going places 6010 august 2014 FOOD TRAIL A Hearty Heritage Savour Malaysia’s sumptuous taste of time-honoured traditions flavoured with culinary creativity Text Sean Yoong Photos Bernie Lim
n a country that’s a true melting Makan Kitchen pot of cultures, Malaysian kitchens Many of KL’s hotels offer buffets with have long produced meals that a sampling of Malaysian dishes, but reflect their people’s multitude DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur’s of gastronomic traditions. From flagship restaurant stands out with hearty rice recipes paired with creamy its wholehearted commitment to this Icurries to oodles of noodles and fragrant country’s cuisine. Makan Kitchen flatbreads, Malaysia’s cuisine is diverse, (makan-kitchen.com) serves a sprawling distinctive and delicious. spread, not only of Malay, Chinese Some of the best restaurants in and Indian delicacies but also the less Kuala Lumpur illustrate yet another common Nyonya and Kristang choices Nasi lemak with a twist at virtue of Malaysian food: versatility. In (more often found in the southern state Wondermama a world that’s constantly swept up in of Malacca) and Iban native specialities change, Malaysia’s menu is evolving too, (from the eastern Sarawak state in Wondermama simultaneously soaking up international Borneo). is a whimsical influences while sustaining its intrinsic The restaurant itself is a vibrant venue, hangout with an inventive identity. flourishing with open kitchens where an menu Here are six memorable eateries that army of cooks takes command of piping- proudly interpret the past, present, and hot grills filled withsatay (seasoned possibly, the future of Malaysian cooking: chicken and beef on skewers) and woks that sizzle aromatically with fried rice. First-time visitors to Malaysia can find everything they need to eat here under one roof; start with sup kambing mamak (spicy lamb broth with potatoes) or roti canai (Malaysia’s version of pancakes, best enjoyed with curry dips) and finish with refreshing ais kacang (shaved ice topped with sweet corn, red beans, grass jelly, palm sugar syrup and evaporated milk). Makan Kitchen’s selection is especially staggering during dinner, when the evening highlights include pansoh manok, a rare Iban treat of tender, herb- tinged chicken cooked in bamboo stems. going places 6210 august 2014 FOOD TRAIL
Simply Mel’s The restaurant also recently introduced six new signature dishes reinvented with This family-run restaurant soulfully Simply Mel’s contemporary ingredients, such as otak- showcases how this country’s cuisine mother-and- otak (seafood cakes steam-baked with began to absorb fascinating nuances from daughter team kaffir lime leaves) made with Alaskan foreign cultures centuries ago. Simply king crab. Mel’s (simplymels.com) is Kuala Lumpur’s Makan Kitchen serves a rare treat “We’re delighted to promote Malaysian sole Kristang eatery, highlighting the of chicken in food in every way possible. We’re even heritage of a community of mixed local bamboo stems willing to print out our recipes and give and Portuguese descent from Malacca, them to our guests,” promises Prem where Portuguese colonial-era sailors and Nasi kerabu is Kumar, Makan Kitchen’s sous chef. traders first landed in the 16th century. a beloved rice speciality at Simply Mel’s treasure is its chef Melba The Local The Local Nunis, who takes pride in unique recipes For a more casual setting, head to where she learned from her grandmother and Makan Kitchen’s Malaysian office workers go for lunch. mother. Her daughter, Cheryl Victor, chefs prepare satay The Local (thelocal.com.my) is a simple manages the outlet and is equally in an open kitchen café styled after akopitiam , or traditional coffee shop, in the Jaya One commercial complex, a half-hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur’s city centre. Chef Othman Hasan and his team whip up wallet-friendly plates of nasi kerabu, an eye-catching staple from Othman’s northern home state of Kelantan that features moist rice dyed blue with butterfly-pea flower petals and partnered with ayam percik (chicken in a lip-smacking coconut sauce). Other Malaysian states are well-represented at The Local too; try the char kuey teow, a northern Penang island favourite of flat rice noodles stir-fried in soy sauce with cockles, prawns and bean sprouts. “As our name suggests, we’re all about being local,” Othman says. “This is fully authentic; we focus on the flavours that Malaysians grew up to love.”
