MALAYSIA: A popiah priced at over S$870 (RM2,888) has become the latest culinary conversation starter in Kuala Lumpur.
For added “bling,” the popiah is brushed with gold and topped with a spoonful of Ossetra caviar and a 24-karat gold leaf.
Known now as the most expensive popiah in Malaysia due to its ingredients from different countries, many ask if it’s even worth spending so much on a single popiah.
In an Instagram video, KL Foodie introduced the popiah in collaboration between Bibi’s Popiah and Nimbus Restaurant, as the priciest you can find in Malaysia.
View this post on Instagram
The expensive food roll is constructed with five premium ingredients from different countries:
Alaskan king crab, 24-karat edible gold leaf from Italy, cordyceps flower, Ossetra caviar from France, and the in-season Ibaraki Keisui pear.
To make the popiah, Bibi’s Popiah makes the skin fresh every day and spreads with a secret sauce.
For the filling, the Alaskan king crab is lightly steamed for 5 to 6 minutes. Spring onions are torched to give them a smoky, charred flavour.
For crunch, the popiah includes deep-fried cordyceps flowers coated with truffle oil. Then, thinly sliced Ibaraki Keisui pear is added for sweetness and texture, replacing the sweet turnip (Sengkuang).
With so much luxury packed into a single popiah, it’s no surprise that the creation has sparked attention online.
However, instead of excitement for the dish, netizens have commented that the luxurious popiah is a “gimmick,” with one saying:
“Gimmick only, but the ingredients don’t cost half of that. Let alone the fact that not much cooking was done — just boiling the seafood and frying the cordyceps. Just buy your own popiah skin.”
One commenter said, “That’s not popiah anymore; the key ingredients are all gone.” Another pointed out that eating a king crab and a tin of caviar would be “cheaper.”
While the 24-karat gold leaf was seen as a nice touch of “bling,” one commenter questioned, “What’s the point of edible gold when it doesn’t taste of anything?”
Another added, “The edible 24-karat gold leaf is unnecessary. It’s just for ‘fancy’ and to mark up the price.”
Yet another commenter stated, “I would rather use the money to eat multiple meals throughout the month than spend it on this one dish.” /TISG