Kesum Art Restaurant in George Town serves the famous Laksa Johor and authentic Johorean celebratory dishes found at state banquets.
The restaurant’s bold approach to introducing Johorean cuisine must be applauded.
Johorean cuisine is not atypical of Malay food found elsewhere in Malaysia.
The regional cuisine has Middle Eastern influence and resembles great spices, herbs, and food trading.
Due to its complexity and often complicated recipes, the best authentic Johorean favorite recipes like Laksa Johor are often homemade.
Johorean Food – A Marked Difference
As a whole, the Johorean dishes may have similar names to the food of the Northern states.
However, the ingredients, preparation, and presentations differ.
The marked difference is the rich complexity of taste that can only be savored and is harder to describe.
I tried two familiar dishes in Kesum Art Restaurant. Both have fresh fish as their main ingredient.
Growing up in a family of Nyonyas, I am familiar with the complexity of dishes and their tedious preparation.
For me, the proof was literally in the eating. Johorean cuisine bowled me over.
CNN may rank Penang Assam Laksa as No.7 in the World’s 50 best foods.
Penang’s version of laksa is decisively pungent, a spicy-sour fish broth made with poached, flaked mackerel.
The readily available Penang street food has a bright, citrusy garnish of pineapple, onion, chili, mint, torch ginger, and a dollop of “Hare Koh.”
However, it is a commoner’s meal.
Contents
Laksa Johor is the Sultan’s Delight
The state’s favorite dish, Laksa Johor, was created by Sultan Abu Bakar in the 1800s.
The Sultan acquired a love for pasta during his travels to Italy. Upon returning, he ordered his royal chefs to make Laksa Johor with spaghetti instead of rice noodle.
What is Laksa Johor?
Laksa Johor is not a dish you can find in a restaurant. You have to make it yourself if you want to eat it.
Making the laksa is a beautiful tradition that bonds the family’s womenfolk as they make this labor-intensive dish together.
Most Johorean women have fond childhood memories of helping to peel, pluck, chop, and shred numerous fresh ingredients.
The laksa gravy is made with choice ingredients: prawns, dried prawns, fresh Ikan Parang (wolf herring), and Ikan Kurau (threadfin).
The fragrant spice mixture includes fenugreek, mustard seed, fennel, cumin, and belacan. The secret is the toasty kerisik that makes the broth sing!
The garnishing for laksa Johor is
- cucumber
- bean sprouts
- long beans
- Daun Kesum (Polygonum)
- Daun Selasih (Thai basil)
An interesting optional topping is a sprinkling of Chinese pickled radish (Chye Poh).
The preparation is labor-intensive as it includes condiments, sambal belacan, and Calamansi limes.
Did I hear that Johoreans Eat Laksa Johor with their Hands?
Many Johoreans typically eat their laksa Johor with their fingers, rather than fork and spoon or chopsticks!
Due to the high cost of ingredients, the best laksa Johor is to be had in homes.
It is served during festive occasions such as Hari Raya.
My first Laksa Johor experience is a memory piece that completes my jigsaw puzzle of what Laksa would taste.
Kesum Art Restaurant’s Laksa Johor is fragrant and spicy, with a robust, delicious taste of rich santan and kerisik.
The broth-like gravy is thick, and although the Johoreans usually eat it with their hands, I prefer using a spoon to scrape the bowl dry.
For me, the sambal belacan must be spicy and hot.
The sort that makes you break a thin film of sweat on the temples, forehead, cheeks, and around the lips.
I sniffle a little.
The sensory play on my taste buds from the rich taste makes me linger at the table. I want to savor it.
Laksa Johor at Kesum Art Restaurant Penang.
Native Botok Botok (fish wrapped in leaves)
Johorean Botok Botok is not confused with Nyonya’s Otak-Otak (steamed fish custard).
The only similarities are both dishes are wrapped with banana leaves and steamed.
Johor’s version has 13 herbs, which are finely julienned and mixed with shredded coconut flesh and spices.
A Meal of Healing Herbs
The most authentic taste of Botok Botok is made using herbs found widely in Malaysia’s rainforest.
Kesum Art Restaurant uses eight types of herbs grown commercially for the Botok Botok dish.
The herbs are written in their Malay name.
The English translation may not be accurate.
- Mengkudu Leaves
- Ubi Leaves
- Cukur Leaves
- Selasih Leaves
- Berbuas Leaves
- Kunyit Leaves
- Kesum Leaves
- Limau Parut Leaves
- Banana Leaves
The beautiful aroma of the steamed Botok-botok perfumes the dining room even as it is taken to the table.
Fragrance of Ulams
When you open the oblong banana leaf-encased parcel, more tender leaves encircle the fish.
The whole piece of sweet, firm-fleshed Ikan Tenggiri (mackerel).
The spice mix for the fish is heavy on
- lemongrass
- galangal
- garlic
- freshly grated coconut.
The herbs are to be eaten with the fish. The taste is a refreshing start off sweet, medicinal, and slightly bitter.
We had the Chicken/Beef satay and Gado-Gado as starters.
We lifted the fish and separated the center bone and some side bones.
The bottom layer of greens is scraped off to be eaten. The herbal leaves are full of fish juices and spices and taste delicious.
The fragrant Botok Botok is served with white rice, fish crackers, salted eggs, and two condiments.
Delicious meaty, succulent Chicken | Beef Satay
Gado Gado is served with a different dipping sauce.
Bubur Pulut Hitam.
Pengat Pisang. Photo: Doris Lim
Kesum Art Restaurant Review
Kesum Art Restaurant’s owners take pride in ensuring the authenticity of the traditional flavor of Johorean cuisine.
Its simple, cozy environment, quiet ambiance, and attentive service make this a top Malay cuisine restaurant in George Town.
The restaurant doubles up as an art gallery featuring local Malay artists’ work on the walls. There is a small gallery on the first floor.
Location-wise, Kesum Art Restaurant is perfect for business lunch in the heart of Georgetown’s UNESCO World Heritage Core Zone.
I had several meals, sampled the menu, and returned to my favorites a few times.
Several of my friends have visited, and they were pleased with the delicious meals.
Where to head to for the best Laksa Johor in Penang.
Kesum Art Restaurant
Address: 104, Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, 10200 George Town, Penang
Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 12.00 noon to 5.00 PM
Saturday & Sunday 8:30 AM to 5.00 PM
Blog Disclosure: This is a sponsored blog post, but all opinions are mine. Thank you, Kesum Art Restaurant, for the lunch invitation.
