Malaysia: Best eats in the Cameron Highlands
By Liz Ledden
THE cuisines on offer in Malaysia’s beautiful tea country, the Cameron Highlands, runs the gamut from Malay, Indian and Chinese to British-influenced high tea and an array of Western eateries. The best of the bunch inject a sense of authenticity, incorporating fresh, locally grown produce. Here are some eating options to refuel pre- or post-jungle trek, or before an exploration of the area’s many plantations and farms:
Chinese-Malay steamboat
Steamboat is a Chinese-Malay style of dining and has been adopted as a specialty of the area. At a steamboat restaurant you essentially cook your own dinner, adding everything from prawns to tofu to local vegetables into a flavoursome broth boiling away in the centre of your table. It’s lots of fun with a group, and is not only novel but a healthy eating option too.
A view of tea in the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Pic: Will Ellis from Reading, England, Flickr.
Mayflower in Tanah Rata is a popular place to try your hand at creating your own steamboat concoction. For something a little less bustling, Glory 78 can be found on the road connecting Tanah Rata and Brinchang. Its meals are halal, and are fresh and tasty.
While some steamboat restaurants have reverted to using gas to power the individual burners, others still use the traditional charcoal method, which is said to impart better flavour into the food. Restoran Highlands in Brinchang is one place still using charcoal, or you can try and taste the difference at the excellent Cameron Organic Produce, a restaurant in Brinchang featuring organically grown produce from their farm of the same name. Seafood is on offer here, but the vegetarian soup alone is fresh, pure and makes great use of seasonal ingredients. Most steamboat places charge around RMB20 per person – about RM $20 (AU$6).
Malay
Delicious Malaysian cuisine is readily available in the Cameron Highlands, from spicy laksa to sweet kaya toast. At the Night Market (Brinchang Pasar Malam) stop and sample a fantastic array of local snacks, from fried sweet potato balls to chocolate dipped strawberries. Head to Restoran Ferm Nyonya for a beautiful meal of Nyonya or Peranakan cuisine, a traditional blend of Chinese and Malay cooking techniques and ingredients. A jack of all trades, they also feature Western dishes on the menu and offer steamboat too. The sambal beans are excellent, and their fish dishes are a specialty. Uncle Chow’s Kopitiam is another must-visit restaurant in the Cameron Highlands for a nasi lemak or curry laksa, or for one of their dessert offerings served up in a friendly, family-run old-style coffee shop.
British
Remnants of British cuisine remain in the area’s restaurant and cafés, with tea and scones or wintry British classics evoking nostalgia, or at least widening the area’s eating options. For some traditional British fare head to the Smoke House, a restaurant within a charming hotel of the same name. Here you can dine on dishes like beef wellington, cod and chips or chicken Maryland. You can also settle in with a drink in their bar, complete with fireplace. This is one of the many places serving traditional English style afternoon tea or ‘high tea’ in the highlands, though at the pricier end of the scale.
Locally grown strawberries.jpg Pic: Restoran Kumar’s.
Other destinations for local tea and freshly made scones include The Lord’s Café (ex-T Café), where the strawberry scones are a must-try. To sample locally grown strawberries in many guises, head to the wonderful Strawberry Moment Dessert Café, which features strawberry crepes, waffles, chocolate dipped strawberries, the lusciously stacked strawberry strudel and even a chocolate ‘steamboat’ for dipping your own strawberries in, Malaysian style.
Indian
Indian eateries are prevalent in the Cameron Highlands, and many feature delicious (and very affordable) rotis in all their guises. Restoran Sri Brinchang features delicious chicken tikka, paper thin dosais with tasty accompaniments and fresh and flavoursome thali plates. Most dishes are around the RM 6.50 (AU$2) mark, offering amazing value. Restoran Kumar’s in Tanah Rata is another excellent option, with brilliant curries served on banana leaf and some of the freshest and best naan bread in the area. The tandoori chicken here is wonderful too.
Banana leaf curry at Kumar’s. Pic: Restoran Kumar’s.
Be sure to sample a variety of the cuisines on offer in theCameron Highlands – its restaurants reflect Malaysia’s multiculturalism and diversity. And look past the restaurants for street snacks, particularly at the night market, where you can experience some of the freshest and most ingenious ways of trying the flavoursome local produce.
