed jiaozi, guotie, also known as potstickers, the pan-fried cousins of jiaozi, as well as xiao loong bao or soup dumplings, now famous all around the world, thanks in no small part to Din Tai Fung.

All three varieties are made fresh to order, and if you look around the front of the stall you’ll see the dough being rolled and the filling being wrapped for each order.

First to arrive are the steamed jiaozi (RM6.50 for four) and pan-fried guotie (RM6.50 for four), four of each and both piping hot.

The jiaozi arrives, steam still rising from the basket, while the guotie comes in plastic plates with the traditional dip of black vinegar and julienned ginger on the side.

These 'xiao loong bao' may not be as delicate as those at Din Tai Fung, but they’re plenty good for me.

The former is a delicate package, with the wrapper mostly transparent, like a sheer and see-through outfit that provides a teasing view.

The slippery, not stodgy wrapper lets you know that there are two types here: one with a filling of mostly meat and the other, veritably filled to the brim with chives.

These juicy little pockets of savoury flavour are such a dream to eat, particularly when dipped in the vinegar and ginger mix, that they almost make you wish for a bitterly cold morning with biting wind just to round out the experience.

Wrappers being rolled to order (left). Look for this bright orange stall, and you can also get in touch with this number for bulk orders of frozen dumplings (right).

The same half-and-half filling variety can be found in the guotie, but these are flattened instead, sporting golden-brown love bites from the heat of the pan with a satisfying crisp texture in the mouth.

Word to the wise: four of each is far from enough, so it might be prudent to just go ahead and get eight pieces for RM12 from the get-go.

The xiao loong bao (RM6.50 for three) arrived slightly later, in the basket and ready to scald the roof of the mouth of anyone impatient enough to gorge themselves before it cools.

Curry 'chee cheong fun' was a surprise hit.

Now, my benchmark for xiao loong bao is informed by the dainty delicate little ones at Din Tai Fung not because I think those are the best, but because they make for a remarkable model of consistency that lends itself well to comparison.

What these lack in perhaps elegance and a bit of polish, they make up for in flavour and simplicity of execution.

The soup inside is bursting with flavour, sweet with a proper taste of pork, and the wrapper passes the most important test: you can safely hold the dumpling up by the knob at the top and it gives enough slack without collapsing. No complaints here.

The front of Restoran Lok Yu, which was rather busy on a weekend morning.

Because I’m a glutton in the making, my eyes wandered and ordered something else to tide over the wait for the second round of dumplings.

A plate of curry chee cheong fun (RM7.50) with a curious inclusion of minced pork proved a pleasant surprise.

Rich and intense, the curry itself was addictive, and the broadly cut noodles were dressed in the thick curry as a creamy béchamel might be ladled over lasagna sheets.

Look for the white sign, which is easy to spot from the main road.

Each mouthful was punctuated by unctuous bits of minced pork, which went down well with everybody at the table.

Alas, I had come to the unfortunate but all-too-familiar conclusion that I had overindulged and eaten far too much for breakfast, meaning I was likely to skip lunch.

I regret nothing, however, which I think is about as good a compliment as I can pay for the meal.

Restoran Lok Yu

No. 387, Ground Floor, Jalan 25/39, Kepong Baru, Kuala Lumpur

Open Friday to Wednesday, 7am-2.30pm

Tel: 012-286 8208

* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems