TRAVELLING has its pluses and minuses.

I know, I've jetted around quite a bit of late (and it's not funny reading about the Air France flight that 'disappeared' over the Atlantic while on a plane to Manila).

Someone near you goes cough-cough, sniff-sniff and you selflessly pray for him, glancing upwards, murmuring: 'If you love me, please, no H1N1 for him, he's a good person.'

Otherwise it's a quarantine party.

Then, there's that slim chance your four-wheeled spinner luggage spun its way to another airport and left you shirtless and staring at the last bag on the conveyor (not yours). And at the immigration counter, you remembered proof of your return ticket was in that bag - lost in airspace.

And the taxi driver, he goes 'yeah, yeah, okay, okay' to whatever destination you utter, and mid-way through the ride, he turns around and asks in fractured English: 'Where go, sir?'

And when you finally reach your hotel via a scenic route, guess which bag your pre-paid hotel e-confirmation voucher was in.

But, the heavens are fair. You won't endure all these man-made modern inconveniences in a strange land without being compensated with what that faraway land and foreign culture can offer.

Like having sotong, prawns and fish grilled in fragrant kicap manis and sambal at Jimbaran beach in Bali - where the sea laps the shore just 3m from your toes, as a wish-seller offers you a box kite and you light a candle inside it, chant a wish and send it floating heavenwards - illuminating the sunset sky.

So, if the need for great feed is something fun to unravel in your travel, and you have this penchant to taste the multi-sensorial pleasures of makan, then I share some of my makan notes in my recent travels.

KAFE CANGKIR

Indonesia: Jl. Panglima Polim IX No. 13 Jakarta Selatan

9am - 11pm (Mon - Sat), 9am - 5pm (Sun)

It's relatively inexpensive and the star dish here is the pungent goat satay. They use chunky cuts of good grade meat and grill it to perfection, and serve it with soy sauce and pickled vegetables or/and peanut sauce. If you like sup tulang, go for their curry bone marrow with stir-fried goat chunks seasoned with shallot, tomato, pepper, sweet soy with goat curry. They also have a Sundanese tahu telor - fried egg with tofu with kicap manis, peanuts and bean sprouts.

WARUNG NASI CAMPUR IBU WETI

Indonesia: Pantai Segara Sanur (near Hotel Segara Village), Denpasar, Bali, 80000

It's a little Balinese-style chap chye png (mixed dishes rice meal) street stall frequented by locals and informed travellers – hordes of them. Quiet boss Ibu Weti hovers over pots of flavourful ingredients. Shredded chicken with greens tossed in chilli oils, sambal hard boiled eggs, grilled pork in spices and a stunning sambal, to mention a few. It's cheap and just 50m from the beach.

ASSAM LAKSA BALIK PULAU

Malaysia: Balik Pulau Market, Penang 11.30am – 5pm; closed on Wed

Bowls and bowls of udon-like rice noodles garnished with finely sliced pineapple, onions, mint and bunga kantan (ginger flower) are stacked on top of one another. You wonder if they’ll ever topple. But the hungry and discerning packs throng the place and clear the food fast. The eatery says it closes at 5pm but by 3pm on most days, the pots are already being scraped clean. The broth is sour, fragrant and thick with minced fish, and that dollop of hae ko (rojak prawn paste) is an odd but perfect boost to this wonderful Nonya noodle dish. Easy to locate – go to the market and the stall is out front.

RESTORAN WOH FUNG (CZE CHA RESTAURANT)

Malaysia: No. 17 Section 20, Jalan 13, Paramount Garden (near Taman Paramount LRT station), Petaling Jaya; Lunch and dinner daily

A local family eatery serves up one of the freshest steamed pating fish around. Its homemade tofu dish with minced meat and chye po (pickled radish) is comfort food at its best and it goes well with its Seremban-style four-vegetable sambal dish (sey tai teen wong). They have a big menu board of many dishes which the boss will serve up in around 10 minutes each. Relatively inexpensive and it’s a family hangout.

Makansutra, founded by KF Seetoh, is a company that celebrates Asian food culture and lifestyle. It publishes food guides in and around the region, produces a food television series, develops interactive mobile content and services, operates food courts and eateries, organises food tours and events, and consults on culinary concepts.

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