As your tummy growls, you only look for one thing: Food. Yes, food is an essential nourishment for the human body. In Malaysia, we’re really lucky to have such a great variety of delicious cuisines originating from many different races and ethnicities. From Malay lauk, Indian curries and Chinese desserts, as well as the many lovely snacks and treats from other ethnic origins, there’s just a great choice so you’ll never go hungry again!
You might imagine going into a restaurant, with a server to welcome you and take you to your table as he makes recommendations off the menu. Well, this is not a story about dining in a restaurant, but this is a story about dining in at food trucks.
Besides the huge number of restaurants, cafes and street-side stalls cropping up almost everywhere in Malaysia, you can also find food trucks at certain parking lots, at central parks, corners of every building, and pretty much everywhere. They are also seen, these days, at any festivals or public events!
That’s right, food trucks are becoming a trend in Malaysia. Some offer local dishes, others serve Western choices, and still others cook up a fusion of the two.
To sample some of the best food offered by these food truck vendors, we’ve compiled our top three recommendations of food truck “ports” where several food trucks gather in a common yet comfortable space for diners to enjoy a hassle-free meal any time of the day.
Food truck with a view
One of the food truck parks gaining popularity for being everything “hipster” and cool in Malaysia is “TAPAK Urban Street Dining.” Just look up the hashtag “Tapak Urban Street Dining” and you’ll see Instagram flooded with pictures of people dining away with the Kuala Lumpur Petronas Twin Towers lit up spectacularly in the background. That’s right, besides the awesome food (mostly local menus with an urban twist such as Nasi Kukus with grilled chicken by Meltshack and coconut and mango jelly shake by The Hut), the big draw is the world’s tallest twin skyscrapers. But honestly, gather up some friends, enjoy some good food and drink in the awesome views…what could be better?
More info on the web at www.ilovetapak.com
Where east meets west
If you are looking for an unconventional dining experience, then head north to Ipoh, Perak, and find your way to “Food Truck Garden”. Since its debut on March 2017, this port is notably known as “The legacy of food truck generation in the state of Perak,” providing a diverse selection of local food and beverages, but with a little Western twist added. Imagine dining on the likes of the ubiquitous rice that’s given a Swedish twist in Nasi Goreng Meatball by Le Reussi FoodTruck; the Keropok Lekor Cheese created by KualiQib which elevates the local fish crackers with generous dollops of gooey, melted cheese; and the Melted Lamb, a deliciously moist and tender meat made by Puffer on the Move. With over 30 (maybe more!) food trucks to choose and feast from along with live bands performing every night, the garden offers an open-air dining concept for friends and family to gather and feast.
More info on:
Facebook – Food Truck Garden at Bulatan Amanjaya
Instagram – silverstatefoodtruck
International flavours in one spot
Heading south of Malaysia lands you in Melaka, yet another state capital of delicious proportions! Instead of the usual local Portuguese and Baba Nyonya cuisine, the Melaka Food Truck Park at Ayer Keroh takes you on an international food journey. Here, you can satisfy your cravings for Italian food (pastas), Korean food (Jipangi Korean ice cream), Japanese food (takoyaki), Spanish food (churros), Mexican food (tacos), and more! The ambience is chill with fountain water features, lanterns overhead and buskers serenading the night away. Just a stone’s throw away is the Melaka Mall where you can continue your hang-out session with friends either shopping away or catching a movie at its cinema.
More info on:
Facebook – Melaka Food Truck Park
Instagram – Melaka_foodtruckpark