If you enjoyed this article and would like to find out more about travelling to Malaysia, please visit the Tourism Malaysia website
____________
About the author…
Liz Ledden (Australia)
Liz Ledden is a writer and blogger based in Sydney, Australia, who previously lived in Phnom Penh and Saigon for nearly five years. She has contributed writing and photography to publications including AsiaLIFE Cambodia, AsiaLIFE HCMC, Tiger Tales magazine, CLEO Australia, AnyArena.com and About.com Southeast Asia Travel, and helped update two editions of the Cambodia & Laos LUXE City Guides. In addition to contributing to Travel Wire Asia, she also writes for travel website Pocket Cultures and blogs about food and travel at www.devoured.com.au. Follow @_devoured on Twitter for updates.
Recommended for you
马来西亚之旅：金马仑高原（Cameron Highlands）的最佳美食
作者：里茨·乐登 马来西亚风光旖旎的茶乡金马仑高原的美食品种繁多，从马来风味、印度风味、中国风味、英国风味的下午茶至一系列的西餐厅应有尽有，令人眼花缭乱。最美味可口的菜肴加上刚从本地采摘的新鲜食材让人感觉非常正宗。如下介绍一些美食，以便你去丛林跋涉前后，或探访该地区众多的种植园和农场前补充一下能量。 Chinese-Malay steamboat 中式马来火锅 火锅属于一种中式马来（Chinese-Malay）风格的菜式，一经采用便成为了当地的的特色。在火锅餐厅里，顾客完全可亲自下厨，将食材倒入餐桌中央那香气四溢、热气腾腾的高汤火锅内，所有的菜都可放到火锅里涮，从对虾、豆腐至本地蔬菜不胜枚举。一大群人围着火锅一起就餐，乐趣无穷，吃火锅不仅新奇而且也是一种健康的饮食选择。 位于丹那拉打（Tanah Rata）五月花（Mayflower）餐厅是你大显身手、发挥厨艺、创造自己的特色火锅的好去处。要想找一个不那么嘈杂喧闹的地方，可试一下位于丹那拉打和碧兰璋(Brinchang)交界路口的Glory 78餐厅。该店提供的清真食品既新鲜又美味。 尽管一些火锅餐厅已恢复使用单个的煤气炉，其他的店子还在使用传统的木炭炉，据说能让食物更加入味。碧兰璋(Brinchang)的高原餐厅（Restoran Highlands）就是仍然在使用木炭炉的一家餐厅。或者你可去碧兰璋(Brinchang)的金马仑有机食品(Cameron Organic Produce)餐厅试着品尝一下口味截然不同的美食。这家很给力的餐厅的特色是烹制有机食品，而且这些食材均来自与其同名的农场。这里供应海鲜，不过单用蔬菜熬成的汤既新鲜又味纯，将季节性时令农产品的风味发挥得淋漓尽致。大多数的火锅店消费价约为20元人民币（约6澳元）/人。 Malay 马来美食 美味可口的马来西亚美食在金马仑高原垂手可得，从热辣辣的叻沙至香甜可口的咖椰烤面包，应用尽有。移步至碧兰璋夜市(Brinchang Pasar Malam)尝尝当地妙不可言且五花八门的小吃吧，从炸红薯球至草莓巧克力令人目不暇接。要想尝尝峇峇娘惹(Nyonya)即土生华人（Peranakan）的美味佳肴，可至Ferm Nyonya餐厅 ，这是家融合了中国和马来西亚传统烹饪技巧和食材的餐厅。这儿的菜单上也标有西式菜肴，还有火锅，简直要一网打尽天下美食。这里的参巴豆酱口感极佳，鱼类菜肴也是一大招牌菜。周大叔咖啡店 （Uncle Chow’s Kopitiam）是另一家到了金马仑高原必须光顾的餐厅来品尝店里的椰浆饭或咖哩叻沙，这是一家服务态度好的家庭经营老式咖啡店。 British 英国美食 在该地区的餐馆和咖啡馆仍找得到英式烹饪技法的痕迹：从茶点和烤饼或能激起乡愁的英式怀旧经典。要想品尝一下传统的英式佳肴就前往迷人的烟楼（Smoke House）酒店的同名餐厅。在这你可享用类似于威灵顿牛柳、鳕鱼、炸薯条或马里兰（Maryland）鸡肉的菜式。你还可以在装有壁炉的酒吧里安坐着小酌一番。和其他许多位于金马伦高原的餐厅一样，这家店供应传统的英式下午茶，即“high tea”。 要想品尝当地出产的茶叶和新鲜出炉的烤饼还有别的好去处，其中The Lord’s Café (ex-T Café)的草莓烤饼是必尝美食。