Eateries in Malaysia are plenty and offer a variety of food to attract customers to their shop. Some play with the sentimental value that Malaysians have for food and some use gimmicks to pique the interest of potential customers. Therefore, finding an eatery or a restaurant that makes you keep coming back is a very rare thing indeed.
On the occasion that you do find one, you find yourself in the position where your patience and willpower are sorely tested. Why? The answer is simple; you are not the only person in the whole of Malaysia to think that! So, instead of sulking for not being able to enjoy your meal sooner than you think, why not entertain yourself with these 10 eateries that make the wait worth your while.
1. Restoran Deen
Situated just in Jelutong, Penang, no one can miss the big green sign calling out to you. Restoran Deen Nasi Kandar is one of the oldest Nasi Kandar brands in Penang. Why, the restaurant begs to be visited is because it is renowned for it’s gravy mixture that may look sloppy and disgusting yet divine when eaten.
So, the next time you visit Penang, make sure you make a bee-line toward Restoran Deen Nasi Kandar, Jelutong.
M: +60 4-657 5285
A: Jalan Jelutong, Jelutong, 11600 Georgetown, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
2. Tajuddin Hussain
If you love Deen, you are going to love this nasi kandar restaurant even more. Also known as one of the oldest nasi kandar eateries in Penang, Tajuddin Hussain stands out from the other nasi kandar restaurants around because of its unique and different menu list that you cannot find anywhere else in Penang and even the whole of Malaysia.
With their offerings of delectable quail, turkey, goose and other game curries, even the most rigid and vanilla among us will be tempted to try.
M: +60 4-262 5367
A: 49 & 51, Queen Street, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
3. Dotty’s
If you love desserts and live only to eat desserts, Dotty’s are the next of the 10 eateries listed here that you must visit. Located in a quaint shop in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail (TTDI), Dotty’s pastries are all made to surprise! With every bite, oozing custard and chocolate lava will swirl in your mouth, teasing your senses.
So, what makes Dotty’s deserve a place in this list? Four words; salted egg yolk cronuts. With just one of this delicious cronut, your day will go from bad to excellent in a blink of an eye. Go on and place your cronut order now!
M: +60 3-7733 4233
A: 20, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 2, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
IG: https://www.instagram.com/mydottys
FB: facebook.com/mydottys
4. Otak-Otak Jalan Storey
If you happen to be in Johor Bahru for a weekend food-hunting spree, do not forget to drop by Kim Teng Park, Johor Bahru and get your hands on their delectable otak-otak. Otak-otak is a dish consists of spiced fish meat wrapped in banana leaf and smoke till cooked.
What makes the otak-otak served here special is that the fish meat used is so fresh that you can taste the fish flavour of it. The otak-otak is best eaten with a plate of freshly made nasi lemak.
M: +60 16-745 0480
A: 78, Jalan Storey, Kim Teng Park, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
5. Empire Sushi
If you love sushi but have no time to eat and dine in the restaurant itself, don’t worry because Empire Sushi is here to help you with your sushi woes. With their affordable and wide selection of sushi, from sashimi to onigiri, you will want for nothing!
With outlets all over Malaysia, the best thing about Empire sushi is the generous portion of each sushi. You will not be questioning where is the fish at with this sushi brand!
W: http://empiresushi.com.my
6. Nasi Lemak Yatie @ Medan Selera Jaya 223
Nasi lemak is the all-time favourite comfort food of Malaysians and what makes Nasi Lemak so delectable, many would argue, is the sambal. Now everyone has their own opinion of the best nasi lemak and it is often based on whether they prefer a sambal that’s more sweet or more spicy.
At Nasi Lemak Yatie, you get to have it your way! Here you can choose a packet of RM1.50 nasi lemak with a choice of spicy (red-packet) or sweet (blue-packet) sambal and add more lauk if you wish, from the trays of dishes placed neatly on a table in front of the stall. So go grab a packet or three from Nasi Lemak Yatie @ Medan Selera 223 Petaling Jaya today or any other day you wish!
M: +60 18-351 4917
A: Jalan 51a/223, Seksyen 51a, 46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
7. Nasi Ganja Kedai Kopi Yong Suan
You know how people jokingly say that popular eateries people are addicted to are using drugs in their food? In the case of Nasi Ganja Kedai Kopi Yong Suan, they literally use a name of a drug as a symbol of people’s addiction to their food!
In Perak, nasi vanggey or nasi ganja is one of the famous dishes there and one of the famous brands of nasi ganja in Perak is the eatery listed here! What makes Nasi Ganja Kedai Kopi Yong Suan so special is the Ayam Merah dish served there. Want to know how it tastes like? Get in your car and drive down to Perak yourself!
M: +60 5-254 4314
A: 2, Jalan Yang Kalsom, Taman Jubilee, 30300 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
8. Pisang Goreng Mawar
Another eatery that makes people queue up for it is a pisang goreng joint in Johor Bahru. The restaurant, Pisang Goreng Mawar is known as a local hotspot to chill and enjoy good comfort food. What makes Pisang Goreng Mawar so famous among Johoreans is its Pisang Goreng Sambal Kicap.
Yes, people, in Johor, it is pretty common to eat pisang goreng with sambal kicap. If you are interested to try one of the bizarre food items exist here in Malaysia, do come down to Pisang Goreng Mawar for their signature dish of pisang goreng sambal kicap.
A: Sri Gelam, 80100 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
9. Serabai Taman Tun Sardon
Penang has a lot of dying heritage food that most of us have not tried yet. However, there is still time for you to try one of the mysterious heritage food that we have here in Penang, called the Serabai.
Serabai is a type of dessert that looks like the love child of an idli and pancake. Usually eaten with a sweet custard-like sauce, Serabai can only be found in Taman Tun Sardon, Penang. Be sure to be there early or you will be stuck in a very long queue.
M: +60 16-477 8425
A: Astaka Taman Tun Sardon, 11700 Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia
10. Ee Ji Ban Chicken Rice Ball
There is nothing extraordinary about chicken rice but in Melaka, there is one eatery that serves chicken rice in a unique way. Located in Taman Melaka Raya, this shop serves chicken rice in forms of balls.
Not a beach ball-sized ball but small balls the size of a ping pong ball. To enhance your eating experience, the rice balls must be soaked in chicken broth first before scooping them out and dipped into some ginger and soy sauce.
M: +60 16-213 5220
A: 275, Jalan Melaka Raya 3, Taman Melaka Raya, 75000 Melaka, Malaysia
So there you go guys, 10 eateries that will make queuing bearable. Do you agree with our list? If not, do let us know other eateries that make you willing to queue for hours and hours just for a 20-minute heavenly experience of eating their food.