Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia's capital city is a fusion of innumerable cuisines using Malay ingredients and given a twist.

Old China Cafe

This superb find is tucked in an old shop house down a side alley off Petaling Street, Chinatown's main artery The building used to serve as the headquarters of a laundrymen's association and preserves many of the original features (below). The food is as interesting as the location: Peranakan or Straits Chinese cuisine is blended with Chinese dishes, with Malay elements. For a healthy snack, tuck into ju hu char (RM13.80 or HK$32): shredded cuttlefish mixed with turnip, carrot, cabbage and onion, served in lettuce leaves. There's more substantial fare in babi pong teh - pork belly stewed with shallots, tamarind, garlic and mushrooms - which is tangy and tasty, as are the sambal prawns stir-fried with fava beans (RM39.90). Dinner for four with a jug of beer will cost about RM135.

Tamarind Springs

The restaurant sells itself as 'jungle luxury dining', meaning fancy food served amid the treetops of a forest on the outskirts of town. Tamarind Springs is northeast of the city centre and makes a fine watering hole after an excursion to the Batu Caves. The food is from Indochina (a blend of Vietnamese, Camodian and Laotian cuisines) and includes the likes of shrimp cakes, Khmer style (RM24), and deep-fried soft-shell crabs on a bed of pomelo (RM38). For functions, the restaurant offers set meals at RM105-RM140 per person. There's a free shuttle service from most downtown hotels. The owners recently opened an Italian restaurant, Il Tempio, on the ground floor.