Layang Layang, San Jose

Layang Layang's menu of Malaysian food offers more than 100 choices, but the San Jose Mercury News says you should definitely try the fish balls. The housemade snacks "look like hard-boiled eggs and are sublime," whether you're trying one as a deep-fried appetizer or stirring them about in the ipoh ho hee seafood soup. The noodles in that soup are handmade by Layang Layang's chefs, all of whom hail from Malaysia's mountainous Cameron Highlands. Equally authentic is the ikan bakar, a grilled striped bass flavored by lemongrass and wrapped in a banana leaf.

Tofu—made fresh daily—plays as vital a role in the cuisine as the fish balls and noodles. Guests can mix it with shrimp, squid, and vegetables, spoon it from a clay pot, or see how much they can fit inside a vase brought from home. Vegetarians can also find much to savor in the indonesian spring rolls and papaya salads.