Nasi Lemak – Malaysian national dish

Another omnipresent dish on restaurant menus in Malaysia – the famous Nasi Lemak. Nasi means rice in Malay while Lemak refers to cream. The name is derived from the cooking process whereby rice is soaked in coconut cream and then the mixture steamed. The dish was elaborate – there was rice with sambal (spicy sauce, a close relative of our sambar), roasted peanuts, hard boiled egg, small dried anchovies accompanied by chicken. The sambal had a tangy tamarind taste while the dried fish went very well with the food.

Spanish La Bodega – tapas and vinos

The restaurant menu said, “eat like the way the Spanish do – live to eat and not eat to live”, well “la Bodega – tapas and vinos” lived upto its Spanish ways. This tapas and wine place is as much of a live wire as most of the restaurants in Bukit Bintang. Tired of walking, but full of energy to try out the lively restaurants we chanced upon La Bodega at the famous Le Pavillon. Mandar started with his favourite wheat beer Hoegaarden while I ordered a House sangria and home-made nachos made from potato. While the beer was flat, sangria was watery and nachos were like potato chips, the tapas and the paella stole the show.

The waiter suggested we try the tapas marinated lamb skewer with spicy apricot chutney and garlic mayo which was a treat. I'm not a big fan on lamb but with this I became one. Next we tried the tapas with prawns in andalusia style spicy garlic n tomato sauce. This tapas was accompanied with bread and tasted like a less-spicy and non-vinegar version of Goan Prawns Balchao. Delicious. Mandar refilled his glass with a Stella beer while I asked for a light-bodied red wine, Vina brava, carinena, garnacha tinta torres.

For main course, after much thinking, we decided to try the Fideua - angel hair pasta cooked in a paella with chicken, braised octopus and peas. Well, the dish has a distinct wood-burn taste with the octopus tasting somewhere between a shrimp and a squid. Yes, it was our first time with the octopus, we mixed the octopus well with the vermicelli-like pasta so as to avoid its sight, eating it was definitely an achievement for us.

Red-bean ice

ABC was on my list-to-try in Malaysia. And I just chanced upon it at Selera Putra food court on the bank of the Putra lake in Putrajaya. Ais kacang meaning “red-bean ice” or popularly known as air batu campur in Malay or ABC for short is a like an assortment of crushed ice with various syrups with red beans, sweet corn, jellies and can be topped with a scoop of ice-cream. It was a huge soup bowl if ice candy and cooled down our bodies. No wonder its so popular in Malaysia which has a tropical weather. I was amazed at the combination on beans in ice-cream, imagine rajma beans in your ice-cream? But, don’t be turned off, the combination was perfectly done; just the right amount of beans and the syrups with the ice golas makes this a must-try item.

Love the laksa

I was told by a friend to definitely try the laksa. And I did, not just the Malaysian curry one but the Thai laksa as well as the Penang (asam) laska as well. Laksa is a noodle soup from the Nyonya (also called Baba Peranakan) culture, which is a merger of Chinese and Malay. The curry laska or simply referred to as laksa which I tried at Rasa Mas at KL Sentral station had coconut as its base with ingredients like meatballs, chicken, tofu puffs, boiled egg and thick-white noodles.

Fascinated by the laksa, I tried the Thai version of the laska at Bangkok Jam on our second visit to Bukit Bintang, our favourite hang-out area in KL. The thai laksa came neatly decorated on a ceramic plate with the curry in a bowl, white thin noodles, various leaves, cucumber pieces, dried red chillies, carrot and onion salad and bean sprouts. The attendant suggested to mix it all in the plate. It was one of the tastiest meals I've eaten and such a mouthful.

Having tried the coconut-based laksas, I was keen to try the asam laksa whose base is tamarind and fish. Towards the end of our stay in Malaysia, I finally got to try this at Warongkita, again at the KL central. The asam or Penang laska as it is called came with shredded fish, boiled egg, cucumber, onions, red chillis, pineapple, lettuce, common mint, "daun kesum" (Vietnamese mint or laksa mint) and pink bunga kantan (ginger buds). The noodles were really thick and transparent white. Of all my Malaysian food adventures, laksa stands out as my favourite.

Goan Dodol in Malaysia!

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw dodol at the Central Market in KL. Dodol is a gluey dessert made with coconut milk, jaggery and rice flour very popular in Goa. I always thought it was a Portuguese influenced delicacy which is why hardly anybody outside Goa knows of it. But after googling, I realised its very popular in Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines. In KL, I tried the durian-flavoured dodol called "lempuk". I couldn’t eat more than a bite of it. But the local lady told me this was her favourite. I tried the coconut-based dodol which was very similar to the Goan dodol and up to my taste.

Fished!

Dinner at Langkawi was an elaborate affair. Swimming in the sea makes you so hungry you can eat anything. And so hungry I was that I ate an entire garoupa fish at the beach-side East Imperial Sea food restaurant and barbeque which like every other place was decorated in red to mark the Chinese New Year. Mandar who doesn’t have a liking towards fish, settled for squids. I was amazed by the fact that I get to pick my fish from the pond and then barbeque it to my taste. The fish was fresh, well-done and mildly spiced. The accompaniment to our dishes was steamed rice. I did end up feeling guilty for eating the entire fish by myself and paying a great deal for it. But nevertheless the experience was satisfying!

