'This Asian city that was low on my travel list is the most underrated holiday destination.'

When my girlfriend and I travelled to Kuala Lumpur over New Years, I expected the food to be delicious, but I was completely blown away.

Whether we were eating at a fine dining restaurant or a street food stall, we were so impressed by the infusion of flavours and mix of cultures, from Malaysian to Chinese and Indian.

First things first, I hope you enjoy your satay because Malaysia is famous for it. Yes, that delicious peanut sauce over skewers of BBQ chicken or beef that we all love (sorry for my peanut allergy girlies). From the plane ride over to the hotel buffet, corner stalls and food tour, we devoured copious amounts of it. The Malaysians, Indians and Chinese all have their own take on the dish and it was delicious every single time.

Watch my TikTok video from our Malaysia trip. Post continues below.

Since returning home, I have told anyone who will listen about the walking food tour we went on and all the incredible restaurants, dishes and drinks we tried (even if I felt like I had to roll myself back to Australia after eating my body weight in Roti).

If you're a foodie like us, then Malaysia is definitely your next holiday destination. Here are some things to do there and my verdict on the vibrant city.

1. Walking food tour

We were warned to pace ourselves during the tour, but we had no idea just how much good food we'd be eating.

For four hours, we joined a group of eight people and an incredible local tour guide named Steve for a walking food tour through the streets of Kuala Lumpur. We strolled through the fresh fruit and vegetable markets and finished at the city's famous Kampong Bharu food street.

As we walked, we learnt about the rich history of Malaysia and the mixture of cultures that ultimately influence their local cuisine.

My girlfriend and I on the walking food tour. Image: Supplied.

Along the way, we stopped at what felt like a hundred local food stalls where our guide introduced us to the owners and their food. We got to try our hand at Roti making and tasted local dishes.

I have been on many food tours around the world from Europe to the Middle East and other parts of Asia, and I can confidently say that this walking food tour was by far the most delicious one I have ever done.

2. Sky high dining

I hope you're not scared of heights because many of Kuala Lumpur's best restaurants and bars reside up in the clouds.

The main city area of Kuala Lumpur is surrounded by towering skyscrapers — even the lobby to the Grand Hyatt where we stayed sat up on the 39th floor. I highly recommend booking a meal or even a few cocktails at one of the many rooftop bars in the city centre.

Many of Kuala Lumpur's best restaurants and bars reside up in the clouds. Image: Supplied.

We settled on dinner and drinks at Sabayon and Mesa on 51, where we not only ate a delicious meal but got to enjoy watching the famous Petronas Twin Towers light up at night.

3. Tiktok recommendations

Every time I travel, my greatest source of good recommendations for food and activities comes from TikTok influencers.

I love seeing where and what they eat and thanks to them I learnt all about the famous dishes in Malaysia that I had to try, such as the national dish nasi lemak (AKA my new hyperfixation meal), a sweet frothy tea drink called teh tarik, an icy dessert called cendol, and my personal favourite roti canai.

YUM! Image: Supplied.

Jump onto TikTok, scroll through and have a look for yourself at all the incredible mouth-watering recommendations. 

(I love @biteswithlily on TikTok and she is an Aussie.)

The verdict

Kuala Lumpur is only an 8-and-a-half-hour flight from Sydney. The city is fun, friendly, cheap, easy to get around and full of flavour.

We spent five nights there which allowed for the perfect mix of cultural and food experiences, as well as much-needed time to recharge and relax at our beautiful hotel.

This is definitely a destination that should be high up on your travel bucket list.

Sharn Jaye is a social media producer at Mamamia. For more travel and food recommendations, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

Read more travel content here:

• 'This little-known island off Bali is the most relaxing holiday spot I've ever visited.'

• 'I'm calling it: This is the best Aussie city for a holiday with kids.'

• 'Turns out the Aussie city that was low on my travel list is the most underrated holiday destination.'

Feature image: Supplied.