‘Asian Flat Croissant’ and a side of ‘pulled tea’, anyone?
Just a few weeks ago, Malaysian’s beloved breakfast staple - the humble roti canai - was given a new moniker ‘Asian Flat Croissant’ by Nyonya Cooking - a site that shares cooking tips and recipes from Southeast Asia’s kitchens. This move did not go unnoticed amongst Malaysians and Singaporeans on the Internet and as expected, netizens were in an uproar over the new name.
However, this isn’t the first time a beloved Malaysian food staple has gone viral. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and check out these 5 other Malaysian Foods that went viral in the past 10 years:
The Crispy Rendang Saga of 2018 left a profound impact on Malaysian netizens when Malaysian-born Masterchef UK contestant, Zaleha Kadir Olpin presented her spin on the classic nasi lemak dish with a side of chicken rendang. Much to the annoyance of Malaysian netizens, the judges criticised the dish (primarily the chicken) for not being “crispy” enough, as the sauce covered the skin which made the dish non-crispy.
Let’s be real here - the judge was probably unfamiliar with the traditionally dry-sauced based dish. So for those who would love to try an authentic take on rendang, head over to Bijan Bar & Restaurant that prides itself as a pioneer of fine Malay cuisine. This fine-dining restaurant is the recipient of awards from Time Out Food Awards, Malaysia Tatler, The Miele Guide, and The Lonely Planet Guide to Malaysia, so you’ll know the food is bound to be of the highest quality!
Recommendations: Try their Rendang Tok, a traditional slow-cooked caramelized beef in aromatic spices and coconut milk, or give their Rendang Itik Bijan a go!
Breaking away from the trusty nasi lemak stall, Malaysia’s unofficial national dish has been bombarding us in all shapes and forms. In 2017, the nasi lemak craze brought us nasi lemak cheesecake, nasi lemak ice-cream, nasi lemak burgers, nasi lemak pizzas, and even a nasi lemak dress at Miss Universe 2017 - complete with sambal and egg centrepiece and banana leaf wings!
Recommendations: The most recognisable nasi lemak restaurant in KL belongs to Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa. Head over to the original branch in Kampung Baru to experience the real deal!
Durian has always been an iconic part of the Malaysian palate. But in recent years, the durian craze has definitely ascended to all new levels of crazy, especially when the Musang King was all the rage. During the 2019 durian season, we saw durian beers, durian frappes, durian burgers and even a @hotdudeswithdurian Instagram account!
On the bright side, desserts like durian cheesecake, durian tarts, and durian cendol are now mainstays in Malaysian based outlets… and we’re definitely loving it.
View this post on Instagramthanks prince durian for having me @zhikeong ! So thankful to all of your hosting! 🥰
Recommendations: We can’t guarantee that you’ll find a hot dude to go with your durian, but if you’re crazy for durian, take a road trip to a durian farm and partake in a durian feast!
Cheese has consistently dominated the Malaysian food scene and has materialised in many outrageous ways! We’ve seen nasi lemak cheese, kuey teow cheese, satay cheese, lemang cheese… just to name a few. Amongst local circles, we've even coined a term to describe the way cheese oozes and drips all over a dish - cheese “meleleh” .
Recommendations: If you’re all about the #leleh life, then you would’ve definitely seen viral pictures of stacked burger bakar towers dripping with melted mozzarella cheese that will definitely get your hands dirty. Check out our article on ‘Top 5 best burgers in Klang Valley For Late Night Cravings’ for the best burgers in town: https://www.mayflower.com.my/archive/top-5-best-burgers-in-klang-valley-for-late-night-cravings/
Yes, we know - Boba tea is technically not Malaysian… but given how big the craze was in 2019, we definitely could not leave it out! Boba or bubble tea became a national obsession when we started welcoming brown sugar bobas into our lives - with overseas franchises like Xin Fu Tang, Tiger Sugar, Fire Tiger and more popping up like mushrooms on our shores.
Naturally, the trend started to infiltrate solid foods. We found ourselves scratching our heads at strange combinations like boba pizza, boba crab, boba omelette and more!
Recommendations: Would you believe that travellers from around the region have been visiting Malaysia’s very own “bubble tea street” to sample the finest boba teas that we have to offer? Make your way to SS15, Subang Jaya and make a day of trying out bubble teas from every store!
Taking a foodie road trip soon? Rent a car with Mayflower Car Rental with a nationwide fleet of over 2800 vehicles - you’ll definitely find a car that serves your needs on your trip!
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