One of the Best Restaurants in Langkawi

Over the years, I have frequented Langkawi on many occasions, most of them for work and a few rare holiday trips. A couple of times as a stopover to Koh Lipe in southern Thailand.

The most important thing during any of my travels would be food. Yes, we know that Malaysia is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines with a wide selection of local and international choices, and the best part is having meals at any time of the day here.

Langkawi is no stranger to offering a great variety of food too. Many restaurants are well spread over the island, and the central cluster of restaurants and cafes is found along the Pantai Cenang area.

During a trip to the island in early 2014, I had the pleasure of staying at the Casa del Mar, one of Langkawi’s hidden gems.

The property is located towards the far end of Pantai Cenang, and when passing it, you would not think that this is a resort but more of a private villa for some millionaire.

The main beach of Casa del Mar in Pantai Cenang, Langkawi

One of the Best Restaurants in Langkawi

Anyway, I did an overall review of Casa del Mar, and this article highlights the food and beverage served here at their restaurants and cafes.

Before I go into that, you, the reader, should know that I frequently travel around Malaysia and Asia and that food is one of the essential criteria during my travels.

I am flexible and not-so-fussy when it comes to food when I travel, as I have sat by the roadside to have a bowl of noodles while indulging in a high-end restaurant savouring the luxuries of life among socialites.

So, when it comes to eating, I am very neutral about it, but I keep an open eye and ever-ready taste buds.

However, as a pure Malaysian and having sampled local food for decades, I am quite disappointed in how the food industry in Malaysia has evolved.

It is hard to find great food nowadays with modernization, lack of knowledge, etc. So, my expectations are low these days, especially when visiting a resort or hotel.

But then, my experience at Casa del Mar re-woke my thoughts of eating great food in Malaysia.

You must think I am only writing this for the sake of doing it, but let me assure you that I hardly do any food reviews unless they are exceptionally tremendous or completely blow my taste buds away.

And the Casa del Mar food made a very impactful impression on my overall experience here. As the property is on a smaller scale compared to the larger hotels and resorts, they have the luxury of putting more effort into the kitchen and the staff.

The La Luna Restaurant is high on my recommendation list. For the three days I spent there, I was delighted by the consistency of taste, presentation and delivery of the food, plus the genuine warmth and hospitality of the local staff manning the place.

I was also allowed to try out the different dining experiences that couples or even honeymooners would experience during their stay here.

casa-del-mar-la-sal-restaurant One of the Best Restaurants in Langkawi

The private gazebo is set up for the 7-course La Luna Degustation Dinner.

La Luna Restaurant is situated by the main white-sanded Pantai Cenang; therefore, beachside tables are arranged for guests to enjoy the beautiful sunset dining experience.

While many may think that the restaurant is only for guests, they also open it up to the public. Therefore, reservations are highly required here.

There are a few tables, about 10 to 12, on an estimate, which is also weather pending. However, this beachside restaurant is unique because there are no other immediate businesses in the vicinity giving diners proper privacy.

romantic-dinner-on-beach One of the Best Restaurants in Langkawi

For guests on their honeymoon or simply on a romantic escape here, special arrangements can be made to dine on the beach, where the resort will prepare a special table by the beach.

Even more special arrangements can be made where the only and only beach gazebo will be turned into a private romantic setup. This works great for those wanting to propose or even renew wedding vows.

Special sets like the 7-Course La Luna Degustation Dinner paired with different wines can be arranged if the couple wishes, and this is by booking 24 hours in advance, which costs RM1000 (USD$330) per couple.

For those wanting to explore a little further, you can try their Cocktail & Food Pairing Degustation Dinner, where cocktails are paired with each of the 5 courses served.

The table setting is also away from the main restaurant promising a special moment on the beach. This setting is also limited to one table per day at RM588 per couple.

La Sal offers other unique choices are the stunning seafood platter dinner with lobster, king prawns, sea bass, and calamari served with an assortment of vegetables and unique sauces.

This is a minimum of two persons and goes at RM600 per couple. The final option is a D.I.Y. Barbecue dinner on the beach, where prices are based on your order.

The price or the a la carte? You may be guessing along the lines of the standard hotel restaurant rates, I thought so too, but I was very wrong.

They are priced slightly below the 5-star hotel rates. This was a clever and tactical move since the guest had already paid premium dollars to stay here, so why not give them affordable prices for the food and beverages.

Starters or entrees range from RM33 (USD$10) to about RM39. The main courses cost from RM35 (USD$11) to about RM70 (USD$22). Beers and liquors come in the range of RM10-RM30, while desserts are around RM12 to RM30.

romantic-dinner-langkawi One of the Best Restaurants in Langkawi

Dinner with a fantastic sunset view on the beach gazebo of La Sal.

The excellent part about La Luna and La Sal food is that they serve vegetarian and gluten-free food. This is shown on their menu; you can also request this from any friendly staff there.

The restaurant serves a mean breakfast with selections of loose-leaf teas, Bristot coffee, daily freshly made bread, yoghurts, and jams.

For the a la carte menu, they have some of the most exciting local and continental dishes prepared fresh from the kitchen. Points go to the kitchen team for creativity and an excellent presentation.

As for my partner and me, we were taken aback by the quality of the overall service given, and the food served.

I say this because in the last few years of travel and staying at many hotels and resorts, only some have lived up to this kind of quality and service.

I have also stayed at many 5-star properties around Malaysia, and their service and quality have been average or so-so.

Casa del Mar’s La Luna restaurant completely changed my perception of running a hotel-restaurant business.

They went all out to make the guest feel like they were at someone’s private villa with excellent home-cooked meals.

Take a look at some of the amazing dishes we savoured during our stay here at the Casa del Mar Resort in Langkawi.

MalaysianTastingPlatter One of the Best Restaurants in Langkawi

Malaysian Tasting Platter, for those who want to sample a variety of traditional Malay dishes on one plate.

Soft Shell Crab with Mango Sauce.

Grilled White Cod on Chili Yam Potato Cake.

Seared Encrusted Pink Peppered Tuna,

Comparing these prices with some of the upmarket cafes and restaurants along Pantai Cenang, La Sal is much more affordable.

A couple can have a fantastic three-course meal with a glass of wine for around RM200 or less. To satisfy my curiosity, I went around to see some of the menus of certain restaurants along Pantai Cenang, and I was right!

For more information, contact;

Casa del Mar, Langkawi
Jalan Pantai Cenang
Mukim Kedawang 07000 Langkawi
Kedah Darul Aman Malaysia
Tel: +60 4 955 2388

Conclusion

It was a little cheaper to dine at La Sal if you compare apple to apple, but the bonus is the exceptional service and knowledge of the local staff here.

So, the next time you visit Langkawi, I highly recommend you try La Luna Restaurant at Casa del Mar, especially if you are staying at other properties.

Be your own judge when it comes to the quality of food and service. We all know that many restaurants and cafes out there are trying really hard to impress customers.

But from my simple experience of trying one of the best restaurants in Langkawi, I found that the staff here don’t really try. It is in their nature, and most are being themselves rather than forced hospitality.

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