The Genting Highlands food trail

New York-based pizza joint Motorino brings a slice of Brooklyn to their first Malaysian branch at Genting Highland’s SkyAvenue mall. Like their other branches across New York, this pizza venue is decked out in shades of green, black-and-white mosaic floors, and white marble-topped tables and counters, which all work to recreate a warm and homey vibe. What immediately catches your eye when you walk in are the two wood fire ovens from Naples that Motorino use to make their Neapolitan-style pizzas that have a distinctive crust and taste.  

At Motorino, you can choose from ten varieties, including the classic margherita, marinara, meatball and more. For beef lovers, try the arugula and bresaola (air-dried beef, mozzarella and parmesan). Prefer seafood? Get the cherry stone clam pizza (mozzarella, oreganata butter and parsley). Additional toppings you can opt for include onions, beef pepperoni, mozzarella and Brussels sprouts. The pizzeria recommends that you eat your pizza like how New Yorkers do – by folding your slice in half. Aside from pizzas, the menu offers a small selection of antipasti dishes that include mixed greens salad tossed with balsamic vinaigrette; roasted chicken wings with lemon, mint, chilli flakes and onions; and Motorino’s Meatballs served in tomato sauce, pecorino and basil.

The drinks menu offers red and white wines to pair with your pizzas, but if you prefer something more casual, you can opt for bottled beer, fruit juice or soft drinks. Dessert-wise, there’s tiramisu, chocolate cake and gelato by the scoop or bowl.

La Fiesta is a cosy eatery underlined by a décor that’s reminiscent of a classic Catalonian restaurant, complete with Moorish-style arches, tiled tabletops and chandeliers contributing to the warm and welcoming atmosphere. When it comes to food, La Fiesta does two things only – tapas and paella; but they do them well. For tapas, go for the ibérico cold cuts, which are available in four variations – jamón (pork leg), chorizo (paprika-marinated sausage), lomo (pork loin) and salchichón (peppercorn-marinated sausage). If you want a taste of all four cuts, order the mixed platter which comes with a side of rye bread. La Fiesta recommends the sides of Spanish cheese to go with your meaty starters, and if you’d like to add variation, there are also ample selections of seafood, vegetarian and meat tapas to choose from. 

Once you’ve built up your appetite, get yourself a pan (or two) of rich paella that comes straight off the stove. There are four options to choose from – lobster, seafood, pork and chicken, and vegetarian. If you’ve got some cash to spend, go for the lobster paella – saffron-laced bomba rice slow-cooked in lobster broth and topped with one whole Canadian lobster. The aromatic rice is moist and full of flavour thanks to the broth; while the accompanying lobster is cooked just right. Food, however, is just a part of what La Fiesta has to offer: the impressively stocked bar offers a range of drinks and cocktails, including the Picasso sangria (a concoction of red wine and Tanqueray gin mixed with orange, pineapple, strawberry and lemon) that has a spectacular presentation – waiters flambé the drink before combining all the elements and serving it in a pitcher jug.

A trip to Genting wouldn’t be complete without a steamboat meal, and Resort Seafood is one of the best places to have it with friends and family. The 425-seater restaurant is one of Genting’s more established eateries having been around since 2015. The steamboat served here is more expansive than what you’d find at other steamboat restaurants too – for starters, there’s the soup stock, which includes a selection of tom yum, herbal chicken soup and the Resort fish head stock, brewed for hours to create a soup that is clear and rich  (and gets more flavourful as the steamboat meal goes on).

As for what goes into the hot pot, there are over 20 varieties of seafood items to choose from, including the standard selection of fish balls, crab meat, tiger prawns, dumplings and ‘fish noodles’ as well as more exotic selections like smoked duck, wagyu sirloin, geoduck and Boston lobster that come straight from the aquarium. And with over 20 different sauces – including light soy sauce, oyster sauce, minced garlic, chilli oil and many more house-made sauces – you can go a little crazy creating new sauce combinations to go along with the meal.

You’re not limited to steamboat cuisine either: selected seafood ingredients can be cooked to your preferred style, and there’s a range of rice and noodle dishes like the lobster braised with egg noodles.

