Michelin star honour for Malaysian restaurant in New York

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian restaurant in New York City, Laut, has been awarded a prestigious Michelin star for its achievements in Malaysian cuisine.

Two other Malaysian restaurants in New York City, Nyonya and Fatty Crab, have also been acknowledged in the 2011 Michelin Guide for New York City Restaurants. All three restaurants are participants in Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation's (Matrade) Malaysia Kitchen Programme (MKP).

Located near Union Square, Laut is believed to be the first Malaysian restaurant in the United States to receive this award, a huge culinary honour.

Having a Michelin star associated with a restaurant means that a restaurant is not only among the best in its city, but also in the world.

It is a mark of consistent excellence across all categories and it is based solely on the quality of its food. Among the notable Malaysian dishes served at Laut are beef rendang, curry laksa, satay and nasi lemak.

"Not only is this a wonderful honour for Laut, Fatty Crab and Nyonya, it also elevates the overall position and prominence of Malaysian cuisine in the US," said Wan Latiff Wan Musa, Matrade's New York-based trade commissioner, in a press statement.

"The award complements the goal of our Malaysia Kitchen For The World campaign, of which these restaurants are active participants. Our campaign seeks to boost interest among Americans to try Malaysian food and visit Malaysian restaurants. We are confident that this prestigious award will generate more excitement about Malaysian cuisine all over the world."

The Michelin guide has become an international benchmark in gourmet dining. Now representing 23 countries and three continents, the collection of 26 Michelin guides includes more than 45,000 addresses. Its team of highly trained inspectors visits establishments anonymously, applying Michelin's international standards for quality across many categories.

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