Crane KL, Sultan Road

Crane KL takes flight as Chinatown's most charming new venue, set in the former Selangor Grocers' Guild headquarters that's one of Jalan Sultan's most recognisable buildings, with a history that stretches back to the 1930s.

This space has received a full makeover, making it more brightly welcoming than ever while preserving its structural features. An alleyway-style corridor is captivating with paper cranes and lanterns hanging over tables beside walls filled with classic crane illustrations.

The menu promises a playful take on diverse dishes - the Nasi Lemak Wonton is the ideal introduction, stuffed with fragrant rice, peanuts, bits of egg, anchovies and cucumber in crisp parcels, rounded out with sambal for all the essential elements of Nasi Lemak in a distinctively different package (RM25).

For a light meal, we'd also recommend the naturally creamy taro root soup with its beautiful earthiness (RM20) and the South American-inspired salad of toasted sweet corn with quinoa, avocado and cilantro, fresh and flavoursome (RM20).

We were too early for Crane KL's cocktail bar upstairs, which opens 4pm daily and serves its own creative concoctions. Still, customers can order more conventional cocktails like Mojitos and a solid selection of wine by the glass for lunch.