This diverse Malaysian state has evolved into a hub of high-end dining

"Tendrils of steam curl out of the bread basket and spread a warm, yeasty scent as my waitress unfolds the linen cover to reveal a plump kind of sourdough with a golden-brown crust. The slices fall apart, airy, with a honeycomb-like crumb. Nearby, a saucer holds what looks like a peak-summer tomato, which the waitress cleaves in two; it's actually butter. "Go on," she says. "Try it." The flavour is nothing like bread and butter. The taste that unfurls in my mouth is of a South Indian dosa and a ground tomato chutney flavoured with curry leaf and coconut oil, like the kind my Indian mother makes. It feels like sorcery."

"Restaurant Au Jardin opened in 2018 in a former bus depot in Penang, a small state up the coast from Kuala Lumpur. It pioneered the art of presenting local flavours with sharp European artistry. In 2022 it was one of four establishments to receive Malaysia's first Michelin stars, and it remains among Penang's leading fine dining -restaurants. Kim Hock Su, Au Jardin's bun-wearing chef-owner, quietly coaxes ingredients into works of art: Penang river shrimp and chilli crab caviar; beetroot from the Cameron Highlands, salt-baked and finished with a horseradish emulsion. Su's technique is unmistakably French, as his perfectly executed pithivier makes clear, but he's a proud Penangite. The thosai - dosa in Malaysian Tamil - that introduces my meal is a love letter to his multicultural hometown."

Penang historically built its reputation on street food, but fine dining has recently flourished. Au Jardin opened in 2018 in a former bus depot and reimagined local flavours with European technique, earning one of Malaysia's first Michelin stars in 2022. Chef-owner Kim Hock Su combines French technique with Penang ingredients such as river shrimp, chilli crab caviar and Cameron Highlands beetroot, and presents dishes that reference local multicultural traditions, like a thosai-inspired starter. George Town draws visitors for murals, pastel shophouses and boutique hotels, while street food and ethnic culinary mosaics remain core to the island's appeal.

Read at CN Traveller