10 Malaysian Restaurants You Can Find Abroad To Help Cure Your Homesickness

Malaysians and food go hand in hand together, like bread and butter. Local food joints and Malaysians coexist with each other harmoniously and we take pride in the variety of delectable food spread we share within the multi-cultural society of our country. The best thing about Malaysian food is, you don’t even have to wait till the very next morning to satisfy your craving, you can literally eat your heart out at any time of the day. So, it’s no surprise when tourists come over to our country and get the shock of their lives when they see a handful of mamak stalls or eateries operating 24 hours. That just shows how much we love our food.

But whenever you travel abroad, be it for a much-needed holiday trip, work, or study purposes, we know there’s one thing that’ll always bother you – what, where, how, and when do we eat? The thirst for Malaysian food gets real especially when your trip reaches the third day or so, because you start imagining how lovely would it be to have a bowl of hot steamy rice accompanied by your favourite lauk and a glass of teh tarik. Well you can stop imagining it now, as we’ve compiled a few Malaysian restaurants around the world to help you cure your craving for Malaysian food.

AUSTRALIA

Malaysia is said to be Australia’s 9^th largest immigrant group in the country according to this report and the amount of Malaysian-born residents were 148, 760 people as of 2013. The number continues to rise year after year with most residents choosing to reside in Melbourne and Sydney. So, where do they normally frequent to once the homesickness starts to kick in?

PappaRich

The famous upscale mamak food chain has managed to make its way to the land of koalas and kangaroos, Down Under. The Malaysian eatery serves a wide range of food from nasi lemak, char kuay teow, roti canai, and even satay. If you’re scratching you head wondering where on Earth can you find their shop in Aussie, don’t worry because they have a total of 21 outlets across Australia! Former student, Arlina Arshad cites that she enjoys eating at PappaRich because “it tastes exactly the same like the one in Malaysia.”

PappaRich first operated in March 2012 in Victoria, Melbourne. Their drinks start from AUD$3.90 (RM12.04) while their food are priced at AUD$4 (RM12.35) onwards. And if you’re curious, one roti canai costs AUD$7.50 (RM23.15) and a plate of nasi lemak starts from AUD$12 (RM37.05).

PappaRich QV Square

Level 2, Shop 11, QV Square, QV Building, Melbourne,

Victoria 3000 Australia.

Tel: +61 (03) 9654 2682

Trading Hours: Sunday – Thursday: 10.30am to 11pm

Saturday & Sunday: 10.30am – 12.30am

For full outlet locations, click here.

Instagram: @papparichaus

Facebook: PappaRich Australia

Little Ipoh

This quaint restaurant located at the heart of Melbourne will instantly transport you to Malaysia and ultimately cure your craving of Malaysian food. Serving authentic halal Malaysian food prepared freshly daily, their dishes will surely put a smile on your face! Apart from Malaysians, our local celebrities and politicians also frequents this restaurant whenever they’re in town. Pricewise, a plate of Ipoh Char Kuay Teow will cost you AUD$11.50 (RM35.50) while a plate of roti canai on the other hand will cost you only AUD$5 (RM15.44). Little Ipoh also frequently stocks up on some of our local kuih, such as kuih ketayap, kuih bakar, and curry puff. You’ll basically feel as if you’ve never left the country.

Little Ipoh

Level 1, La Trobe St, Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria.

Tel: +61 (03) 9329 1826

Facebook: LITTLE IPOH – Melbourne

Instagram: @littleipohmelbourne

Website: http://www.littleipohrestaurant.com.au/

Mamak

What better way to reward those hunger pangs at a Malaysian restaurant called Mamak? This award-winning restaurant is the brainchild of three friends – Alan, Clement, and Julian. The trio opened Mamak’s first outlet in Sydney back in 2007. This humble restaurant serves a variety of roti canai, satay, rice and noodle dishes. And if you’re craving for a sweet, cold treat on a hot sunny day, Mamak also serves ais kacang and cendol. Mamak gained a cult following not only among Malaysian but as well as Australians which prompted them to open another outlet in Chatswood and Melbourne. So, don’t be surprised if you see a queue forming outside of the shop during peak hours! Their drinks start at AUD3.50 (RM10.81) while their dishes will cost you from AUD$3 (RM9.26) to AUD$20 (RM61.74).

Mamak

15, Goulburn St, 2000, Sydney.