Oriental treat at Putumayo

Short of currency, we head to the first restaurant that accepts credit cards in Pantai Cenang. We have arrived at around noon in Langkawi after a two hour ferry from Penang and are gluttonous. Putumayo is a delight to the senses. A very charming waiter suggests us to try lobsters cooked in their unique oriental style along with udon ( thick Japanese wheat noodles) and the renowned Malaysian satay. The lobsters were splendid, not too much seasoning, just right to get the taste of the meat. The udon dish came along with prawns and chicken meat and a pleasant sauce which had a flavour of soya while the satay cooked to perfection was accompanied by mouth-watering peanut sauce. Along with beer and amazing food, our day was made.

Char Kway Teow

In Penang, after a tight day of sight-seeing, we reach Chulia Street around 11. The Street is still alive and buzzing with cafes. We are happy our logde for the night is on Chulay Street. Having heard about Char Kway Teow, we ask for it along with chicken fried rice and cold Milo. Char Kway Teow is dish of stir fried rice noodles with prawns, eggs (pork or chicken), chives and beansprouts. Milo is very popular in Malaysia and served at evey café either hot or cold. The noodles are slurpy and win over the fried rice which has a very oily taste.

Nasi Kandar

Our bus headed to Penang stopped at a mamak restaurant for lunch. Mamaks are Indian muslims who have developed a distinct Malaysian style. One of the most popular kinds of food by the Indian Muslims is called "nasi kandar" which is white rice or briyani rice served with other dishes of curry either with chicken, fish, beef, or mutton and usually with pickled vegetables too. It is usually accompanied by some Papadums. Nasi kandar originally came from Penang. Also available throughout the country, the omnipresent Mamak stalls or restaurants are particularly  popular among the locals as they offer a wide range of food and some outlets are open 24 hours a day. The waiter serves white rice and asks us to choose our curries from the buffet. There is chicken, mutton, beef, pork, fish and vegetables to choose from. Every curry has huge pieces of meat with the skin of the meat retained. I get a little grossed out but manage to find a non-skin piece of chicken in the curry which tastes very much like the curry I have back home. The Nasi Kandar is a very good option is you are missing the spicy Indian food.

Dorayaki

The name sounds scary but it’s a Japanese name for two small pancake-like patties made from castella (sponge cake) wrapped around a filling. After all the rides at Genting, Dorayaki is sure treat for the sweet teeth. If you are like me who has mostly eaten pancakes with honey, maple, strawberry or chocolate syrup, dorayaki with peanut butter will definitely top your list.

Chinese even make herbal jelly?

Upon arrival at Genting Highlands, I am fascinated by a shop with shiny barrels and Chinese artifacts on display. I see Chinese folks enjoying some brown coloured thing in a cup with the same happy expression that an ice-cream brings on my face. The store owner tells me its jelly made from herbs. She is surprised when I ask for a cup. The jelly comes in a Chinese cup with a pot of honey. You can eat it as is or for a sweeter taste add honey. In one word, the jelly is different. Its like green tea jellified. But, definitely tastes better with honey. I cannot finish the entire cup but am happy to have tried it.

Witbiers and crabs make a good pair!

We chance upon a matrix of welcoming restaurants at BB Plaza in Bukit Bintang. The place is renowned for its night life. We grab a seat at Outback Steakhouse. Upon Mandar’s suggestion, I ask for Hoegaarden witbier. The beer is smooth, not being a great beer fan, I still develop a liking towards this beer made from wheat and spiced with coriander and orange peel. It is unfiltered and therefore pale and cloudy in appearance. Mandar gets a Tiger. The drinks go well with the crabcakes we order. It’s a Friday night and we are taken aback with a group of elaborately dressed men and women ready to perform some sexy moves. We are lucky to be part of such stunning free performance, its great fun. We head back to the hotel sure to come back to BB plaza.

Our first food destination - Cafe Cino, Hilton KL

I reach KL in the morning around 8.30 and am so tired I hit the bed skipping breakfast. When Mandar returns from work in the early evening, we head to Café Cino at our hotel. I order a shrimp quiche and a coffee. The quiche is cheesy and the shrimps melt in the mouth. The portion is huge and inspite of being on an empty stomach, Im unable to finish it. Mandar fills himself with the chicken pie. Satisfied, we are set to explore the city.

Indian Cravings at Mid Valley Mall

After over a week of avoiding Indian food, I finally got the craving for it. We were at the Mid Valley mall, just a station away from KL Sentral. After we were through with all the window shopping, Chinese New Year performances, and some real shopping, we sat down for dinner at the food court. There was a decent variety of food, and I quickly spotted what looked like Indian at a distance.

