The first thing you ought to know about Malaysians is that we love food! Rain or shine, Malaysians would queue for hours and travel across the country (and the world) for food!
Like everything else in Malaysia, the food is a flamboyant mixture of its nations that make up the country.
Malaysian cuisine is infused with aroma and a unique taste that can be found in any gastronomic corner of this country. Now that the border is open after the pandemic, tourists flocked to this country not just to enjoy the beauty it has to offer but to also indulge in its gastronomic experiences.
Malaysia being a Muslim country naturally caters for the need for its Muslim travellers. Halal food in this country however isn’t restricted to just Malay-Muslim kind of food. Chinese restaurants are now racing to meet the needs of Muslim travellers as there is a high-demand for it in the tourism market locally and internationally. On the other hand, Muslim halal restaurants attract fellow Malaysians and foreign tourists, not just Muslim clientele.
As a foodie myself, I count my lucky stars being part of the media team through Gaya Travel and Economic Planning Department of Selangor (UPEN) to sample a mixture of some hidden gems and the well known food outlets through a programme called Halal Selangor.
HOUSE OF KAMBING
I absolutely love their tagline, “When people say well done, they’re actually referring to us!” It is the perfect tagline for this restaurant, House of Kambing (Kambing meaning lamb in Malay) Based on their name, lamb obviously is their house specialty.
House Of Kambing is a great option for a weekend family treat. It is an open concept restaurant with ample outdoor space for kids to roam around. Be sure to swing by the grassy area right in front of the restaurant to say hello to friendly “Meena” , their camel.
The grilled lamb is my ultimate favourite. Crispy lamb which I’ve never had in my life was surprisingly tasty. The lamb soup is also to die for! Don’t miss out on their ice-blended goat’s milk, it is perfect for a scorching hot day!
🛒 https://linktr.ee/houseofkambing
Closed on Friday
MOVE AWAY COFFEE SHOPS- IT’S CHATIME!
Over 20 years ago when I first stepped foot in Taiwan on my stopover enroute to Los Angeles, I used to swing by at a tiny cafe next to the hotel to have bubble milk tea. At that time, bubble milk tea didn’t exist in Malaysia. I used to look forward to my trips to Los Angeles via Taipei just to enjoy bubble tea and Taiwanese vegetarian cuisine!
It’s only 10 years ago when I moved back to Malaysia from England and I started seeing signs for milk tea spreading like wild mushrooms around the city of Kuala Lumpur. I was so happy I could get them in Malaysia now.
The bubble tea trend is taking the youth today by storm. Its fancy outlets are springing all around big cities throughout Malaysia. It has gained so much popularity among Malaysians and foreigners too. Chillaxing isn’t just about hanging out at the well-known coffee outlets any longer. Bubble tea outlets are definitely taking over, especially with competitive prices.
With over 100 outlets around Malaysia, Chatime clearly is a hit. I visited its boutique outlet at IPC Mall in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. WOWW! I was impressed.. From the healthy low sugar options to Dalgona Coffee flavour, to Malaysian all time favourite ABC! ABC means Air Batu Campur, which is shaved ice with sweetened rose syrup, creamer, peanuts and black jelly all mixed together. Imagine having Chatime milk tea infused into this popular dessert….. I’m drooling already! It is definitely not to be missed!
The outlet itself is lovely, complete with an instagram worthy corner. Check it out for yourself and don’t forget to leave a comment below to let me know when you’ve experienced it!
SINGGAH RASA NASI RAJA
If you fancy a typical Malay kampung flavour, you shouldn’t miss this ‘warung’ situated in an area that has a lovely village feel.
Traditional ayam daging salai ‘masak lemak’ (traditionally smoked beef with coconut milk and turmeric), salted fish, ‘siput sedut’ (Malaysian escargot!) and fresh ulam (Malay traditional vegetables served raw) are not to be missed.
I don’t even need to explain much, the photo below speaks for itself!
Great option for family. There’s a good-sized grassy area for children to run around and there’s a children’s menu too.
Closed on Fridays
ONE SERAMBI CAFE
Cosy, great ambience, good food….. This modern industrial looking cafe with a gentle soft look is a great place to ‘lepak’ (a Malay term for hang out/chill-out) for coffee or a meal. The stairway is lovely, with a potential instagrammable spot.
There’s a large variety of food and beverage to choose from, both local and Western dishes. Food and drinks are definitely commendable. I had the Grilled Salmon pasta which was delicious and the media team seated around me also complimented the Western selections they’ve had. Every single one of us left the cafe with cleaned plates! If it’s a Greek Restaurant, we would have smashed the plates to note how good they were!
Closed on Monday
AKU SUKA KOPI
Coffee shops have always been and continue to be the sociable hub for people to meet, work, host casual meetings, read and write. In some cafes, especially the ones in Paris, it is the place to watch the world go by.
Coffee shops in the recent decade have become more of a lifestyle for like-minded people of all ages from all walks of life. Coffee connoisseurs are taking advantage of coffee shops around the world springing like wild mushrooms. Well, I’m not complaining….. Nothing beats a freshly brewed cup of coffee at any time of the day!
At Aku Suka Kopi, they roast their own coffee. Imagine sitting in their coffee shop inhaling the beautiful scent of freshly roasted coffee! Not just that, their staff are all funky and friendly. You can easily strike interesting conversations with them.
Coffee beans here are mostly imported from Brazil and Guatemala, Aku Suka Kopi did their own mixture of beans that creates unique flavours. Their coffee is vacuum- packed and could be purchased online.
SAUDAGAR NENAS
Visitors flocked to saudagar Nenas’ hilltop cafe to sample its pineapple sambal, freshly picked pineapple juices and deep fried pineapple chunks. Thanks to the selfies among the rows of herbaceous perennials, this agro tourism spot has been getting a lot of exposure on Instagram, Tik Tok and YouTube.
Cafe on its hilltop with a view with food freshly picked from the farm, it is worth driving an hour outside the city for this!