要想尝到当地种植的各种风味的草莓，就到草莓时刻甜点咖啡屋（Strawberry Moment Dessert Café）吧，这里有草莓可丽饼、华夫饼干、蘸着巧克力的草莓、香甜丰盛的草莓点心甚至还有马来西亚特色的巧克力“火锅”涮草莓等。 Indian 印度美食 印度餐馆风靡金马仑高原，其特色是味道可口（经济实惠）且花式繁多的烤肉。碧兰璋斯里兰卡餐厅(Restoran Sri Brinchang)的招牌菜是色香味俱佳的烤鸡块，簿如纸且配料爽口的多莎饼（Tosais) 和新鲜够味的塔利盘（thali plates)。大部分菜肴的价格在6.50元人民币左右，物超所值。丹那拉打（Tanah Rata）的库马尔餐厅（Restoran Kumar’s ）是另一个绝佳去处。该店用蕉叶包着的的咖喱味道一流，还有在这个区域最新鲜最香脆的印度烤饼。这儿的坦都里烤鸡（tandoori chicken )也妙不可言。 在金马仑高原，这里的餐厅体现了马来西亚的博大精深的文化和丰富多彩的社会生活，可要切记品尝一下当地经营的各式各样的美食喔。暂不考虑那些餐馆，光顾一下街边小食摊，尤其品尝一下夜市的小食，你会亲身体验到以最具独创性的方式品尝最新鲜、最有风味的当地农产品的乐趣。 如果你喜欢本文并且想要了解更多关于去马来西亚旅游的知识，那么请访问马来西亚旅游网站。 ___________ 笔者简介 里茨乐登(澳大利亚) 里茨乐登是一位出生于澳大利亚悉尼，曾在金边和西贡住过五年的作家和博客家。她曾参与柬埔寨的AsiaLIFE ，胡志明市的AsiaLIFE…>
馬來西亞之旅：金馬侖高原（Cameron Highlands）的最佳美食
作者：裡茨·樂登 馬來西亞風光旖旎的茶鄉金馬侖高原的美食品種繁多，從馬來風味、印度風味、中國風味、英國風味的下午茶至一系列的西餐廳應有盡有，令人眼花繚亂。最美味可口的菜肴加上剛從本地採摘的新鮮食材讓人感覺非常正宗。如下介紹一些美食，以便你去叢林跋涉前後，或去探訪該地區眾多的種植園和農場前補充一下能量。 Chinese-Malay steamboat 中式馬來火鍋 火鍋屬於一種中式馬來（Chinese-Malay）風格的菜式，一經採用便成為了當地的的特色。在火鍋餐廳里，顧客完全可親自下廚，將食材倒入餐桌中央那香氣四溢、熱氣騰騰的高湯火鍋內，所有的菜都可放到火鍋裡涮，從對蝦、豆腐至本地蔬菜不勝枚舉。一大群人圍著火鍋一起就餐，樂趣無窮，吃火鍋不僅新奇而且也是一種健康的飲食選擇。 位於丹那拉打（Tanah Rata）五月花（Mayflower）餐廳是你大顯身手、發揮廚藝、創造自己的特色火鍋的好去處。要想找一個不那麼嘈雜喧鬧的地方，可試一下位於丹那拉打和碧蘭璋（Brinchang)交界路口的（Glory 78）餐廳。該店提供的清真食品既新鮮又美味。 儘管一些火鍋餐廳已恢復使用單個的煤氣爐，其他的店子還在使用傳統的木炭爐，據說能讓食物更加入味。碧蘭璋（Brinchang)的高原餐廳（Restoran Highlands）就是仍然在使用木炭爐的一家餐廳。或者你可去碧蘭璋（Brinchang)的金馬侖有機食品(Cameron Organic Produce)餐廳試著品嘗一下口味截然不同的美食。這家很給力的餐廳的特色是烹製有機食品，而且這些食材均來自與其同名的農場。這裡供應海鮮，不過單用蔬菜熬成的湯既新鮮又味純，將季節性時令農產品的風味發揮得淋漓盡致。大多數的火鍋店消費價約為20元人民幣（約6澳元）/人。 Malay 馬來美食 美味可口的馬來西亞美食在金馬侖高原垂手可得，從熱辣辣的叻沙至香甜可口的咖椰烤麵包，應用盡有。移步至碧蘭璋夜市(Brinchang Pasar Malam)嘗嘗當地妙不可言且五花八門的小吃吧，從炸紅薯球至草莓巧克力令人目不暇接。要想嘗嘗峇峇娘惹(Nyonya)即土生華人（Peranakan）的美味佳餚，可至Ferm Nyonya餐廳 ，這是家融合了中國和馬來西亞傳統烹飪技巧和食材的餐廳。這兒的功能表上也標有西式菜肴，還有火鍋，簡直要一網打盡天下美食。這裡的參巴豆醬口感極佳，魚類菜肴也是一大招牌菜。周大叔咖啡店 （Uncle Chow’s Kopitiam）是另一家到了金馬倫高原必須光顧的餐廳來品嘗店裡的椰漿飯或咖哩叻沙，這是一家服務態度好的家庭經營老式咖啡店。 British 英國美食 在該地區的餐館和咖啡館仍找得到英式烹飪技法的痕跡：從茶點和烤餅或能激起鄉愁的英式懷舊經典。要想品嘗一下傳統的英式佳餚就前往迷人的煙樓（Smoke House）酒店的同名餐廳。在這你可享用類似於威靈頓牛柳、鱈魚、炸薯條或馬里蘭（Maryland）雞肉的菜式。你還可以在裝有壁爐的酒吧裡安坐著小酌一番。和其他許多位於金馬倫高原的餐廳一樣，這家店供應傳統的英式下午茶，即“high tea”。 要想品嘗當地出產的茶葉和新鮮出爐的烤餅還有別的好去處，其中The Lord’s Café (ex-T Café)的草莓烤餅是必嘗美食。要想嘗到當地種植的各種風味的草莓，就到草莓時刻甜點咖啡屋（Strawberry Moment Dessert Café）吧，這裡有草莓可麗餅、華夫餅乾、蘸著巧克力的草莓、香甜豐盛的草莓點心甚至還有馬來西亞特色的巧克力“火鍋”涮草莓等。 Indian 印度美食 印度餐館風靡金馬侖高原，其特色是味道可口（經濟實惠）且花式繁多的烤肉。