Sunday, July 11, 2010

Malaysian Dinner

I haven't had Malaysian food in a VERY long time. When I was younger, my parents and I would go to Banana Island in Daly City every so often for dinner or lunch when we were shopping in the area.
I fell in love with their roti; it was one of the best Asian dishes I had ever tasted.
I remember when we first walked into the restaurant, in the center of the dining room, the chef, and older gentleman wearing all white with a chefs hat and silver rimmed rectangular glasses, would stand there all night rolling out large pieces of roti by hand. He stretched the dough until it was almost transparent.
I HAD to try it.
When the Roti finally arrived, I tackled that thing as if I hadn't eaten in days. I may have even begged my parents to order more!
It was crispy on the outside and had chewy layers of buttery dough in the center. The roti was always served with a side of delicious yellow curry for dipping. I would never forget the first time I tasted it.

But soon, as their turn-over rate increased, the quality of the food declined. And sadly, the roti that I had fallen in love with was no longer as memorable or delicious.

To my surprise, there's a Malaysian restaurant near me in Orange County. Formerly known as Tropika, it is now known as Belacan Grill.

I didn't really care for the ambiance, nor was the service particularly favorable, but their food is great!

And...the roti is spectacular.
Roti with curry
Beef Rendang
Mi Goreng

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