Dining at Kelang: A Brooklyn Culinary Hybrid
Food fusion is nothing new—we’ve lived through the era of birria ramen and pastrami burritos—but Kelang feels like something entirely different. It captures the ‘second-generation turn,’ where the cooking reflects the life of a chef who grew up straddling multiple worlds. Christopher Low, an American-born son of Malaysian parents, doesn’t try to replicate a distant homeland. Instead, he plates the reality of a Brooklyn upbringing, mixed with the Haitian and Jamaican flavors that colored his youth. It’s deeply rooted, sure, but it branches out into unexpected territory, creating a culinary map that feels both personal and refreshingly modern for a city that thinks it has tasted everything.
Low’s journey to this moment started in 2022 with the Hainan Chicken House in Sunset Park, a family-run operation that turned into a local sensation. The chicken was silken and subtle, but the real magic happened in the rotating specials that showcased the hawker-style dishes of Klang, his parents’ Malaysian hometown. Now, at Kelang, that focus is cemented. You can find rendang made with oxtail that has been smoked, Caribbean style, then braised down to a rich, sticky glaze. It sits on a bed of rice that owes a debt to both Malaysian nasi ulam and Haitian djon djon, a clever mashup that lands perfectly on the palate.
Honestly, the menu is a fascinating puzzle.
Not every dish requires you to play a game of spot-the-reference, which is a relief. Take the moonlight kway teow, a stir-fried noodle dish that arrives near-black with dark soy sauce and a vibrant egg yolk waiting to be stirred into the mix. It is smoky, sultry, and unapologetically craggy from the addition of smoked clams. Then there are the abacus seeds—taro dumplings labeled as ‘gnocchi’ on the menu—sautéed with chiles and smoked mushrooms. It’s the kind of cooking that makes you forget about labels and just focus on the heat, the texture, and the sheer joy of the flavor combinations.
Low, who is a filmmaker by training, treats the dining room with the same creative precision he applies to his sauces. Drawing inspiration from Wong Kar Wai, the space is a study in lush, melancholy romanticism. You’ll find deep-red banquettes, tropical vines, and gilt-edged mirrors that turn a former medical office into a cinematic escape. If the mood lighting isn’t enough to settle you in, a martini spiked with a splash of fish sauce might do the trick. Kelang is currently hitting its stride, oscillating between a casual neighborhood haunt and an amorous date-night destination. It is a little bit of everything, and somehow, it all works.