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Guide · Malaysian food

What to order at a Malaysian restaurant, teh tarik included.

Malaysian food is three or four kitchens on one menu — Malay, Chinese, Indian, Nyonya — so roti canai, char kway teow and rendang sit side by side. The drinks have their own code language. Here is what to order for two and for a group, what each dish is, how to order coffee and tea like a regular, and the table manners worth knowing.

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In short

At a Malaysian restaurant, order one rice dish and one noodle dish per two people and share. For two: nasi lemak, char kway teow, roti canai with curry, and a teh tarik each. For a group, add satay, laksa, Hainanese chicken rice, rendang and cendol to finish. Eat with your right hand or a spoon and fork; chopsticks at Chinese places. Drink codes: “O” is no milk, “kosong” no sugar, “ais” (or “peng”) iced, “kurang manis” less sweet.

Checked

For two

A first-timer order for two.

  • One rice dish: nasi lemak — coconut rice with sambal, egg, peanuts and anchovies.
  • One noodle dish: char kway teow.
  • Bread to share: roti canai with curry for dipping.
  • Drinks: teh tarik, pulled milk tea, one each.

For a group

For four to six people.

Cheat sheet

Twenty Malaysian dishes and drinks, in one line each.

Common Malaysian restaurant dishes and drinks and what they are
What it is
Nasi lemakCoconut rice with sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and egg
Roti canaiFlaky griddled flatbread, dipped in dhal or curry
SatayGrilled skewers with peanut sauce, cucumber and onion
Char kway teowFlat rice noodles wok-fried with prawns, egg and bean sprouts
LaksaNoodle soup — creamy curry laksa, or sour fish-based asam laksa
Mee goreng mamakSpicy fried yellow noodles from Indian-Muslim stalls
Hokkien meeIn KL, thick noodles braised in dark soy; in Penang, a prawn noodle soup
Chicken ricePoached or roast chicken with rice cooked in stock
Bak kut tehPork rib soup with herbs or pepper, eaten with rice
Wonton meeEgg noodles with char siu and wontons
RendangBeef or chicken slow-cooked in coconut and spices
Mee rebusYellow noodles in a thick, sweet potato-based gravy
Mee siamThin rice noodles in a sweet-sour, spicy sauce
Oyster omeletteEggs fried with oysters and starch until crisp and gooey
CendolShaved ice with green rice-flour jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar
Ais kacangShaved ice with beans, corn, jelly and syrup
Teh tarikMilk tea poured between two vessels until frothy — “tarik” means pull
KopiLocal coffee with condensed milk
Milo dinosaurIced Milo topped with a heap of Milo powder
Kaya toastToast with coconut jam and butter, for breakfast

Say it

Kopitiam drink codes.

Teh tarik is almost always on the menu at Malay and Indian-Muslim restaurants, and less common at Chinese-run coffee shops.

How to order coffee and tea at a Malaysian coffee shop
Means
Kopi / tehCoffee / tea with condensed milk
Kopi-O / teh-OWith sugar, no milk
Teh-CWith evaporated milk and sugar
Kosong“Nothing” — no sugar (kopi-O kosong is black, unsweetened)
Ais / pengIced (peng is Hokkien, heard in Penang)
Kurang manis / siu daiLess sweet
Ais kosongPlain iced water

At the table

Malaysian table manners.

  • Right hand. Use your right hand to eat and to pass food. Eating with your hand is common, and some restaurants set out water for washing.
  • Cutlery depends on the kitchen. Malays often eat by hand or with a spoon and fork; Chinese Malaysians use spoon and fork or chopsticks.
  • Know the table. Malays generally avoid pork and many Malaysian Indians avoid beef; some Malaysians do not drink alcohol. Ask before ordering for a mixed group.
  • The host often orders. At a hosted meal the host usually picks the dishes for the table — everyone shares.

Keep it

Your usual, remembered.

Malaysian coffee-shop regulars have an order — teh-O ais kurang manis and a roti, every time. PlateDiary’s place pages remember yours: snap the table, each dish and drink becomes a save, and the restaurant’s page shows what you always get. Heading over? See our Penang food guide and how to order at a hawker centre.

Sources

Where the facts come from

  1. Cultural Atlas — Malaysian etiquette
  2. Penang Travel Tips — Ordering local drinks at Penang coffee shops
  3. SAYS — How to order kopitiam drinks
  4. Wikipedia — Malaysian cuisine

Questions

Questions people ask.

What should I order at a Malaysian restaurant for the first time?

Nasi lemak, char kway teow, roti canai with curry and a teh tarik. For a group, add satay, laksa, chicken rice, rendang and cendol.

What does kopi-O kosong mean?

Black coffee with no sugar. “O” means no milk, “kosong” means nothing (no sugar), and adding “ais” makes it iced.

What is the national dish of Malaysia?

Nasi lemak — coconut rice with sambal, anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and egg — is widely regarded as Malaysia’s national dish.

Do Malaysians eat with their hands?

Often, especially at Malay and Indian restaurants — always with the right hand. Spoon and fork, or chopsticks at Chinese places, are just as normal.