Malaysian Lunch w/ Alexis

 We're nearing the end of the school year at Georgetown and Alexis asked if we could have lunch at Malaysia Kopitiam in Dupont Circle.  She said it is comfort food for her as it is the cuisine most like that she has in Singapore.

Of course she arrived with cupcakes for me and Tom and I with a small Easter goody for her.  I had her order for us as I hadn't a clue what might be good.  She started with Soy Bean Milk and Grass Jelly for drinking.  I've had soy milk before but the other was a dark cola looking drink until you stirred it up and it had jelly like chunks of thick grass in it.  It is popular in Singapore because it has cooling agents good for the warm & humid weather.  We also had a Curry Puff which is like a potato filled biscuit.

 She ordered two chicken dishes for us to share.  Hainanese Chicken Rice and Nasi Lemak.  One was a pretty simple chicken with rice cooked with the chicken fat and the other was a much spicier chicken with coconut flavored rice served alongside with pickled veggies.  They had all kinds of awards on the walls so I'm sure the food is very authentic.  Had some left over so I sent it with Tom for his lunch today!  She said they don't really prepare food like this at home as it is time consuming but they just run downstairs from their apartment and buy it from the many food stands along the street.

I love talking to Alexis because she's so insightful and has a very advanced vocabulary.  It's funny because she never uses words like "confused"….instead choosing to use "perplexed"….which is a word I've probably used five times in my entire life, if that!  Have loved hearing about her school adventures, her take on Americans, her family and her country.  She's preparing to leave mid-May but will back in August and I know our relationship will continue.  She's bringing her parents here for a visit then and I can't wait to meet them!