A day-long food tour

Today, Lyf&Spice brings a twist in its posting style and takes you around Kota Bharu to eat all that you can in a single day. This capital city of Kelantan, is a food haven that is completely different from the rest of Malaysia. Let’s highlight this underrated and lesser known food destination of Asia.

 

The Food tour:

Take a flight from Kuala Lumpur or drive down from nearby destinations like Terengganu or Ipoh to explore this city like a local. Park your bags at a hotel of your choice and head out for a food-packed day.

1. Breakfast:

Bread and eggs: Treat yourself to Roti Bakar – toasted bread served with butter or kaya (sweet coconut spread), usually charcoal-grilled, the old-fashioned way. That is what imparts the distinct flavour and crisp to it. Take a portion of boiled eggs with soy sauce and order a cup of hot milo.

Rice: The locals out here love to start their day with rice. Try Nasi Dagang or trader’s rice made with coconut milk and served with fish curry, coconut gratings and pickled vegetables.

Where: Kedai Kopi Khuan Heong Yan, opposite Crystal Lodge.

2. Lunch:

Rice with curry: Indulge in a buffet spread consisting of steamed rice and curry of your choice. The buffet offers clams, fish, chicken, lamb, duck and other curries, along with herbs, cucumbers and other greens as salad. It is made in traditional kampung (village) style and served in banana leaves.

Where: Nasi Serati Ayam Kampung, opposite Herbaline.

Pork: If you eat pork, there is just the place for you. Delicious pork ribs served dry and as a broth are available as Bak Kut Teh. They are best had with rice or youtiao (fried bread stick).

Where: Restoran Yau Kee, Taman Tengku Ahmad Panglima

3. Tea:

Teh Tarik: This is a must-try. You have to order a glass of pulled tea with condensed milk. If you want it ‘less sweet’, simply say ‘kurang manis’ while placing the order.

Snacks: Tea-time is meant for road-side snacks. You will find a number of stalls serving banana fritters and tempura. Besides that, you can stop by a stall frying battered vegetables, fish or prawn balls.

4. Dinner:

Indo-Malay: Roti canai or tosai (dosa) can be had at one of the mamak stalls across the city.

Chinese: While there are a lot of restaurants serving delicious Chicken Rice, you must try the chicken rice and fried rice with seafood at East Ocean restaurant.

Roti Tempayan: Try roti tempayan with your choice of curry at Ali Baba Tempayan by the river-side.

 

Relish the experience:

A day is just not enough to explore the food scene of Kota Bharu. If you get a chance, extend your stay by another day and try everything on the list. There is a lot more to explore, but that calls for another post. Stay tuned!

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Read – Eat – Drool