I didn’t spend long my first time in Kuala Lumpur, but it definitely left a lasting impression. So much so, that I’m currently planning a longer return visit to Malaysia less than a decade later. The friends I made will last a lifetime, yes, but the bak kut teh, the laksa, and the fresh durian are a big part of what’s attracting me back to Southeast Asia.
Until I make it there, though, there is Southeast Impression. Apparently, I’m not the only ones with strong feelings about that corner of Southeast Asia. Gary Ngo, vice president of operations at Ivea Restaurant Group, with whom I first spoke when he opened Gyu-Shige in Mosaic District, has since expanded his repertoire to include many Asian restaurants such as Urban Hot Pot and Okaeri. Some of Ngo’s chefs hailed from Malaysia and Singapore, Washingtonian reported, and the natural next step was to allow them to prepare their native flavors, along with those from nearby Thailand.
It’s a treat to start a meal at Southeast Impression with roti — flaky, oily flatbreads that come with either lentil stew or chicken curry. I chose the lentil and was rewarded with earthy heat that turned out to be the highlight of the meal.
On a hot day, I skipped the bak kut teh (herbal pork rib soup) in favor of nasi lemak — Malaysia’s national dish, often served for breakfast — with fried chicken, as well as rendang, a spicy Indonesian beef stew sweetened with coconut milk. Both dishes include fragrant coconut rice that’s worth a trip on its own.
Desserts are diverse and colorful. The castella cake, a type of pound cake that came to Asia by way of Portugal, is flavored with pandan, as well as squiggles of pandan cream. Add on the lychee panna cotta, a seductively wiggly iteration of the Italian dessert topped with the juicy fruits.
The visually vivid plates are a match for the dining room that includes booths surrounded by faux greenery and lit with basket-style fixtures. With its large menu of greatest hits including Hainanese chicken rice, Thai curries, and even Singaporean chili crab, Southeast Impression is exactly the kind of place that will inspire many a revisit.
9530 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax
Feature image of nasi lemak by Alice Levitt
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