From short-run pop-ups to new permanent fixtures, these new openings and menus across Klang Valley are worth a visit.

Welcome back to Hot Bites, our monthly sweep of what’s new, what’s worth it, and what deserves your appetite across the Klang Valley. No filler, just seven openings and new menus you might love. If you’re wondering where to go next, start here.

New openings

Solene, Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru has no shortage of restaurants, but rooftop dining has remained surprisingly absent from the city’s culinary landscape. Solene changes that. Perched on the 26th floor of SKS Tower, the restaurant pairs panoramic skyline views with a menu inspired by the bold flavours of Latin America. Smoke takes centre stage, with charcoal-fired cooking lending depth to everything from grilled meats to seafood, while thoughtful wine pairings elevate the experience beyond the usual dinner-and-drinks affair.

Expect tuna tartare alongside Chardonnay, charcoal-grilled chicken matched with Shiraz, and even a chilli-laced tiramisu that delivers a gentle kick after dessert. It’s theatrical without becoming gimmicky—a welcome addition to a city that’s beginning to look upwards for its next dining destination.

Booking: Reserve here
IG: @solene_jb

Belum Friday

Belum Friday understands that Malaysian food doesn’t need reinventing. It simply needs room to surprise. Rather than chasing novelty, the kitchen takes familiar dishes and nudges them into new territory. Curry laksa arrives with squid ink pasta instead of noodles, Hakka noodles are layered with remarkable depth of flavour, and the teh tarik deserves more attention than most café coffee orders.

Set against one of Kuala Lumpur’s better rooftop views, the restaurant encourages lingering. Meals stretch comfortably into conversations, with dishes arriving at a pace that often convinces diners to squeeze in one more order before calling it a night.

Booking: Reserve here
Website: belumfriday.com
IG: @belumfriday

Niji Sushi Izakaya

An izakaya isn’t meant to be rushed. It’s where conversations unfold over small plates, drinks keep coming, and nobody watches the clock. Niji Sushi Izakaya captures that spirit while raising the bar. Leading the kitchen is Chef Fuku, whose journey spans French fine dining, VIP service during Paris Fashion Week, omakase counters in Amsterdam, and now Kuala Lumpur. Those influences surface in subtle ways throughout a menu built around premium seasonal ingredients sourced directly from Tsukiji.

From beautifully prepared maguro sets and signature sushi rolls to crisp tempura and comforting salmon-and-ikura iron pot rice, every dish reflects careful technique without ever feeling intimidating. The craftsmanship is unmistakable, yet the atmosphere remains relaxed—the hallmark of a truly good izakaya.

Booking: Reserve here
IG: @niji.sushi.izakaya

Koha

Koha may describe itself as a friendly bistro rather than a fine dining restaurant, but labels matter far less than what’s on the plate. Chef Yun Tan builds his menu around local produce, finding new expressions for ingredients that many Malaysians already know by heart. Sabah octopus is paired with garlic foam and potato leaves, while pulut hitam cleverly steps into the role of risotto. Sweet potato is elevated with duck fat, smoked crème fraîche and honey, and duck breast, aged for ten days, arrives with eggplant miso purée and roselle.

Dessert continues the local conversation through Absolute Coconut, while the zero-proof cocktails are just as considered. Drinks such as the Tuak Pistachio and Longan Red Date reinterpret familiar flavours with surprising elegance. Nothing here feels overworked. It’s thoughtful cooking that lets ingredients do most of the talking.

Booking: Reserve here
IG: @koha.kl

Al Halabi

Al Halabi has found a fitting new home at Pavilion Damansara Heights, where its expansive flagship celebrates the generous spirit of Syrian dining. The menu journeys through the Levant with all the classics accounted for: creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanoush, mutabal, and crisp falafel begin the meal before grilled shish kebab, shish tawook, and slow-cooked lamb biryani take over. The lamb is wonderfully tender, while the charcoal grill lends unmistakable character to every skewer.

Dessert, naturally, means baklava and warm cheese kunafa—rich, comforting finales to a feast designed for sharing. At 8,500 square feet, the new flagship has the space to match its generous menu, making it as much a gathering place as it is a restaurant.

Booking: Reserve here
IG: @alhalabigourmet

New menus

Jhol Kuala Lumpur

Some restaurants change their menu, but Jhol Kuala Lumpur continues a conversation. As the restaurant enters its second year, Executive Chef Gaurav Gupta has introduced a refreshed tasting, lunch and à la carte menu that looks both backwards and forwards, bringing together signature favourites with new discoveries from India’s vast coastline. Designed for sharing, the family-style experience embraces the warmth and generosity that sit at the heart of Indian hospitality, inviting diners to explore regional flavours together rather than one plate at a time.

For Chef Gaurav, every menu is another chapter in an ongoing journey. Seasonal produce, curated pairings, themed evenings, and intimate private dining experiences ensure each visit uncovers a different corner of India’s coastal culinary landscape. That sense of discovery has always been Jhol’s greatest strength. Rather than presenting Indian cuisine as something fixed, the restaurant treats it as a living, evolving story—one shaped by fishing villages, spice routes, regional traditions, and generations of cooks whose recipes continue to inspire. The refreshed menu simply adds another chapter, giving diners one more reason to return, and perhaps discover something they didn’t know they were looking for.

Booking: Reserve here
Website: jholrestaurantkl.com
IG: @jholkualalumpur

The Oriental Group

The Oriental Group is taking diners on a culinary tour of Malaysia. Its latest dining series—Makan Makan Malaysia: Chapter 1—celebrates the country’s rich food heritage through specially crafted dishes inspired by iconic regional flavours and standout local produce. Reimagined by the group’s master chefs, the menu pays tribute to the recipes, ingredients, and stories that have shaped Malaysian cuisine across generations.

Running from 17 to 28 August across selected Oriental Group restaurants, the limited-time experience is priced from RM2,300++ per table for the pork-free menu at Ruyi, and RM2,600++ at participating venues including Noble Mansion, Oriental Pavilion, and Ming Room.

Website: orientalrestaurants.com.my
IG: @orientalgroupmy

Opening image is courtesy of The Olive Tree Group