Following the wildly successful Nasi Kandaq Fest, FriedChillies and Sunway Putra Mall will conduct a 3-day culinary festival saluting the lovely world of viral cuisine. Prepared for another surprise are foodies. Some of the most popular social media vendors will come together for the Top Viral Food Festival 2023 (TVFF 2023) to sell anything from delectable brisket to donut-pizzas to thirst-quenching beverages. The Nasi Kandaq Fest, on the other hand, is centered around celebrating nasi kandar and its delicacies.
“It is undeniable in recent years, there has been some really innovative food being sold via social media. The pandemic and the lockdown has given people time to experiment and also find different ways to make a living,” says Adly Rizal, CEO of FriedChillies. “Other than presenting to Malaysians a quality food event that everyone can enjoy, this is also our way to support these businesses, and encourage them towards creating a sustainable business in the future. We expect a fun, family crowd over the weekend because, alongside all the delicious food on offer, we also have a lot of activities planned.”
The vendors joining TVFF 2023 are brands that are on top at the moment and are sought after by foodies and trend seekers. Among the vendors are well-loved brands like Beard Brothers BBQ and TanjakCrew as well as Suka Dessert and Donut Viral Opah who have been the talk of the town since 2021. Check out the list below for the 20 viral vendors participating in the festival and the food items they have on offer.
“We were overwhelmed by the support for the Nasi Kandaq Fest. This means that food is truly a unifying factor for people from all walks of life to come together,” says Tan Ai Vee, Head of Marketing, Sunway Putra Mall. “We hope to continue doing great events like TVFF in Sunway Putra Mall where people can eat, drink and be merry despite rain or shine in our mall. It truly is in line with our vision that malls are more than just a shopping experience, it’s where communities gather for connection and social activities,” she smiles.
FriedChillies, who are the people behind wildly popular food events like I Eat Nasi Lemak and Ayam Lejen often find interesting venues to act as hosts. Ayam Lejen was held at the Ara Damansara LRT Station. Meanwhile, I Eat Burgers was a 12-hours burger insanity event held at a football field in PJ, where 20 burger legends from Ramli Burger stalls to gourmet eateries served up the juiciest burgers to food fans.
Sunway Putra Mall has lined up a list of entertaining pocket events to add to the festivities. There will be buskers to serenade visitors and eating competitions scheduled, as well as a Cosplay Pose Competition. The festival expects about 50-60 cosplay enthusiasts to take part in the competition which will run for about two hours. This competition will be judged by legendary local figures in the scene, Mr. Azamcos (The Ultimate Cosplayer), Mr. Din (LoL Cosplay) and Mr. Adam John.
“Sunway Putra Mall is a perfect partner because they truly love their space and the location can’t be more ideal with numerous public transports nearby and easy access to e-hailing services. The vibe during the nasi kandaq event was cool because you truly felt you were right smack in the middle of a cityscape while enjoying mouth-watering food. So come join us this weekend starting from 29 September 2023 (Friday) all the way to 1 October 2023 (Sunday) to eat and to support our local heroes.,” adds Adly.
Meaty and Hearty
- Bakso Beranak- Hailing from Sebrerang, Indonesia this soupy delight was brought over to our fair shores by comedian and actress Vicha. It keeps to its original taste from Indonesia and will guarantee to make you sweat from the spiciness. Why is it called bakso beranak? Because in each giant bakso served there are little bakso babies within it’s meaty interior. Slurrrrpppp!
- Beard Brothers BBQ- Chief Pitmaster Nazri Jameson is a culinary arts graduate who decided to embrace the challenge of producing perfectly barbecued halal briskets. His obsession with it had him labouring for almost five months, honing his technique and recipe to achieve his vision of the perfectly barbecued brisket. His fellow Pitmaster and Bearded Bro, Afif Ter, shares his vision of diversifying the halal food culture. Together, they aim to create accessible and authentic halal alternatives to world cuisine while building an inclusive social community through wholesome good food. In tandem with that, the bearded duo is on a mission to redefine the perception of fast food with their philosophy of slow cooking for full-flavoured goodness.
- The GoatFather– This grill favourite offers you the deliciousness of grilled lamb that has been marinated lovingly and fired up with onions and peppers. This is all served up with fries or meatballs (in case you like meat on meat).
- Mooowich– with the moniker ‘loaded with every bite,’ mooowich offers up sandwiches made from thick bread stuffed with meaty goodness from barbecued beef to grilled chicken.
- Wagyu Skewer– imagine affordabletender meaty wagyu riddled with fat grilled on a stick. Enough said.
Asian Delights
- Racha Tomyam– Tomyum simmered with authentic Thai pastes. It’s strong broth and addictive taste will get you sweating and asking for seconds. Choose your protein and noodles and slurp away.
- Bolok Troops– Carry on the Thai theme with the vendor serving up dishes inspired from the north of the border like kerabu Maggi and steamed squid Ala Thai.
- Sushika– for lovers of sushi, try out their selection geared towards local tastebuds.
- Jeruk Liur Leleh- this is a well-known brand that sells pickled mangoes with all kinds of sauces and fruits. They also sell guava, soursop, apple in asamboi. For those you love their snacks sour and refreshing, they also have pretty packaging!
Say Cheese! - Jagung Cheese Tarik– The usual steamed/ boiled corn is elevated to the next level with the addition of cheese! Why do we call it ‘jagung cheese tarik?’ Coz when the corn is prepared, they pull the stretchy cheese high with style like one would make a teh tarik.
- TanjakCrew– around since 2012, this crew is a crowd favourite famous for their spaghetti and meatballs full of cheesy and meaty goodness.
- Mac Mafia– the ‘ol Mac ’n’ cheese is made into a dish fit for planning a heist by baking it with gouda cheese with the addition of fried chicken or grilled meats. This is a dish ‘you can’t refuse!’
- Golden Dough– This vendor serves a plethora of signature pizza doughnuts, which (yup you guessed it, combine pizza and doughnuts with a variety of toppings to create a mouthwatering sensation.
Thirst Quenchers
- Air Dalam Tin– Lots of people have been captivated by this little business that sells delicious mixes in see-through containers that simulate a canned drink. Super kawaii
- Hauslah– Thirsty? Try the wide variety of drinks on offer here from soda drinks to coffee and chocolate-based beverages.
- Kopi Kamper– “Kopi | Sahabat | Alam,” this friendly coffee van roams all over Malaysia fulfilling people’s caffeine needs. They have a variety of milky coffee beverages and use gula apong to give it that signature Kamper taste.
- Donut Opah Viral-These donuts became viral on TikTok because of the softness and fluffiness of their donuts with affordable prices. Hailing from Gombak, for three days all you need to do is saunter over to Sunway Putra Mall. They will be frying it fresh on-site.
- Rotiwap– Steamed bread filled with tasty sauces like chocolate, kaya and more. Their tagline is “inti kasih sayang” (filled with love).
- SB Fruyo– This yogurt ice cream is stacked with all kinds of toppings from fruit to nuts and a variety of sauces.
- Suka Dessert– Who doesn’t like dessert? This very popular vendor has all kinds desserts like baby pancakes and uses premium chocolate which has garnered them a devoted following no matter where they go.