It was an article I wrote a while back. I’ve actually written a few but never got a copy. It’s nice to see it in print with pretty pictures.  Information is not communication, I once heard someone say.  Writing, speaking, blogging, twittering…there’s so much to do in the world of communication just to get your message across.  This article came out in the December 2008 issue of Jetstar’s in-flight magazine.

WORDS FREDA LIU

If there is one thing that unites Malaysians, it’s food. And there are few better places to gain an appreciation of our modern culinary culture than the capital, Kuala Lumpur. Further still, the upcoming Christmas sale season means you should tackle the dream double — a combination of shopping and eating in and around some of our best malls. It’s the perfect way to spend a day.

The Pavilion Kuala Lumpur at Bukit Bintang opened in September 2007 and is one of the city’s newest malls, so it’s a great place to start. After you’ve cruised the seven-storey shopping centre, take a pitstop at Ochacha on level six. Try the matcha 
tea latte (powdered green tea) with butterscotch 
and the matcha mango cake, mango cubes and cream sandwiched between a light sponge cake 
with a hint of green tea — a tangy and creamy experience all in one.

Then visit Dragon-I for some authentic Shanghai cuisine. The staples here are the xiao long bao, or steamed meat dumplings, which are deliciously soupy inside. The trick to eating them is to pick each one up carefully, prick the skin and sip the soup inside. Order these with the la mian, or pulled noodles, cooked in a spicy or non-spicy soup base. They taste fantastic and it’s fun to watch the noodles made right before your eyes.

Next, wander along to the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), a 
10-minute stroll away from the City Centre Area, with the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in the distance. Once you’ve taken in the sight of this distinctive steel and glass icon, visit the busy Suria KLCC Shopping Mall at the base of the towers, and pop into Chinoz On The Park, a perfect stop for a quick meal — alfresco or in the intimate main dining area. The city’s old turf club once resided here, before the iconic Twin Towers were built, and Chinoz On The Park has idyllic views of the remaining gardens. Highlights of the menu include the warm chicken liver salad, red snapper with citrus fruit and olive oil, and the excellent bitter chocolate cake. Later, be sure to take some photos with the glittering towers in the background.

Now head off to Central Market, or Pasar Seni. Catch the Light Rail Transit (LRT) train from KLCC station to Pasar Seni station. Built by the British in the 1880s, this atmospheric heritage building with a light blue and white façade was once a wet market. A visit here is a must, if only because it’s the perfect place to get your Malaysian souvenirs — Little India, Straits Chinese and Melayu (Malay) themed alleyways and stalls feature a dazzling variety of crafts and bric-a-brac.

Once you’re feeling hungry (again), head to Precious Old China restaurant for some genuine Peranakan cuisine. Peranakan, Baba-Nyonya and Straits Chinese are terms for the descendants of the earliest Chinese immigrants to the region. These people adopted Malay customs in a bid to assimilate into local communities and their cuisine is an intoxicating blend of cultures. Be sure to try tasty dishes like cincalok (fermented shrimp) omelette, or kueh pie tee, popularly known as top hats.

Time for a little night action and a visit to Chinatown, just 10 minutes’ walk from the Central Market to Jalan Petaling. From 5pm, the whole place is transformed into a canvas-canopied night market, or pasar malam, perfect for bargain buys, or just to enjoy the surrounding sights and smells. From fruit to barbecued meat, Chinese pancakes and fresh seafood — Chinatown is a gastronomic delight. Be sure to sample the Chinese roasted chestnuts — sweet and smoky, they are prepared in a huge wok using a mixture of coffee beans and sugar.

Then if you’re up for it, sample some Chinese sweetmeats, or bak kwa. Made using mixed pork meat, Chinese red wine, fish sauce, salt and sugar, the mixture is rolled into thin layers, sliced and dried in the sun, before being barbecued over a hot charcoal fire. Bak kwa may not be the healthiest food, but it is delicious and best eaten piping hot.

Another Malaysian favourite is the thin Chinese pancake, or apam balik. Cooked over a hot grill and sprinkled with chopped groundnuts and coarse sugar, once done, the pancakes are folded into half-moons, ready for eating. Modern-day Malaysia sees pancakes filled with all sorts of condiments, including peanut butter, honey, jam, or kaya (coconut jam). Tau foo fah is a protein-rich and nutritious dessert-like snack, which is a curdled version of tofu cooked in a large wooden vat. The soy bean mix is carefully scooped out, placed in a bowl and drizzled with sugar syrup — a silky smooth, warm and velvety texture is the end result.

Retrace your steps and hop back on the Pasar Seni LRT towards Gombak and get off at Jelatek station. Walk five minutes to the Great Eastern Mall on Jalan Ampang. First up, visit Shyet-Li’s, a truly Malaysian restaurant, and a feast for hungry eyes. All the classic Malaysian dishes are available here and favourites include the char kway teow, flat noodles fried with shellfish, prawns and bean sprouts; or the curry laksa, noodles cooked in rich, aromatic coconut milk curry soup. Shyet-Li’s offers genuine Malaysian street dishes, minus the humidity and the heat.

Last stop on your KL gastro-blast: the Energy Day Spa in the Great Eastern Mall. After all that walking and munching, an organic brown sugar scrub and aromatherapy body wrap will soothe tired muscles and you’ll probably sleep like a king. It caters for men and women and facials start at MYR108 (SG$45.30). The perfect end to a perfect day.

Meet the boss:

Tremayne Joginder, owner of Shyet-Li’s, talks about the changing restaurant scene in his city.

How has the restaurant scene evolved in Malaysia?
Compared to five years back, restaurants today must keep up with the tremendous competition from other food outlets as well as have the know-how to keep attracting guests who have become more particular and knowledgeable about food quality, service and ambience than ever before.

Has your customer mix changed?
Today, Malaysians enjoy diverse cuisines from all over the world. And I’ve noticed that we have a higher percentage of expatriate customers compared with two years ago. Foreigners in Malaysia today have a great appreciation for local food — we have expatriate families who regularly enjoy local delicacies like Penang assam laksa, roti jala and curry laksa.

What’s the biggest challenge as a restaurateur in Malaysia?
The toughest challenge would be to maintain the standards and consistency of the quality of the food and service. It is also an ongoing battle to keep costs down. And if you’re searching for new, responsible team members, it’s always hard finding them.