Kopitiam Sentral Restaurant

Walk up Upper Duke Street towards the cathedral and you'll find yourself in a no-nonsense Malaysian spot that's clearly doing something right. The room's unpretentious; you're here for the food, not the Instagram backdrop. Order the laksa if you know what's good for you — it's the sort of bowl that makes you forget every mediocre curry you've had in the city centre. Their rendang's got proper depth, and the roti comes out warm and pillowy. It's the kind of place where locals keep coming back because the cooking's honest and the portions won't leave your wallet crying.