32 R E V I E W
by Fong Wai Ling
Who: Jojo Struys
Makan-Makan Where:
Aliyaa Island Restaurant and
WITH THE STARS
Bar, 8, Lorong Dungun, Bkt
Damansara
Tel: 03 2092 5378
KL Lifestyle seeks restaurant recommendations from two celebrities,
Jojo Struys and Henry Golding.
HOOKED ON SRI LANKAN FARE
N
estled in the hills of Bukit Daman-
sara is Aliyaa Island Restaurant and
Bar, an authentic Sri Lankan restau-
rant which model, blogger, TV host
and producer, Jojo Struys cites to be her fa-
vourite restaurant.
“I like it because it’s Sri Lankan and we
have so many Indian restaurants in KL but
where would we go for Sri Lankan cuisine?”
Jojo also credits the ambience of Aliyaa
for why it is her preferred place to dine. “It’s
Jojo, a familiar face at Ali-
yaa, personally recommends
the Sri Lankan crabs and
eggplant sambal, even if
she is not a fan of seafood.
Her favourite “must-order”
meals whenever she dines at
Aliyaa are the Aapam Galore
and Kandian Chicken Dance.
Aapam Galore
a stand alone house and it brings one back to
the colonial times. I like the cement floor and
the minimal feel of it,” she said.
She shared how she was there to witness
the inception of Aliyaa right from the beginning.
She recalled that it was her friend, Abbi, who is
a Sri Lankan, who once mentioned that there
was no where in the Klang Valley that he could
find an authentic Sri Lankan restaurant.
“So, my good friend Abbi actually set out
to build Aliyaa from scratch. I remember walk-
ing through it when it was dust and rubble. It
was incredible seeing the transformation from
a construction site into a charming restaurant
that it is today,” she said.
Jojo, a familiar face at Aliyaa, personally
recommends the Sri Lankan crabs and egg-
plant sambal, even if she is not a fan of sea-
food. Her favourite “must-order” meals when-
ever she dines at Aliyaa are the Aapam Galore
and Kandian Chicken Dance.
Asked how often she dined at Aliyaa, Jojo
said her visits largely depended on what par-
ty hat she was wearing for the day or night.
“I usually go there with a group of friends for
dinner and sometimes, just for drinks because
there’s a band with live music. Those who en-
joy cigars can also have a nice lounging ses-
sion on the balcony. It’s really chilled-out. I like
the wine there too.”
Jojo also recommends Aliyaa to be the
perfect place to host a launch or an intimate
private party. “It’s actually quite a large venue.
The last time I was there was for a charity din-
ner Abbi hosted to raise funds for underprivi-
leged children in Sri Lanka,” she said.