Fiesta Malaysia 2015

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of MASCA.

On Saturday 9 of May 2015, Melbournians celebrated Fiesta Malaysia - a festival which showcased Malaysian cuisine sourced from the best and most authentic Malaysian restaurants in and around Melbourne.

This year, Fiesta Malaysia brought together a number of popular Malaysian eateries. 

NL House

We loved NL House's fried chicken nasi lemak. The chicken was delectably crispy and had been nicely caramelised and flavoured well by an array of spices. 

Together with fluffy coconut rice, crispy anchovies and out-of-this-world kerabu sambal, it was an addictive and comforting dish.

Mamak

We were all very impressed with the quality of Mamak's offerings. Every dish tasted incredibly authentic. 

As expected, the roti was expertly prepared - beautifully crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. 

The satay was authentic and delicious. We loved how the satay was authentically served with cucumber and onion which went well with the decadent and perfectly spiced satay sauce. Our taste buds had been transported to the streets of Kuala Lumpur! 

Killiney Kopitiam

A popular chain restaurant in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and China, Killiney Kopitiam is all about the "Kopitiam" (meaning coffee shop) culture in Malaysia and Singapore. We enjoyed sipping on their refreshing Teh Tarik and Milo Dinasour while we found a place to sit and enjoy their famous Hainanese Chicken rice. 

We absolutely loved what we tasted. The chicken was tender and the fluffy chicken rice was full of flavour. We especially loved the authentic taste of the chilli condiment. Their durian crepe (strictly for Durian lovers ONLY), was another standout - creamy and decadent. 

Shallot Thai

Shallot Thai is a popular Thai eatery with locations in Burwood and Malvern East. Everything was seriously delicious and delivered with the friendliest service. 

We were impressed with the perfectly cooked squid which was slathered in deliciously mild chilli sauce which allowed the natural sweetness of the squid to shine. 

The Mango sticky rice was a Thai classic. The dessert was scrumptious with generous slices of fresh mango over gooey sticky rice and creamy coconut cream - yum! 

Perwakilan Melbourne

The lovely ladies at Perwakilan Melbourne served up beautifully made roti jala and curry alongside some delicious Malay kueh.

Zam Zam

Originating from the Mamak population in Malaysia (Tamil Muslims of Malaysian nationality), the cuisine served at Zam Zam is full of flavour, spicy and simply addictive. We enjoyed sampling their Chicken biryani.

Pasar Malam

Pasar Malam channels the spirit of Malaysian hawker-style eating centres in Kuala Lumpur, where locals gather to catch up and share tasty hawker favourites. The menu features a wide array of options it’s all good. Trust us, you can’t really go wrong here. 

We started off with their Ayam Percik, a spicy barbecued chicken commonly sold at roadside food stalls all over the state of Kelantan. The chicken had been sufficiently seasoned and was wonderfully flavoursome. Each morsel had benefited from a delectable outer charring courtesy of spending the perfect time on the grill. 

We also devoured their apam balik pancakes. Wonderfully thin and crisp, these babies were filled with peanuts and sugar. AMAZING! 

Sambal Kampung

Sambal Kampung is  a Malaysian restaurant in Maribyrnong and the CBD.

Sambal Kampung served up a delicious basa which was served with a decadent spicy layer of sambal. While the use of basa wasn't traditional, the sambal itself was beautiful.

Drums Café

Drums Café is an incredibly welcoming Indian food eatery located in Queen Victoria Market.

We enjoyed their flavourful array of authentic Indian dishes. 

The Devilled Chicken was our favourite dish. The boneless pieces of chicken were tender and full of the flavour which made it a great pair with their fluffy naan.

 

Bamboe Café

Bamboe Café dishes up authentic Indonesian cuisine with friendly service in Chadstone. The food is tasty and the menu is incredibly well priced. 

The Rolling Scoops

The Rolling Scoops produces natural artisan gelato. The gelato's amazing texture and taste is testament to the perfectly balanced base that is used to make each flavour. Each flavour is made from organic milk, 100% natural ingredients, no preservatives, no added colour and no eggs. 

We loved the distinctively smooth, dense texture of their durian and Teh Tarik gelato. 

Fiesta Malaysia is MASCA Victoria's largest annual event. Fiesta Malaysia celebrated and promoted the diversity of Malaysian cultures, cuisines, tourism and history to Australia's local and international community. 

The festival received strong support from the Malaysian Government, the Australian Government, numerous corporate partners, ASEAN-root peak student representative bodies, university and non-university-based Malaysian Students Organisations. 

Fiesta Malaysia 2014 received an overwhelming response from over 18,000 visitors from different cultural backgrounds to experience a slice of Malaysia for themselves.

Apart from the authentic Malaysian food by Melbourne's top Malaysian restaurants, the festival also featured cultural exhibitions, traditional games and live performances. 

A series of demonstrations and competitions that relate to Malaysian cuisine also ran including a Durian Eating Competition and also a Roti Canai Making Challenge.