South East Asian Trips

Restaurants offering a variety of cuisines are dotted all over Malaysia and around the world. They provide not just lip-smacking food but a great ambiance too. Most restaurants also pride themselves on their standards of cleanliness. You can choose to sit in comfort and enjoy a leisurely meal at a host of restaurants or order a take-away meal that you can eat at your convenience elsewhere.

One great advantage of eating at a restaurant is that you get to try a range of international cuisines, ranging from the Eastern to the Mediterranean. You could enjoy the fine meat preparations offered by Arabic restaurants or choose the exotic Filipino dishes like Sisig, Lechon Kawali and Laing offered by Filipino restaurants. Not to mention the Indian restaurants serving their mouth watering dals and curries and the much loved authentic Chinese restaurants which are a favorite with many people. For an indulgent evening, you could opt for a five course meal at an Italian restaurant. The first course is the antipasti or appetizers like garlic bread followed by pastas or soups as a second course or primi. The main dish or secondi usually comprises fish or meat platters, which are served along with side dishes or controni. The last course of this extravagant meal is the dolce or the dessert.

But eating out is not just about the food. The ambiance of a restaurant is just as important. Most restaurants take great care of their decor, design and lighting to ensure a relaxing environment. A lot of restaurants liven up their interiors with vibrant colors and interesting posters, paintings or motifs. Some restaurants bring to their decor a touch of the culture of their country, so that your meal is a complete international experience. Music is another part of the ambiance. While some restaurants stream lounge music which you can enjoy with your food, others have live bands playing.

Depending on your mood, tastes and time at hand, you can choose which restaurant to visit. Many restaurants offer power lunches for busy executives. If you have time, you could enjoy a lazy meal with some entertainment or choose a restaurant suited for a romantic evening out. Restaurants also offer a range of refreshing drinks, tropical delights and choicest wines. For those of you with a sweet tooth, there are a range of fine desserts, fresh fruit ice creams and goodies offered by most restaurants to pamper you.

The cuisines of China, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Europe supplement the Malaysian specialities, so there's something for every taste.

Main courses rely frequently on fish and seafood, which are extremely fresh, and superb. The catch you see being landed by the fishermen in the morning finds its way onto the dinner table in the evening. Chicken, beef and vegetables will also appear-but not pork, this being a Muslim country.

Rice (nasi) is grown in abundance along the coastal plains, and is a staple ingredient of many dishes. The spices much sought after by the early European traders flavour many dishes, and local coconuts produce another basic ingredient-coconut milk, which renders the curries a little milder. Rice dishes include nasi kirabu, mixed with oriental herbs; nasi lemak, prepared with coconut milk, cucumbers and fried eggs; and the classic nasi goreng, spicy fried rice mixed with pieces of meat, chicken or fish, belying its humble origins as a way of using up leftovers. Mee goreng is similar but made with noodles instead of rice.

The national dish of Malaysia is satay -chunks of beef, chicken or prawns skewered and barbecued over charcoal, then served with a pungent sauce of peanuts, garlic and chilli. Full of flavour but not too hot, korma curry makes a good introduction to Malay food, especially when accompanied by gado-gado, a dish of vegetables with peanut sauce.

To refresh your palate, take your pick of a vast range of luscious tropical fruits. There are alone 40 different kinds of banana. The hairy red rambutan opens to reveal a delicate white-fleshed fruit similar to a litchi, while the mangosteen has a purple skin that may stain your fingers as you crack it open (press with both hands). People who can pluck up the courage to taste the smelly durian never regret it; the flesh is rich, creamy and addictive.

The most refreshing and delicious drinks are fruit juice, coconut water from fresh green coconuts, and soya bean milk, sold in plastic bags. The local beer is good, and home-grown tea excellent.

The mix of cultural influences in Johor has resulted in a wonderful blend of culinary delights that has made it a gastronomic paradise in its own rights. Visitors should not miss the famous Laksa Johor, a noodle fish served with gravy cooked with coconut milk, flaked fish and sprinkled with fresh vegetable. Another delicacy is lontong, pressed cubes of rice which are eaten with vegetable cooked in a rich coconut sauce. Of course, ever popular satay-skewered beef, chicken or lamb barbequed over an open fire and consumed with a thick peanut sauce is easily available. For those with a sweet tooth, the popular icy dessert, ais kacang, or a variety of local cakes and puddings are just perfect to cap off one's meal.

Johor Bahru is obviously one of the best places to sample many tempting dishes. Most of food stalls and dining spots come to alive when night falls over the city. For the adventurous, head for the stalls at Lido Beach and Stulang Laut to try the local favorites and hawker fare. An exciting place to dine is at the Eden Floating Palace Restaurant, anchored off the Johor Duty Free Complex. This restaurant is a unique dining and entertainment center serving fine Malaysian Chinese food where diners can pick their choice of seafood and vegetables from a market style setting have it cooked for them. The restaurant can accommodate up to 1,100 guests.

One of the best places for authentic Malay cuisine, the Mawar Complex Restaurant located at Jalan Sungai Chat offers a daily buffet lunch of local favorites. Reasonably priced and authentic in taste, it is a treat to be savored.

Other popular seafood dinning spots are located in Tepian Tebrau, Jalan Skudai and Lido Beach.