GENTING HIGHLANDS: By this point, Genting Highlands is synonymous with highland resorts, shopping, theme parks and of course, casinos.
This tourist destination is also something of a food scene, what with Five Guys and Burger & Lobster drawing lines of tourists each day.
There is more to explore and to eat though; not every restaurant is to be found close to the theme parks or resorts for that matter.
5km below the peak of Genting Highlands is the satellite town of Gohtong Jaya, so named after the founder of Genting Highlands, Lim Goh Tong.
It is quite a small town, though with construction sites sprouting all over the area, that may change in the future.
Surprisingly, it is also known for being a foodie haven, with numerous restaurants clustered together in the town centre.
Visitors descending from Genting Highlands often stop by here to have lunch before continuing on their journey back home.
In fact, this area seems to be so popular that traffic jams are to be expected, as the narrow streets are often packed with cars.
Parking illegally on the side of the road is a common practice here, not that anyone seems to do anything about it.
There are about a dozen restaurants here, mostly offering Chinese cuisine and weirdly enough for an inland town, seafood.
These restaurants are quite crowded during lunchtime, so be prepared to wait in line or go searching for alternatives with available tables.
One restaurant worth trying out is a seafood restaurant named Wantau Sik 126, located in a shophouse on Jalan Jati 1.
It is an old-school restaurant, with few frills to speak of, but it does have a certain homely feel to it, especially after a long vacation in Genting Highlands.
The service here is quite efficient, with waiters running over as soon as you enter to seat you and to provide you with a menu.
So, being in a seafood restaurant, do what is natural and order yourself some lovely steamed fish; the perfect dish to warm anyone down in chilly Genting Highlands.
The wild catfish is a good option, soft and sweet flesh served in soy sauce with hardly an inedible scale in sight.
Do be aware that the price of the fish goes up with its size, so don’t be too shocked by the bill once it comes.
For greens, you can always bet on the Sambal Kangkong to fill your stomach. Spicy and crunchy all at the same time, the plate should be picked clean by the time you leave.
And for one final dish, perhaps treat yourself to some Sizzling Hot Plate Tofu, a savoury dish with a gravy that goes perfectly with a helping of rice.
With bits of egg, chicken and onions interspersed between the slices of Japanese tofu, it is a good addition to any meal whatsoever.
And before you drive off, perhaps check out the street food stalls, food trucks and fruit shops that are aplenty in the area.
Who knows? You might end up hankering for a durian or two while on the journey back home.
Wantau Sik 126 (Non-halal)
40, Jalan Jati 1
Taman Gohtong Jaya
Genting Highlands
69000 Pahang
