A taste of Belgium comes to Malaysia

A Belgian bar and restaurant on the Malaysian island of Penang has become a hit — although some of the traditional Belgian dishes have been adapted to suit local tastes. “Situated on the ground floor right by Gurney Drive, the Brussels Beer Café is a large, air-conditioned contemporary restaurant-cum-bar, surrounded by plenty of al fresco seating where one can soak in the unusual heritage-embraces-modernity atmosphere of what was previously the premises of the Uplands International School of Penang,” writes the Malay Mail’s Helen Ong. “There’s nothing better than an ice-cold Belgian beer — apart, that is, from an ice-cold Belgian beer with some Belgian food, and there’s a fairly good choice of hearty pub food available here. Like the Chinese, the Belgians love their pork; one of their signature dishes is crispy-skinned roast pork, although Brussels-style, is very similar to our own version except it comes with a large dollop of mustard. One of the best sellers, according to manager Eric Wong, is the Brussels-style pork knuckle served with brown sauce: the hunk of meat, salted and crispy on the outside yet soft and moist on the inside, is sufficient for four to six people — although it’s available in half portions. Air-flown European mussels are also offered in various ways, including cooked in coriander and Hoegaarden beer.”