Feast Of Flavours
Our Day one of the trip seemed to be the longest of all and did not seem to end. We were at our last destination for the day – Bukit Bintang. Following the aroma of flavours, we entered Jalan Alor to satiate our hungry stomach. Few minutes later, the grotesque sights of the famous food street evaded all hunger from the very core of our being.
It was heaven for any hardcore non-vegetarian but otherwise the delicious aroma soon turned into odour which made nauseous. I have never in my life seen sea food being served the way it was being put on the tables there. Restaurants on one side of the street had everything from crabs, lobsters to octopus in varied sizes. Prawns and fishes seemed to be more of an after thought. On the other side, were the lives stalls had more sophisticated offerings at their live counters, like Shushi, Baos etc.
In between these stalls were smaller outlets showcasing juices and fruits, only viable option for a vegetarian. I quickly opted for mix juice of mango and dragon fruit and it instantly became our favourite for rest of the trip. The pickled fruits were the next in line. The tangy flavour of mixed fruits and pickle were definitely a delight. Though we saw many things but weren’t sure to try. Enjoying a scoop of durian and matcha ice-cream each, we made our way back to our accommodation.
Our first experience with the food street left us a little demotivated on the food front. The abundance of sea food left me craving for Indian food. For later days in Kuala Lumpur, we had our dinners from the restaurants of Little India area, which was at a stone’s throw distance from our hotel. To our surprise, we ate one of best Dum Aloo Kashmiri in KL.
Vouching for local food, P did try the national food of Malaysia – Nasi Lemak, at one of the shacks on Cenang Beach, Langkawi. While I settled for a Veg-only Pizza with fries, he digged into new flavours of Asian staple food. Nasi Lemak consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk often served with sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, chicken/fish/mutton, and cucumber.
The regular food trucks alongside many restaurants served some great flavourful cuisines. One such delectable item was Pavlova, a meringue-based dessert. Though this dessert had its origins in Australia, we were happy to have found it here. Another was Speso burger, offered in various options of chicken/mutton/egg patty.
Fruits, Kopi, Juices and ice-creams became our usual escape for smaller hunger pangs during sightseeing. They more easily available and tasted absolutely delightful. The freshness of smoothies and the richness of flavours of real fruits was something which we still remember long after being back. Speaking of ice-cream, walking by the beach in Langkawi, one special coconut ice-cream caught our eye. Various scoops of ice-creams were served inside a coconut with toppings like diced fruits, nuts, sweet corn, boiled kidney beans etc. Having this one was a wholesome experience.
On last day of our trip when we were shopping at one of the malls in KL, an interesting setup caught our eyes. We were hunting a Subway outlet for some vegetarian option when we found a big food court of sorts. Honestly, the aroma of bakery goodies grabbed my attention. I saw people filling up their trays with muffins, tarts, cake slices and things delicious. Figuring it out to be a safer option to navigate the gallery of bakery items marked with ingredients, I jumped in. We filled our trays with delicacies I couldn’t pronounce, with savoury and sweet and headed to the counter.
After the billing, as we hunted for a table to devour these, the sight left us amazed. The whole food court was full of ready-to-eat meals, neatly packed with cellophane and stacked under respective labels. One could just pick it up, pay for it at one of the self-billing kiosks and enjoy the meal. There were even public microwaves available to heat the food if you like!
Interesting concepts you come across when visiting other countries, isn’t it?
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That was quite a description! Glad you managed to have some decent meals. When I visited long ago, I stuck to Indian food only—though I do regret not trying any local dishes. The bakery items there are absolutely incredible, and the fruit options are just as amazing!
the microwave in public places sounds like a good idea. I would enjoy the juices and fresh fruits too, along with coconut ice cream. I think live sea food markets are avoidable. I saw them in South Korea and it wasn’t a grand sight.
What a gastronomic treat your post is! I love the idea of ice cream inside a coconut. Like you said, there are so many interesting concepts that you find in other countries.
It is so fun to explore new cuisines. I tried a drink which had all three – coffee, tea and chocolate I think, with 3 different straws. Enjoyed reading your posts. It brought some lovely memories.
Loved reading this! Your vivid descriptions made me feel like I was right there with you. As a vegetarian traveler, I relate to the initial overwhelm at Jalan Alor. So glad you found comfort in Little India—and that Dum Aloo sounds amazing! The coconut ice cream, fresh juices, and bakery finds sound like delightful highlights. Microwaves in public places are a good idea. Thanks for sharing such a relatable and honest food journey!