Tel: +61 (02) 9211 1668

Email: info@mamak.com.au

Facebook: Mamak Haymarket

Instagram: @mamakrestaurant

For other outlets, kindly click here.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Immigrants from all over the world usually migrate to the states for a better life or rewarding job opportunities. Some of them open up businesses such as restaurants to cater to the rising demand of immigrants looking high and low for comfort food they’re familiar with. Nowadays, finding Malaysian food in America is not as hard as it used to be. After all, more westerners are embracing the Asian culture and seem to enjoy eating our food. As of 2014, about 86 Malaysian restaurants registered under Matrade's Malaysian Kitchen Programme in the US according to this article.

Seattle Mamak Food Truck

Ipoh native, Keith Cheang isn’t your typical mamak food operator, he chooses to run his business in the latest craze that seems to be sweeping the nation, via a food truck. Keith migrated to the US about 15 years ago with his parents who also runs a restaurant in Seattle. He runs the business with his wife and serves halal food that are free of additives. Nasi lemak served with long beans cooked with belacan seems to be favoured by the locals. Their food is priced reasonably with drinks priced at USD$3 (RM12.38) and dishes starting at USD$6 (RM24.76). Wan Aiman, a student residing in Seattle says that the food may be pricey after conversion, but it’s worth the price. He also added that the food truck is quite popular therefore their sambal will usually be sold out by 3pm. So for those planning to try out their food, it’s best you come there early.

Seattle Mamak

225, Terry Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, USA

Tel: +1 206-660-7569

Operating hours: Everyday, from 10.30 am.

Facebook: Seattle Mamak Food Truck

*Please note that their locations and operating hours may change from time to time.

Penang Malaysian Cuisine

If you miss the oriental taste of Penang food in the land of Star Spangled Banner, worry not as Penang Malaysian Cuisine have multiple outlets throughout the country to help you! Qyira Yusri, a Malaysian student studying in Michigan says that it’s relatively easy for her to find their restaurants in main cities and all of them are far from disappointing. Her favourite go-to dish whenever she has the chance to visit their restaurant will always be chicken rice accompanied by a warm glass of bubbly teh tarik. If you’d like to check them out, you can visit them in Boston, Philadelphia, Illinois, California, Maryland, or New Jersey, just to name a few. The restaurant has been previously reviewed and featured in notable publications such as Best of Boston, NY Magazine, NY Times, Gourmet Magazine, and PAPER Magazine. Beverages start from USD$1.95 (RM8.06) onwards while their meals start from USD$4.50 (RM18.59).

Penang Malaysia Cuisine

685 Washington St

Boston, MA 02111

Tel: (617) 451-6373

Operating Hours: Sunday – Thursday: 11.30am to 11.30pm, Friday & Saturday: 11.30am to 2am

Website: http://www.penangmalaysian.com/

Facebook: Penang Malaysian Cuisine

Rasa

If you miss the cozy and comforting feeling of stuffing yourself with homemade food, then Rasa is the place to be! The restaurant is owned by a decorated Malaysian chef who has previously earned a Michelin star, Chef Tommy Lai and co-owned by his sister Camie Lai. You can expect popular street food such as Penang assam laksa, yong tau foo, curry mee, and hakka prawn mee to give you a true Malaysian gastronomical experience. Their assam laksa has also been dubbed as “one of the ten dishes to try before dying” by Huffington Post! Rasa is the first Malaysian restaurant in Greenwich, so if you happen to be in New York, don’t forget to drop by. Psst even our local celebrities Yuna and Joe Flizzow have also paid the restaurant a visit. The average price for the main dishes are priced between USD11 (RM45.45) – USD$22 (RM90.90).

RASA

25 West 8th Street

(Between 5th & 6th Ave)

New York, NY 10011

Tel: (212) 253 9888

Email: info@rasanyc.com

Operating hours: Monday - Thursday: 11:30am - 10:45pm

Friday: 11:30am - 11pm

Saturday & Sunday: 1pm - 11pm

Instagram: @rasanyc

Website: rasanyc.com

UNITED KINGDOM

The UK seems to be another popular destination for Malaysians to pursuit their tertiary studies or for vacation. As of 2013, there were approximately 59,000 Malaysian-born residents residing in the UK and 14,500 Malaysian students studying there. There’s a tight knit community of Malaysians in the UK, and they’re relatively easy to find if you need any help or tips travelling there. The UK is a wonderful place with diverse culture just like Malaysia so finding comfort food shouldn’t be a problem for you.

