WHAT better way to celebrate our National Day, than by feasting on delicious Malaysian food? When I was told that Knowhere Bangsar’s new Cita Rasa Gemilang menu featured food from all 13 states, I was intrigued to find out what the team had come up with, and was glad that they moved beyond nasi lemak.
After all, there’s more to Malaysian food other than nasi lemak and rendang!
“We believe that food is the love language and core of the Malaysian Spirit,” said Bernard Joseph, General Manager of Knowhere Bangsar. “We took the famous dishes from each state – such as the traditional Nyonya dish Inchi Kabin – and reimagined them, introducing contemporary twists and elements whilst maintaining its original integrity.
“You could say this menu of 13 dishes and one drink is our love letter to Malaysia, and we hope this reinvigorates the love for our nation, hence the tagline ‘You Will Believe Again’.”
We started with an appetiser named Cone Inchi Kabin, a Nyonya-style fried chicken marinated with over 10 spices and coconut milk, and served in a crispy popiah cone with spicy butter garlic sauce. Each bite gives a little kick but it is still bearable and absolutely delicious.
The Cone Inchi Kabin is an excellent appetizer to share with friends.
The second appetiser, called Pearl of the Orient, was beautifully presented. Each oyster shell is filled with fresh bite-sized oyster egg omelette with baked cheese, chilli, and shallot pickles. I definitely savoured every soft bite just to ‘cool’ my tongue.
The Pizza Tempeh Teratai is the ultimate ode to Malaysian flavours. The Italian-style thin crust pizza is topped with tempeh, lotus root, and dehydrated hibiscus on a spicy tomato-sambal base. My group happily finished the extra portions, a testament to how good a dish it was.
Next up is Negeri Sembilan’s Chicken Lemak Podeh, a tender roasted whole chicken leg cooked in a vibrant masak lemak cili api broth and slightly crisp potatoes. The meat fell off the bone beautifully when cut, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
The Pasta Laksam-Mana from Kelantan may be a comfort food for some. The al dente spaghetti cooked in aromatic mackerel lemak laksam sauce, served with vegetable condiments and spice house-made sambal belacan salsa, will have you salivating for more.
For a taste of Borneo, the Sarawak-inspired Heaven Mee Kolok may look simple, but the lightly toasted soy angel hair pasta served with minced chicken oyster and chicken char siew packs a burst of flavour.
The Sabah-inspired Tuaran Grilled Calamari features Knowhere’s famous calamari with Tuaran noodles stir-fried with eggs and vegetables.
The amazing Tuaran Grilled Calamari.
Those looking for a nostalgic and savoury snack will be delighted with the Terengganu-inspired Cheesy Lekor, a deep-fried keropok losong lekor baked with cheese, which you can lovingly dip in the homemade sweet chilli sauce.
The Coconut Lempeng is ‘love at first bite’ for sweet-tooths everywhere. The traditional Pahang-style hollow pancake was served with coconut ice-cream, topped with homemade chocolate sauce & cocoa powder.
I also enjoyed having the Sushi Mempelam, a refreshing take on an old Perlis favourite with Sweet Thai Gold Lily Mango rolled in a glutinous rice wrap, sushi-style. Another refreshing selection is the Tau-fruit Fah, a spin on a traditional Perak dessert made from soft, silky tofu topped with nata de coco and gula Melaka syrup.
Finally, the cutest ‘meal’ of all is the aptly named Bahulu Baby. It’s a drink made from soybean and vanilla syrup with a creamy vanilla foam top. Savour each sip before you reach the end of the glass!
The Cita Rasa Gemilang menu will be available daily until Sept 16. Reservations can be made via Whatsapp at 010-220 2358 or through letsumai.com/widget/knowhere-bangsar.
Delivery is available on knowheretoeat.com.
Knowhere Bangsar
50, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar,
59100 Wilayah Perseketuan,
Wilayah Persekutuan,
Kuala Lumpur.
Open Daily from 11am-12am
