BANGKOK (eTN) – This could have been a very funny story in Malaysia if the polemics developing around a national Malay dish did not exude hints of racism. Nasi Lemak is one of Malaysia’s tastiest dishes. It is widely available, sold in any good Malay restaurant or food stall. It consists of fragrant rice flavored with coconut milk accompanied by a fried egg, beef or chicken marinated in deliciously-spicy gravy, and accompanied by dried fish, peanuts, and a kind of onion dumpling (called “begadel”).
A couple of years ago, Kampung Bahru district in Kuala Lumpur – probably the last old-style Malay enclave in the city center – used to have one of the best places for nasi lemak (I personally used to go there often). People were queuing all night long to savor the delicacy at a small restaurant called “Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa” (“Nasi lemak International”). Since then, the owner changed, and the recipe sadly changed as well.
Shophouses have always had a cool factor about them. But these icons of Southeast Asian architecture are now sought-after by local and foreign investors alike for reasons beyond that
When you think of Singapore, the things that come to mind immediately are its multi-cultural cuisine, swanky malls and high-rise residences. Amidst these, and in complete contrast, are its bold, bright and ornate shophouses. As the name suggests, these often two- to three-level buildings, have shops on the lower levels and residences above they used to house the merchants and owners of these shops in the 19th century. They are an integral part of Singapore’s heritage, and for years now locals and foreign investors have been vying for a piece of that pie.
The facade of the Shang House, a rental property marketed by Figment. Image: Ivan Tan, courtesy of Figment
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