Tuesday 16 September 2008

Steet Food Kuala Lumpur

Visit to Kuala Lumpur
12th to 15th September 2008

I really don't like Air Asia, so arriving in Kuala Lumpur for a long weekend was a joy on several levels. Kuala Lumpur's modern edge surprised me and I thoroughly enjoyed my couple of days exploring. Highlights included: the surprising good Bird Park, blue sky views from the KL Tower, getting stranded in a local shopping mall during a fierce tropical storm, the colonial architecture around Merdeka Square and a foot 'massage' from hundreds of hungry fish. China Town was a real let down, but that's always going to be the case when you live in the Hong Kong. Unfortunately we arrived at the Petronas Towers early Monday morning to discover that Monday is the only day they are shut and thus had to make do with a few snaps from the surrounding park.

Like and any holiday what's in your stomach plays and key role and I'm a big fan of Malay food; it's unique mix of different influences, fresh ingredients and vibrant spices give it a multicultural edge that's unusual in Asia. Apart from a spectacular meal at Bijan we ate mostly on the streets, enjoying an array of tasty treats. The street market on Jin Alor near out hotel in the Golden Triangle was a busy dinning hub with food stalls spilling over most of the road. I really enjoyed a serve of grilled sting-ray, sticky chicken wings and cold beer. Another Malay classic is the humble satays and we took several opportunities to indulge in these local delicacies from roadside vendors; who doesn't like meat on a stick!

Kuala Lumpur surprised me as a getaway location. Sure the food was good and the satays plentiful, but the skies were blue, the people friendly and the city modern and vibrant. If you're in the neighbourhood it's definitely worth spending a couple of days exploring the streets of KL.

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