Lai Ching Yuen 荔晶园

Private Room - Lai Ching Yuen - Food For Thought

Found within the winding walkways of the Grand Millennium Hotel sits Lai Ching Yuen (荔晶园), a Cantonese-style Chinese restaurant, famous for its dim sum fare. This little gem offers some of the best dim sum you will find in town, and being in the heart of Kuala Lumpur with the plethora of Chinese restaurants round the corner, this is no simple task. As all traditional dim sum aficionados know, the only way to test the skill of a dim sum chef is to taste one of their basics, their har gow, (蝦餃, prawn dumplings), and siu mai (燒賣, pork dumplings). Continue reading

Kebaya Dining Room by Seven Terraces

7 Terraces Entrance - Kebaya House - Food For Thought

While strolling down Stewart Lane, you come across the façade of the beautifully restored Anglo-Chinese Seven Terrace boutique hotel, located in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage site. The dining area houses the Kebaya Dining Room, serving some of the best Indochinese and Peranakan fare you can find in Penang, from classics like the wing bean kerabu to the fusion joo hoo char roll, offering an experience which will leave you wanting more. Continue reading

Eric Heijkoop of Macalister Mansion

Eric Heijkoop - Tatler - Food For Thought

From traditional French to Asian flavours, the term Modern Global Cuisine is lost to many without knowing the variation of this cooking style. With a wealth of knowledge from working in various parts of the world, Eric Heijkoop, Executive Chef at Macalister Mansion sure knows his way around the heat of the kitchen. We get to know a little bit more about the Dutch-born, Spain-raised, and French-trained chef who is creating new and exciting things on the wonderful island of Penang. Continue reading

Dining Room by Macalister Mansion

Facade Day - Macalister Mansion - Food For Thought

As you pull up to the driveway of Macalister Mansion on Macalister Road, you are drawn in by the colonial façade of one of the most gorgeous buildings you will find on the iconic island of Penang. The boutique hotel of Macalister Mansion houses one of the most unique finds you will come across on the island, its Dining Room, a kitchen run by award winning chef Eric Heijkoop. Arguably one of the best fine dining restaurants you will come across in Malaysia, where the attention to detail of the dishes is impeccable both in terms of flavour and visually. Continue reading

Aziamendi 88

Food For Thought - Aziamendi88 - Oyster with Sea Foam

As you walk through the entrance of the Mandarin Grill at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur you notice a distinctive change. The entire restaurant is tinged with an orange hue, reminiscent of the Basque countryside, and the artwork has been specifically selected to create an atmosphere of calm and class. For 88 days, this restaurant has been transformed into Aziamendi 88, the first ever pop up restaurant in Kuala Lumpur that carries a 3 Star Michelin award by chef Eneko Atxa. Continue reading

Food Guide: Street Food in Penang

Food Guide Penang Food Title Card

When it comes to best island experiences in the world, there are few that can compare to that of Penang, the pearl of the Orient. The island boasts a complex and rich history due to its pivotal position during the colonial era. This has resulted in Penang becoming a melting pot of multicultural identities from the Chinese, Malay, Indian and European influences. Not only is Penang an unbelievable food haven, its unique position in history has resulted in George Town being named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Continue reading

Char Kuey Teow 炒粿條 : Food History of Char Kuey Teow

Char Kuay Teow | Food History | Food For Thought

Malaysia is home to some of the best tasting foods in the world, so much so that Lonely Planet named it food destination of they year for 2015. Amongst the food that was said to be a must try is none other than the local delicacy with its very humble origins, the Char Kway Teow, chau gwai diu (炒粿條) in Cantonese, or bilingually as Fried Kuay Teow. This dish hails from the northern state of Penang, the pearl of the orient, which is itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue reading

Yardbird, Hong Kong

Yardbird - Entrance

Along the bustling lane that is Bridges Street in the district of Sheung Wan in Hong Kong, you will come across this quaint slate and glass paned standalone restaurant. At a glance, this place almost looks too beautiful to be a restaurant, and feels more like an art gallery, but don’t be tricked. This place is one of the tastiest places you will come across. Continue reading

Drift Dining & Bar

Drift - Restaurant

Hidden on the alley of Jalan Bedara is a restaurant nestled on the ground floor of a building, and herein sits Drift Dining and Bar, the epitome of Modern Australian Cuisine. Being only 6 months old, this restaurant offers not only a delicious menu, but an overall casual-fine dining experience, one that you do not find easily. As most people who are amateur eaters, the term Modern Australian Cuisine is somewhat of a puzzle as most are familiar only to the traditional Australian barbecue, but it is so much more than that. Continue reading