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In fact, the night market is an excellent place to come if you
wish to sample some of Malaysia's exotic, tropical fruits. Some
of the most unusual include the jackfruit, an enormous fruit
that tastes a bit
like a persimmon. Of course, there is also the durian, the
so-called King of Fruits, with its notorious smell and creamy
textured, onion-like taste.
For a bit of culture, albeit manufactured for the tourist crowd, Restoran Seri Melayu offers a buffet dinner of local cuisine and 45-minute "cultural show," which includes a variety of traditional Malaysian dances that originate from places such as Kuantan and Sabah. These colorful and ornate displays give the visitor a chance to witness a way of life very different from the city hubbub. The Malaysia Tourist Information Complex, located across from the New World Hotel, has a similar cultural show every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
There are also many bars and discos, many of them located in the downtown hotels, such as the Hard Rock Cafe at the Concorde Hotel. Outside the city center, two areas are particularly well-known for their "night scene," especially among the expatriate community. Damansara Utama and Bangsar. Damansara Utama is the place to go if you want to catch some live music. Indeed, one of Malaysia's hottest young musicians, Amir Yussof, owns and plays on Fridays and Saturdays at a small place called X-tasy. The music here, usually a mix of covers and originals, is most accurately described as acoustic rock n' roll. At Bangsar, you'll also find loads of chic restaurants and busy bars, among them a traditional Irish pub, such as the newly-opened Finnegans, and Ronnie Qs. Both Damansara Utama and Bangsar also offer the perennial karaoke lounges.
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Like many of the world's capitals, Kuala Lumpur lights up at night. After all, this is the time to be outdoors, after the extreme heat of the day has worn
away.
One of the most colorful and lively events is the pasar malam, or night market. These take place at certain places across the city on various days of the week. The pasar malam has a very social, almost carnival-like atmosphere, although many of the goods on sale are of a practical nature, such as fruits and vegetables.
