GREENPOINT, BROOKLYN
Kelang
Malaysian cooking in a red, Wong Kar-wai-lit room — oxtail rendang, char siu and the family's Hainanese chicken.
Chris Low grew up in the family business — Hainan Chicken House, the Sunset Park institution — and Kelang, named for his parents' hometown of Klang, is his Malaysian restaurant dressed for an evening out. The room borrows from Wong Kar-wai: deep red booths, embroidered fabric, low light. It feels closer to a cocktail bar than a canteen, and on a weekend night it sounds like one.
The cooking keeps Malaysian bones and lets Brooklyn in at the edges. Flaky paratha comes topped with stracciatella; the rendang is oxtail, cooked down hard and served with Haitian djon djon rice; char siu pork belly arrives with garlicky cucumbers. The Hainanese chicken, at dinner, is the family dish and should not be skipped, and Hokkien mee and bak kut teh are there for anyone who wants the classics. Cocktails run on pandan, lemongrass and calamansi.
Editor’s tip
Order the paratha, the char siu and the Hainanese chicken; come back for brunch, the only time nasi lemak is served.
Make an evening of it — beautiful stops nearby
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Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 13, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.