Thankfully it wasn't the "door se dekha" trap, and I saw a familiar roti, chapati and curry - veg, chicken and fish as well. I picked up the roti canai with chicken curry and a lemon iced tea. The roti canai, also called the roti prata in Singapore, was actually like the Kerala paratha back home. It was a satisfying meal; though it remains to be seen how long I can go without getting another craving da...

Vietnamese at Pho Hoa

My plan of trying every cuisine possible here was furiously on. Vietnamese was the choice of the day.

Once again, we went to the Suntec City food court to choose from an endless list of restaurants. This time around, Charles took me to one of his favorite Vietnamese eateries, one he has been visiting for many years now - Pho Hoa. This chain has been around for a while, and has outlets in US, Canada and many countries in Asia. It also claims to be ranked in the Top 400 restaurants in US. I was about to find out.

I ordered the Chicken Noodle Soup, or Pho Ga. It came in two sizes - regular and large - knowing how well folks here can eat, I just stuck to the regular. What caught my attention on the menu though was the Vietnamese Drip Coffee with Milk and Ice, and I ordered it as well. What came back was quite fascinating - one large glass full of ice cubes, and a smaller one containing condensed milk with coffee dripping into it! One drop at a time. The coffee was coarsely ground, put in a metal drip filter and kept over the glass containing the milk. Fascinating really.

The noodle soup was quite good too - this place probably does live up to its claim. My struggle with the chopsticks was quite a story though, but well, I leave that for another day.

Mediterranean at Kazbar

An early dinner has its disadvantages. You're bound to get hungry again, and soon. So we headed to Orchard Road, the street famous for its malls, and a matching nightlife. Opposite the Orchard Central is the Cuppage Terrace, a clustered establishment of multiple joints serving a wide range of cuisines. I'd primarily come here to taste the Hoegaarden beer - a Belgian wheat beer renowned for its smooth taste and regarded as an original classic. We settled down at the Mediterranean food joint, Kazbar.

Mediterranean food is no stranger to me, and India, and I've visited several places serving this delicious cuisine back home. This time around, we ordered the mix mezze platter and kibbeh to go along with a large jug of Hoegaarden beer. The platter was a combination of hummus, moutabel, babaganoush, cheese borek and falafel, while the Kibbeh consisted of ground lamb and crushed wheat, stuffed with mince meat. I don't know if it was just me, but the Kibbeh didn't really go down well, and I could manage just two pieces. The platter, on the other hand, was quite well done and added to the delicious taste of the Belgian beer. I was told that this beer is now available in India as well, but as I'd experienced with Corona in the past, it would be a while before a pint would be affordable for most. The beer definitely left a wanting taste in my mouth, and is really tempting me to take up a study on internationally brewed beers! :)

Finally some Japanese cuisine at Isshin

We were just done with the third customer visit for the day, and our stomachs were roaring in anger. We couldn't really have waited any longer for dinner, and it helped that Raffles place was nearby. At 6:45 pm, this was certainly one of the earliest dinners I've had in a long time.

Walking down towards the Raffles MRT station, we spotted Isshin - a Japanese restaurant - and immediately agreed on it. Japanese is one cuisine I've normally been hesitant about, but I couldn't leave Singapore without trying it. My colleague, Charles, has been a fabulous culinary guide so far and, as before, his recommendations and insights on the local food was spot on.

Charles ordered the fish combo meal for himself, and the chicken combo meal for me. While we were waiting for the food to arrive, we were served some hot tea, or teah as they call it here. My meal wasn't only about chicken, as I soon found out. Along with fried sweetened chicken, I was served deep fried shrimps, pepper and baby corn, soup with fermented soybean (miso) and tofu, rice, sauces, and raw tuna and salmon! I was originally intimidated with the sight of raw fish, but jumped into the food soon enough. Of note here is that miso, the seasoning used in my soup, gradually improves with time, and like wine, gets more expensive to procure.

I bit into the raw salmon, which to my pleasant surprise was devoid of the usual fishy smell and tasted quite bland, but returned to the rest of my meal. That was delicious though, and I gobbled it up in quick time. Another cuisine off the list now; my eyes are set on Korean next. So long.

Hainanese Chicken Rice at Suntec City

It helps to have your office in a prime location, and it gets even better when there is a large and diverse food court to serve your culinary desires near by. We walked down to the Suntec City food court from office for lunch today, and came to this large and bustling food court, serving every local dish you could think of, and at very affordable rates. My target for today was local cuisine and, although its roots are in China, the Hainanese Chicken Rice was a classic example of Singaporean cuisine.

The chicken is prepared in traditional Hainanese methods which involve the boiling of the entire chicken in a pork and chicken bone stock, reusing the broth over and over, and only topping it up with water when needed. Rice is separately prepared with chicken stock, and a dash of coconut milk, giving it an oily flavor. Accompanying the chicken rice was fried tofu with mayonnaise, traditional Chinese soup, and vegetables cooked in sesame oil with deep fried garlic. All in all, a perfect meal that was an instant hit with my stomach!

Oh, and yeah, here's a pic of the hot chick who joined me for lunch today :)