Malaysian kitchens have long produced meals that reflect their people’s multitude of gastronomic traditions
going places 6410 august 2014 FOOD TRAIL
passionate about dishes like kari keluak ideal for sharing. galinhia (chicken with luscious, paste- Indulge in small plates of duck satay, filled black nuts in a pleasantly sour marinated overnight and barbecued over curry), sambal nanas kung kambrang charcoal fire, or salmonmasak lemak (prawns with chillies and pineapple) and (stewed in coconut milk), ayam masak sambal tenggiri binagre (mackerel topped cili hijau (chicken wings with green chilli with thick, tangy chilli sauce mixed with paste) and cumi bakar kicap (grilled squid shrimp paste). with soy sauce and honey), all served The family wants to invigorate the with rice or bread. Wrap up with cream popularity of their gastronomic legacy. puffs stuffed with chocolate and durian, A cookbook of Melba’s most cherished Malaysia’s renowned king of fruits. Customers concoctions is slated to be available in helping Wondermama themselves Malaysian bookstores in November, to traditional while Cheryl is collaborating with local Another mall-based café, Wondermama Malaysian entrepreneurs to launch restaurants (wondermama.co) is the most food at Makan Kitchen abroad that introduce customers to whimsically colourful hangout in the Kristang creations and other fare from fashionable Bangsar neighbourhood. pandan leaves. The restaurant boasts no Simply Mel’s Malacca and Penang. Wondermama’s hodgepodge of Malaysian fewer than five variations of nasi lemak; serves prawns and Asian fare is tangled in tantalising each comes not only with customary with chillies Ecole P twists, courageously combining components like crispy anchovies, and pineapple Nostalgia infuses every inch of Ecole P ingredients with flamboyant flair. peanuts, hard-boiled eggs, water spinach (facebook.com/ecole.p), a delightful café imaginative, refashioning tasty childhood Wondermama pays homage and prawns in chilli paste but also Fried rice opened last year by two friends, Steven pleasures into inspired recipes that particularly to nasi lemak, the unexpected additions such as salmon, with black nuts, a unique Heng and Ilrene Tee. This hidden gem, expertly blend Eastern and Western quintessential Malaysian breakfast of soft-shell crab or chicken karaage, deep- concoction of nestled on the first floor of a long stretch elements. Pamper your palate with moist rice cooked with coconut milk and fried the Japanese way. � Simply Mel’s of business shop-lots, is chock-full of specialities that you won’t find anywhere chalkboards, classroom tables, library else. Spaghetti is complemented by a Ecole P puts a books, student trophies and cafeteria broth of assam laksa gravy (made with Malaysian spin on spaghetti sweets, evoking the inimitable charm of a tamarind and fish paste) and crowned Malaysian primary school. with pan-fried black tilapia, while chicken Ecole P’s menu is similarly fillets are crusted with fish biscuits and coupled with apple slaw, mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce. For visitors with a sweet tooth, don’t skip the boiled sago pearl pudding drizzled with gula Melaka (coconut palm sugar) and mixed with mango and jackfruit. Quench your thirst with a drink that’s naughtily named ‘Discipline Teacher’, featuring chamomile tea laced with dried local longan fruit, goji berries, red dates and fresh oranges.
Melur & Thyme The high-profile shopping mall of Suria KLCC at the foot of the Petronas Twin Towers houses a café that epitomises how some contemporary customers attempt to savour Malaysian food, amid a sleekly designed, comfortable ambiance. While the menu at Melur & Thyme (melurandthyme.com) includes Western fare such as burgers and pastas, its most delectable attraction is its Malaysian tapas-style selection, comprising snacks that seem