Mark's Asam Laksa
In the process of unearthing old photos from a hard disc that crashed I came across these photos from Malaysia. For some strange reason, the thing that jumped across my mind was the memory of the food. (Pause) Ok, that isn't surprising anymore given my devouring nature. Haven't had the opportunity to explore Malaysia as much as I would love to. I've heard marvelous stories about the food in Penang, and I am dying to get there. The only question I have to ask myself is when.
The trip was exactly one year ago, and the most memorable food place that stood out for me was Mark's Asam Laksa in the ground floor of the 1 Utama Mall. We ran across the place by accident. My family was billeted on the One World Hotel atop the 1 Utama and the first place that caught our fancy was this small and unassuming joint that sat next to two busy restaurants: one was Japanese with hip interiors, the other served local food with highly exoticized decor. Mark's was quiet and unpretentious, and all we really wanted then was to eat minus the long wait and the crowds. Lo and behold the first meal turned out to be the best for that trip. Everything else--including those fancy and expensive places that guide books recommended--paled in comparison. That, or maybe because we really didn't know where to go.
While my parents and sister darted to the mall for last-minute shopping before our trip back home, I went back to grab myself a couple of treats: Nasi Beriyani with Ayam Rendang (Beryani Rice with Fried Chicken) and what I believe is Koey Teow Soup (for the life of me, I could not pronounce the latter).
The Beriyani rice is an adaptation of the Indian/Middle Eastern biryani transplanted in Malaysia a long time ago, and the fried chicken is very reminiscent of the strong fried and grilled chicken flavors you will get anywhere in Southeast Asia. It also looks like another favorite of mine: Indonesia's Nasi Goreng.
I believe the soup above is the Koey Teow, a classic Malaysian hawker-style food, which a Malaysian friend tells me was born and bred in the streets of Penang. It has now become a favourite among many Malaysians. It's a simple broth made with stock and seafood and the Malaysian koey teow noodles.
Having a hearty meal, I then treated myself to a couple more treats:
That hefty mountain of ice, if I'm not mistaken, is Es Cendol, originally from Java, Indonesia, and very similar to our local Halu-Halo. The other one is chilled coconut juice. You could guess how stuffed I was, which isn't a good idea when you're a few hours away from flying in an airplane. Just the same, I flew back home that night happy and filled.
The trip was exactly one year ago, and the most memorable food place that stood out for me was Mark's Asam Laksa in the ground floor of the 1 Utama Mall. We ran across the place by accident. My family was billeted on the One World Hotel atop the 1 Utama and the first place that caught our fancy was this small and unassuming joint that sat next to two busy restaurants: one was Japanese with hip interiors, the other served local food with highly exoticized decor. Mark's was quiet and unpretentious, and all we really wanted then was to eat minus the long wait and the crowds. Lo and behold the first meal turned out to be the best for that trip. Everything else--including those fancy and expensive places that guide books recommended--paled in comparison. That, or maybe because we really didn't know where to go.
While my parents and sister darted to the mall for last-minute shopping before our trip back home, I went back to grab myself a couple of treats: Nasi Beriyani with Ayam Rendang (Beryani Rice with Fried Chicken) and what I believe is Koey Teow Soup (for the life of me, I could not pronounce the latter).
The Beriyani rice is an adaptation of the Indian/Middle Eastern biryani transplanted in Malaysia a long time ago, and the fried chicken is very reminiscent of the strong fried and grilled chicken flavors you will get anywhere in Southeast Asia. It also looks like another favorite of mine: Indonesia's Nasi Goreng.
I believe the soup above is the Koey Teow, a classic Malaysian hawker-style food, which a Malaysian friend tells me was born and bred in the streets of Penang. It has now become a favourite among many Malaysians. It's a simple broth made with stock and seafood and the Malaysian koey teow noodles.
Having a hearty meal, I then treated myself to a couple more treats:
That hefty mountain of ice, if I'm not mistaken, is Es Cendol, originally from Java, Indonesia, and very similar to our local Halu-Halo. The other one is chilled coconut juice. You could guess how stuffed I was, which isn't a good idea when you're a few hours away from flying in an airplane. Just the same, I flew back home that night happy and filled.
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