Feb
2013

Alexis – multiple locations $$ 13/20

categories: Eating Out, Restaurant Reviews

The Alexis chain of cafes are found throughout the Kuala Lumpur area. I tend to eat at the Gardens Mall and the Bangsar Shopping Centre branches. My go-to is the Sarawak Laksa, a rich and spicy broth with rice noodles, prawns, chicken and omelette strips. Today, this was my post-hangover meal as I find anything spicy helps perk me up after a big night.

I always order directly with the chef to ensure a gluten-free experience. Make sure to specify that you are allergic and request the Sarawak Laksa with no kicap or soy sauce, only rice noodles and for them to boil the noodles in a separate pot to avoid cross-contamination. Super delicious and a quick and satisfying meal. I pair it with a glass of Chardonnay or lime juice if feeling particularly hungover.

Kiss kiss,

Bubbles

Alexis Bistro

www.alexis.com.my for locations

  • Allergy friendly: *** The kitchen isn’t gluten friendly so dishes need to be picked with care.
  • Taste: ****
  • Cost: $$ Around 80 for three courses without wine
  • Atmosphere: *** Shopping mall casual
  • Service: *** While prompt, the waiters are not aware of food allergy issues but are cheerful and helpful.

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Feb
2013

Satay @ Roadside Stalls in Malaysia $

categories: Eating Out, Food Allergy Tips

PhD students live on rather stringent budgets and consequently, less pricey dining options are handy. I adore the many street food vendors and stalls in Malaysia, with the loud and varied voices in different languages and the amazing smells of lemongrass, chilli and smoke in the air. Eating at any type of hawker stalls is problematic with food allergies as stall operators serve hundreds of meals in short spaces of time. Satay stalls offer a safe bet as long as you aren’t allergic to peanuts.

Satay is a traditional Malay dish, consisting of grilled meat skewers, served with a spicy, peanut sauce, rice moulded into squares, steamed with pandan (screwpine) leaves and wrapped in banana leaves, raw cucumbers and onions. The skewers are meat, either chicken, beef or lamb, marinated in a mix of turmeric, garlic, lemongrass, onions and ginger, with salt to taste. The peanut sauce uses similar spices, peanuts, dried chillies, brown sugar and tamarind pulp for that tangy sour kick. Recipes vary so here is the quiz list before you indulge:

1. Was soy sauce or kicap used?

2. Did they dust the meat with any flour?

3. Is the sauce made with bottled chilli sauce or is it from a jar, tin or packet?

Sometimes, hawkers are sure about the meat but the sauce was made elsewhere. I have the skewers without sauce and they are still spicy, moist morsels of meat when I can’t confirm lack of gluten. During Chinese New Year, I ate thirty-five sticks of chicken satay. A small disclaimer on satay, I have it only from a stand-alone stall where it is the only dish made on the grill as there isn’t the likelihood of cross-contamination.

Kiss kiss,

Bubbles

Found at roadside stalls throughout Malaysia