Island Malaysian Cuisine, Las Vegas

Wearing matching T-shirts, the smiling family that owns and cooks at Island Malaysian Cuisine stands in front of a tropical backdrop, a reminder of home. It's just a small homage to their island upbringing, though. Their true tribute lies in their restaurant’s extensive menu of soups, seafood, and tropical rice dishes, all prepared the way the cooks remember them from their island days.

They serve fish-head soup in a steaming clay pot and slather fried chicken in a sweet mango sauce. They even whip up kueh lapis—which translates to “layer cake” in Malay—a delicate and colorful snack or dessert made by steaming individual layers of tapioca and sugar.

These authentic culinary efforts earned Island Malaysian Cuisine the title of Best Malaysian Restaurant in the Best of Las Vegas 2013 contest.