碧蘭璋斯里蘭卡餐廳(Restoran Sri Brinchang)的招牌菜是色香味俱佳的烤雞塊，簿如紙且配料爽口的多莎餅(Tosais)和新鮮夠味的塔利盤（thali plates)。大部分菜肴的價格在6.50元人民幣左右，物超所值。丹那拉打（Tanah Rata的庫馬爾餐廳（Restoran Kumar’s ）是另一個絕佳去處。該店用蕉葉包著的的咖喱味道一流，還有在這個區域最新鮮最香脆的印度烤餅。這兒的坦都裡烤雞（tandoori chicken )也妙不可言。 在金馬侖高原，這裡的餐廳體現了馬來西亞的博大精深的文化和豐富多彩的社會生活，可要切記品嘗一下當地經營的各式各樣的美食喔。暫不考慮那些餐館，光顧一下街邊小食攤，尤其品嘗一下夜市的小食，你會親身體驗到以最具獨創性的方式品嘗最新鮮、最有風味的當地農產品的樂趣。 如果你喜歡本文並且想要瞭解更多關於去馬來西亞旅遊的知識，那麼請訪問馬來西亞旅遊網站。 _____________ 筆者簡介 裡茨樂登(澳大利亞) 裡茨樂登是一位出生於澳大利亞悉尼，曾在金邊和西貢住過五年的作家和博客家。她曾參與柬埔寨的AsiaLIFE ，胡志明市的AsiaLIFE ，《老虎的故事》雜誌,澳大利亞的CLEO,東南亞旅遊出版的…>
Top Offers
-
Old Penang Guesthouse
Urban Boutique Guesthouse
Penang, Georgetown, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 10 per night
-
Sukau Rainforest Lodge
Eco River Retreat
Kinabatangan River, Borneo, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 400 per night
-
Abaca Boutique Resort
Spa & Wellness Resort
Lapu Lapu City , Mactan Island, Philippines
Deal USD $ 340 per night
-
Eternity Springs Art Farm
Eco Wellness Retreat
Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Deal USD $ 100 per night
-
L’Hotel Nina at Convention Center
Urban Budget Hotel
Hong Kong, The New Territories, China
Deal USD $ 100 per night
-
Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel & Spa
Luxury Beach Resort
Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam
Deal USD $ 134 per night
-
The Secret Sanctuary Boutique Cottage
Boutique Guesthouse
Kuching, Borneo, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 35 per night
-
O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat
Boutique Resort
Canungra, Queensland, Australia
Deal USD $ 200 per night
-
Anggun Boutique Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Bintang, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 75 per night
-
The Apsara
Urban Boutique Guesthouse
Luang Prabang, Luang Prabang Province, Laos
Deal USD $ 75 per night
-
Hintok River Camp @ Hellfire Pass
Rivers Glamping
Kanchanaburi, River Kwai, Thailand
Deal USD $ 125 per night
-
The Chedi, Chiang Mai
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Chiang Mai, Chang Khlan, Thailand
Deal USD $ 250 per night
-
Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa
Luxury Resort
Dalat, Lam Dong, Vietnam
Deal USD $ USD $175 per night
