Malaysian Lunch @ Malaya Restaurant, Kozemnachi, Nagasaki

 

Hello and a Happy New Year to all of you! I hope you all have a good start despite these trying times. So what better way to get the year rolling than a visit to somewhere that reminds me of home?

Megane-bashi, one of the iconic bridges in the heart of Nagasaki

I went on a weekend trip to Nagasaki a couple of weeks ago. After sorting out all my formalities on my new visa, I thought I deserved a break. And in the first port of call for this Nagasaki trip was a restaurant called Malaya Restaurant. The reason why I was here was pretty obvious, it has been a long time since I have been home. 

Le lunch menu

As I was there during the peak of lunch, the restaurant was crowded. However,  I was able to get a seat. Being my first time here, the daily set lunch seems to be a good choice. This is my usual order in most new places, as it gives you an idea of what the establishment has to offer. As an additional side, I got myself some bak kut teh. 

Time to dig in!

The set lunch was in fact a rice platter with some home-style dishes and a side of vegetable soup. It is so homely that it looked liked what my Mom would make once I returned from work! Great points for nostalgia that is for sure. For that day, the set lunch ensemble was tofu with minced meat, stir-fried long beans, and ABC soup. It was simple fare, but I enjoyed it a lot. Definitely something unique for the local Japanese patrons but wildly familiar for me. 

Hot and steamy

The bak kut teh was on point too. It has a strong and deep herbal aroma to it. The broth was strong in terms of flavour yet light texture-wise. This is because chicken meat was used instead of pork. As the restaurant aims to be halal, the chicken was used as a substitute. I would cringe at the fact before, but as the soup was so on point, this was just a minor gripe. 

Sweet surrender. 

The dessert that came with the set meal was a pannacotta with a red bean filling. Not exactly traditional, but it is for sure something with a Malaysian twist to it. Well, you can say Japanese as well since red bean is popular here too. Or adzuki for some of you. Once I finished my very filling and satisfying lunch, I was able to have a chat with the chef-owner, Mr. Long. And you guessed it, he is Malaysian. It was good to have met a fellow countryman, and we talked about our experiences living in Japan. Was a pleasant experience indeed. 

Spotted a mile away!

Being the only Malaysian restaurant based in Kyushu, Malaya Restaurant has lots to offer for everyone. The menu consists of mostly classic street food dishes and home-style meals that are hard to find. And coming here is like visiting the house of that cool uncle that knows his food. Main dishes range from  800 yen to 1200 yen a dish, which is the usual average in Japan. So if you are in this part of Japan and would like to try something really interesting, then the address is as follows:

 4-4 Kozenmachi, Nagasaki, 850-0032