The bright and cheery vibe of Bubbles & Bites welcomes any passer-by to relax, have a bite and a drink or two before continuing their day (or night) at the Highlands. This casual diner’s main draw is the selection of Italian Continental dishes that are executed well thanks to their use of locally sourced ingredients and house-made breads and pastas. There’s also a selection of beer, juices, sparkling wines, and house wines that you can grab from the refrigerated shelves. 

The food here is all about comfort and familiarity – think salads, pastas, pizzas, Soup of the Day, burgers and sandwiches, along with other hearty meals. For those who need their hunger pangs quashed, the slow-braised lamb shank ticks all the right boxes with its rich gravy, generous portions and well cooked shank; the Spaghetti Aglio-Olio Pepperoncino, on the other hand, works as a light meal that can be topped up with other ingredients like seafood, mushrooms, turkey ham, olives and sundried tomatoes to make it more substantial.

Those looking for a lighter meal will be drawn to the salad bar, which allows you to create your own salads with a selection of greens picked from Genting’s own farms – or you can opt to indulge in a Caesar Salad or a warm salad with poached egg, wild mushroom, mascarpone and tomatoes. Their signature ‘Simply Fresh’ Hamburger is also worth a try if you’re hungry enough to crush a 200g burger patty made with ground beef and wagyu lard. If all that isn’t enough, there’s also a small selection of desserts worth saving room for: the highly recommended tiramisu.

As the name suggests, Malaysian Food Street is a destination serving a variety of popular Malaysian dishes. The space inside is designed to mimic the streets of old Malaysia – the floors are painted to look like tarred-roads while each stall sports a colonial-style façade. You’ll also be able to find replicas of notable Malaysian landmarks such as the Petaling Street paifang arch, the Kuching cat statue and the traditional Indian arches in Brickfields.

Here, you’ll find an extensive selection of Malaysian fare, some of which were sourced from some of the country’s most popular eateries; think Petaling Street classics Koon Kee Wantan Mee and Hon Kee Porridge, Googgle Man Char Kuey Teow from Penang, Kee Hiang Bak Kut Teh from Klang, satay from Kajang Satay Rono and more. These stalls have their signature store signs hung above them so they’re easy to spot in the expansive venue. Other options include Hainanese chicken rice, yong tau fu, nasi lemak and curry laksa – all of which are curated by Resorts World Genting's culinary team.

For dessert, there’s cendol and ais kacang, and there are all sorts of typical kopitiam drinks on offer – we particularly liked the Hainanese coffee, which goes well with half-boiled eggs and kaya toast.

Popular French coffee roaster Cafés Richard has opened its first café outside of France right here in Resorts World Genting’s SkyAvenue. The decor exudes an air of French chic thanks to its black and white colour palettes accented by gold trimmings, and the balcony seating area with black cloth awnings in front of the café completes the eatery’s French café look. Inside, the sweeping coffee bar greets you with a showcase of all sorts of coffee-making equipment as well as shelves that are decked out with packets of coffee beans and liquor bottles.

The food menu offers a selection of classic French fare. Start off your meal with a bowl of French onion soup, which is made with gratinated gruyère cheese croutons; or go for a plate of escargots stuffed with garlic, parsley and shallot-infused butter. The croque monsieur – toasted sandwich with turkey ham, gruyère cheese and béchamel sauce – is a good option if you want something light, and for something more substantial, the roasted duck with orange sauce is a crowd favourite.

Another big draw to this café are the Parisian-inspired high tea sets (available from 2.30pm until 5.30pm). There’s a choice of sets – pastry, desserts or savoury dishes – but if you want a little bit of everything, their Le Fentin set provides a highlight of the most popular dishes including dishes such as escargots, macarons, liver pâté on toasted brioche, crème brûlèe and more.

Cafés Richard takes their coffee seriously. You have five options of beans including house blends Perle Noire and Massaya as well as roasts from Sumatra, Ethiopia, Costa Rica and Jamaica. Then, you select the method of brewing – from espresso-based styles to slow methods such as French press, Chemex, cold drip and siphon. The well-trained staff will be on-hand to help you pair your choice of beans with the best brewing style if you’re unsure. The menu also boasts an extensive selection of teas, coffee-based cocktails and mocktails. Go for the ‘Flower Coffee Soda’ – cold extracted coffee mixed with soda and rose, hibiscus and elderflower petals.