Malaysia Hall Canteen

Malaysia Hall is where Malaysians come to gather for special occasions such as to celebrate ‘Eid, or perhaps stay there as a cheaper alternative whenever they’re visiting London. You’d feel right at home the moment you step into the building with familiar chattering in our native language and also the rich aroma of Malaysian food greeting you at the canteen door. The kopitiam ambience and friendly faces will immediately make you feel right at home. The canteen serves a wide variety of Malaysian food especially Malay delicacies that are priced very reasonably. You can get a plate of nasi campur for around £4 - £6 (RM21.94 – RM32.91). The best part is, two pieces of roti canai will only cost you £1.80 (RM9.87)!

Malaysia Hall Canteen

30-34 Queensborough Terrace, London W2 3ST,

United Kingdom.

Tel: +44 871 961 8354

Operating hours: Open every day from 8am – 10pm.

Facebook: Malaysia Hall

Ning

If you’re wondering whether this restaurant is run by our local songstress, Ning Baizura, the answer is no. But wouldn’t it be cool if that very Ning happened to be dining at Ning? It’s actually ran and owned by a Malaysian chef, Norman Musa. This Penangite originally worked as a quantity surveyor before giving up his career to pursue his true passion, cooking. His restaurant has been operating since 2006 and was listed as “Manchester’s Top 10 Places to Eat” in 2014. You can expect top notch Malaysian dishes because they only serve “fresh, authentic & award-winning Halal food with our twist of style & individuality.” Their fixed price menu set is quite popular amongst customers, offering a set of appetisers, main dish, and side dish for only £15.95 (RM87.48). Apart from running the restaurant, Chef Norman also conducts cooking classes at his shop.

Ning | Malaysian Restaurant & Cookery School

The Burton Building,

92-94 Oldham Street,

Northern Quarter, Manchester,

M4 1LJ, United Kingdom

Tel: 0161 238 9088

Email: info@ningcatering.com

Operating Hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 5pm to 11pm

Sunday: 5pm to 10.30pm

Closed on Mondays except bank holidays.

Facebook: Ning – Manchester

Instagram: @ningbycnm

Website: http://www.ningcatering.com/

FRANCE

Bonjour! If you’re in France, you’ll see a myriad of quaint cafés and boulangerie (bakery) adorning the cobbled streets. There’s much to explore in France, from the majestic Eiffel Tower to the stunning architectures in Versailles, there’s probably not a dull moment in this Parisian country. The only dull thing is probably the lack of authentic Malaysian restaurants in France. But don’t let that dampen your spirits because we’ve managed to scour a few alternatives to help you get your Malaysian food fix.

Nasi Lemak Paris

Thanks to these three young entrepreneurs - Afizuddin Ahmad Apandi, Al Qayyum Mafaudzil, and Fauzi Azami, Malaysians now don’t have to cry over the thought of a tasty pack of nasi lemak while they’re in Paris. Nasi Lemak Paris operates differently than other businesses we’ve featured, they currently offer a door-to-door delivery service and do not have an actual shop. Their much coveted nasi lemak is highly sought after Malaysians who frequent the city from celebrities, politicians, and also our local designers. A packet of basic nasi lemak will cost you €6 (RM27.91) but you can always choose from a variety of selections from nasi lemak with fried chicken to nasi lemak udang petai ranging from €8 - €10 (RM37.21 - RM46.51). Apart from nasi lemak, the boys have expanded their menu to chicken rice, nasi berlauk, pulut kuning, nasi minyak, and nasi dagang. You can view the full menu here.

Nasi Lemak Paris

Paris, France.

Tel: +33699561400

Operating hours: Every day from 10am – 10pm

Instagram: @nasilemakparis

Facebook: Nasi Lemak Paris Nlp

Twitter: @NasiLemakParis

Langkawi

Not to be confused with the beautiful archipelago in Kedah, Langkawi is actually a restaurant located in the city of love, Paris. The restaurant is frequently packed with Malaysians looking for homey meals to help keep the homesickness at bay. You can enjoy an array of dishes from curry laksa to nasi lemak. They also serve popia (spring rolls) and a variety of traditional kuih. Their dishes are priced from €8.80 (RM40.93) onwards.

Langkawi

80 Rue de Saussure, 75017 Paris, France

Tel: +33 9 82 32 02 82

Operating Hours: Open every day except Sundays from 12pm – 2.30pm and 6.30pm – 10pm.

Facebook: Langkawi-Paris

Do you have any favourite restaurants you visit whenever you’re feeling homesick abroad? Share it with us in the comments section below.