Explore the Spicy Flavors of Malaysian Cuisine During Malaysian Restaurant Week, June 14-20, 2010

NEW YORK, June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Malaysia Kitchen for the World, a campaign launched by the Malaysian External Trade Corporation (MATRADE) to promote Malaysian restaurants and cuisine in the New York City metropolitan area, presents the first-ever Malaysian Restaurant Week, a weeklong celebration of Malaysian cuisine June 14 through June 20, 2010.

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100415/NY87231LOGO )

As part of the event, 21 Malaysian restaurants in New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut, will offer a special $20.10 prix fixe menu (in honor of the year the campaign was launched) for the entire week. Participating restaurants include Fatty Crab West Village and Upper West Side, Laut, Nyonya, Penang restaurants in Manhattan and New Jersey, and many more. Restaurants will display colorful Malaysian Restaurant Week table tents, posters and window decals, which will indicate participating restaurants to passersby.

"We're thrilled to be a part of Malaysian Restaurant Week," said Winnie Ting of Satay restaurant in Flushing and Hoboken. "Malaysian food is still relatively new to Tri-State area diners, but this event will help them become more familiar with the cuisine, ingredients, and signature dishes of Malaysia. And it will give local Malaysian restaurants a chance to reach new customers."

In addition to Malaysian restaurants, several high-profile pan-Asian restaurants and restaurants that serve Asian dishes—including Spice Market, The Stanton Social, Rhong Tiam, Chow Bar, and Bia Garden—will participate with a special Malaysian or Malaysian-inspired two-course menu. By involving non-Malaysian restaurants, the campaign aims to entice diners who wouldn't normally consider eating at a Malaysian restaurant to become familiar with Malaysian food, as well as to encourage chefs and restaurateurs to include Malaysian-inspired dishes in their menus.

"I love the flavors of Malaysian food, because they not only bring depth—often from slow and long cooking or deep marinades—but also because they have lots of heat and bite, which is something I personally love," said Chris Santos, executive chef and partner of The Stanton Social on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Malaysian food is the ultimate melting pot of flavors—a delicious blend of Malay, Chinese, and Indian food traditions with a sprinkling of Indonesian, Thai, Portuguese and Middle Eastern influences. Its richness and diversity are virtually unparalleled in Southeast Asia and stem from Malaysia's captivating history.

Located between the east and the west, Malaysia was a major crossroad in the ancient eastern spice trade route for many centuries. At different points in time, its culture was influenced by the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Japanese and even the British. Significant immigration from China and India during the colonial period has made for a unique fusion of Asia's oldest civilizations—Malay, Chinese, and Indian—with a distinct influence from European cultures. Malaysia offers a cultural fusion that's very much reflected in its cuisine. And with Americans' ever-growing appetite for spicy foods, Malaysian flavors hit the right spot.

For more information on Malaysian Restaurant Week, visit www.malaysiakitchennyc.com/restaurantweek

About Malaysia Kitchen for the World

Malaysia Kitchen for the World is a global initiative of the Malaysian government that aims to educate and inform consumers about Malaysian cuisine and Malaysian restaurants throughout the world. The New York campaign seeks to boost interest among American food lovers to try Malaysian cuisine and visit Malaysian restaurants in the New York metropolitan area as well as in other locations in the United States. The program also seeks to facilitate local chefs and restaurateurs to introduce Malaysian cuisine at their establishments. Visit malaysiakitchennyc.com for more information.

About MATRADE

The Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is Malaysia's national trade promotion agency. Established in March 1993 as a statutory agency under the Ministry of International Trade Industry (MITI), MATRADE is responsible for assisting Malaysian companies to succeed in the international market by developing and promoting Malaysia's exports to the world.

SOURCE Malaysia Kitchen for the World