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 Malaysia
cuisine is exotic with an exciting range of flavors and culinary styles
offering the uninitiated an endless gastronomic adventure. It comprises
three main groups - Malay, Chinese and Indian with each having its own
distinct style of cooking. There are also cuisines that have evolved
from the meeting of cultures notably those of the Nyonya and Indian
Muslim communities.
Western cuisine,
especially Continental and Mediterranean fare, are also available in the
major cities.
 Indeed,
Malaysia as a meeting place of both eastern and western cultures, has
produced a most diverse culinary melting pot.
For the visitor who is
interested in dining out, Kuala Lumpur will prove to be a unique
experience both in terms of the array of culinary delights as well as in
the wide choice of settings. You can dine out at posh hotel restaurants,
elegant chain restaurants, chic sidewalk cafes, delicatessens or eat out
at the many hawker stalls till the wee hours of the morning.
MALAY
CUISINE
  Malay
cuisine is rich and spicy arising from the use of hard spices and a wet
spice mixture of rempah and coconut milk. Malay cuisine varies
from region to region. Kelantanese cuisine, akin to Thai cooking for
example, has a sweetish taste due to liberal use of coconut milk and
sugar in cooking. On the other hand, the cuisine of Kedah is spicier due
to the influence of Indians who arrived here centuries ago during the
spice trade.
For the adventurous, there is an array of popular Malay dishes to
tantalize their taste buds. A favorite with Malaysians is nosi lemak,
rice cooked in coconut milk served with anchovies, squid, eggs,
cucumber and sambal (chili paste). An East Coast favourite is
nasi dagang, fragrant unpolished glutinous rice steamed with coconut
milk and served with tuna fish curry. Nasi kerabu, another
rice-based dish native to Kelantan, is served with local herbs and
salted fish. A Malay banquet would not be complete without the ever
popular satay, skewered chicken or beef marinated in spices, then
grilled over charcoal fire. It is served with peanut gravy, rice cubes,
cucumber and onions.
CHINESE
CUISINE
A wide variety of Chinese
cuisine is available in Kuala Lumpur. Among the popular styles of
cooking are those of the Cantonese, Hokkien, Hainanese, Hakka and
Szechuan communities. Generally, Chinese cuisine is mild in flavor but
local influence has given it a slightly spicier taste.
In addition to breakfast, lunch and dinner, there are elevens where
dim sum (steamed snacks) is served. Apart from hotel outlets and large
chain restaurants, Chinese food is also available in most coffee shops
around KL.
NYONYA
CUISINE
  Nyonya
or Peanakan cuisine evolved out of a unique blend of Malay and
Chinese cooking styles. It is characterized by sweet, sour, spicy and
pungent flavors. Typical dishes include otak-otak (fish meat
marinated in spices, wrapped in banana leaves and grilled) and itik
tim (duck with salted vegetables. The cuisine is best tried in
Nyonya restaurants which have become popular in recent years.
INDIAN
CUISINE
Contrary to popular
perception, Indian cuisine need not be searingly hot. Various spice
blends are used in Indian cuisine to give a robust flavor to food but
yoghurt almost always accompanies a meal at th end to cool down the
taste buds. Milder on the taste buds. Milder on the taste buds are
dishes such as kurma (mild meat curry) and tandoori
chicken (chicken baked in clay oven).
Generally,
Southern Indian cuisine is hotter than its Northern Indian and Moghul
counterparts and is characterized by the heavy use of cream, meat-based
dishes and naan breads. Indian-Muslim cuisine is another local
favorite one ought to try while in KL. Popular dished include fish-head
curry, murtabak (pancake with spiced meat mixture) and mee
goreng (fried noodles).
INTERNATIONAL
CUISINE
Foreign visitors will be
pleasantly surprised to discover the abundance of international cuisine
available in KL. Restaurants serving international cuisine can usually
be found in major hotels as well as in the vicinity of Jalan Sultan
ismail, Jalan Ampang and Bangsar where there is a sizeable expatiate
community.
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