Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

There was much anticipation among the Malaysian community living in the US about Anthony Bourdain's travel food show airing on Travel Channel which featured Malaysia. Naturally I was quite excited too but since I did not have cable or satellite TV subscription, I had to rely on second hand information regarding the show! :-(

It's been more than a couple of weeks since the show was first aired on Travel Channel. All I could do then was read viewers' comments of the show on the two Malaysian forums that I am a member of. But since then, a friend has sent me a copy of the show and I had the opportunity to watch the show myself! Better late than never, eh! ;-)

I thoroughly enjoyed the show. I've never watched any of Bourdain's shows but I can say for sure that this guy is very adventurous when it comes to food! Bull penis soup in a curry-like gravy? Available in KL? That was the first I've heard of it!

I feel proud that the variety of food available in Malaysia and the most unlikely places (like under a tree next to a metal shop with all the noise!) that these tasty food is available, was show cased on Bourdain's show.

Being from Sarawak, the Malaysian state on the island of Borneo, I was especially thrilled by the segment showing Bourdain eating "laksa", a specialty from Sarawak, and some wild ethnic food in the jungles of Sarawak. There were several interesting images of Bourdain trekking in the jungle and eating and drinking in the longhouse with the Iban people.

Bourdain made several remarks about "Bejalai" which literally means "to walk". I wished he had pronounced it correctly though. "Bejalai" is something that the Iban people are known for. They will go any where in the world to seek their fortune but they will always return to their roots in Sarawak.

P.S. I have since ordered a subscription for satellite TV service! It will be installed in a couple of days. :-)