PETALING JAYA: Sarawak laksa has made it into the Top 10 wish list of world-renowned chef Anthony Bourdain for his food market in New York.
The 53-year-old chef and TV personality named the Malaysian dish together with nine others via The List App.
Beef brisket and shrimp wonton noodle soup from Hong Kong, Cod and octopus ceviche tostada from Mexico, Bun Thai from Vietnam and Geylang claypot rice from Singapore were among the other dishes listed.
“Dishes from my travels that I want, badly, for my eventual market in NYC. These are the dishes, as prepared by the original vendors, that we need and deserve,” he wrote.
Sarawak Laksa from Choon Hui Kopitiam
Bourdain appears to be a fan of Sarawak laksa, specifically the one from Choon Hui Kopitiam in Kuching.
He first visited the shop in 2005 to film for Travel Channel’s “No Reservations” and again in May last year to shoot for CNN’s “Parts Unknown”.
Following his last visit, he posted a picture of the laksa via Instagram, captioning it “breakfast of gods”. The post received over 46,000 likes.
It was reported that Bourdain first announced plans for his giant food market in January 2014.
He spoke about his desire to assemble a team of chefs as well as street food and hawker legends from around the world.
Since then, Bourdain is said to have been trying to convince selected hawkers and chefs to go to New York or send representatives there.
He and his partners have sub-leased the main concourse and mezzanine of Pier 57 at 15th Street for the foof market.
Bourdain at Choon Hui Kopitiam in 2015.
“Think of an Asian night market, eating and drinking at midnight,” he said.
Bourdain Market, which is expected to be completed in the second half of 2017, will feature 100 retail and wholesale food vendors from New York, other cities in the US as well as overseas.
It will also include fishmongers, butchers, bakers and at least one full-service restaurant.
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