AirAsia opens an airplane food restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

For many travelers, airplane food is synonymous with blandness. But AirAsia is betting that not only are their in-flight meals so good you’ll book a ticket just to try them – they also think you’ll be happy to eat them when you’re on land as well.

On December 2, the low-cost airline opened Santan, a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur that serves the same fare that’s available on board AirAsia flights.

Santan is the Malay word for coconut milk, which is a staple of many Malaysian dishes.

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Street art: Ipoh visitors will come across murals by Ernest Zacharevic -- the Lithuanian artist often credited with making street art trendy in Malaysian cities -- and local artists like Eric Lai.

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Ipoh, Malaysia: This former tin mining city has seen rapid growth recently, with a crop of hotels, cafes, museums and street art popping up in the historic center.

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Burps & Giggles: "Before, there wasn't one place where people gathered. Now, everyone who comes makes Old Town their first stop," says Julie Song of Burps and Giggles cafe, part of the city's new face.

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Sin Eng Heong: Sin Eng Heong is synonymous with Ipoh's famous kaya puff -- filled with jam made with coconut milk and egg. On weekends you'll see a long line outside the bakery all day.

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White coffee: To make Ipoh's white coffee, coffee beans are roasted with margarine, without sugar, which results in a lighter colored coffee. For a light breakfast, pair it with margarine toast topped with half-boiled eggs.

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The lion maker: Teh Wing Liang, 42, has been making lion heads since he was 15 and says his style is modern. "I paint each one differently from the next. I make it up as I go along," he says.

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Concubine Lane: So nicknamed because the late tin tycoon Yau Tet Shin kept his second wife here, "Concubine Lane" is flanked by a colorful crew of eateries and shops.

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Sinhalese Bar: The Sinhalese Bar, founded in 1931, offers cowboy-style swing doors and bygone charm. Alfred Perera, pictured here, was born and bred in this shophouse and still lives upstairs.

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27 Concubine Lane: 27 Concubine Lane is a homestay in a restored 1908 shophouse owned by a Malaysian-British couple. It retains many original features, with other parts -- windows, floorboards, latticework -- sourced from a salvage yard.

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Traditional eats: To to see how Ipoh's famous heong peng biscuits are baked, visit the house at 362 Jalan Gunung Rapat in the morning.

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Paris Restaurant: In spite of the name, Paris Restaurant specializes in hakka me noodles. They're perfectly springy, flat egg noodles, topped with bean sprouts and minced meat caramelized with soy sauce and fish sauce, usually accompaniment by chili and garlic-ginger sauce.

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Yasmin at Kong Heng: Yasmin at Kong Heng showcases the films of the late Malaysian director Yasmin Ahmad, known for her moving explorations of race.

The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat

Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat: Nestled between limestone hills, Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat is just 15 minutes from the city. Each villa has its own plunge pool with water piped in from the hot springs, and there are four communal garden pods. A short walking trail leads directly to the Lost World of Tambun theme park.

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Nasi ganja: The nickname "nasi ganja" has become inextricably linked to the Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah stall at the Yong Suan kopitiam, founded in the 1950s. Don't get too excited. The food is all legal.

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Tuck Kee: Popular local restaurant Tuck Kee only opens in the evenings. A meal here isn't complete without the boiled octopus doused in garlic oil and soy sauce.

On offer both on land and in the sky are classic Malaysian foods such as nasi lemak, satay skewers and beef rendang. There’s also favorites from around Southeast Asia like Chinese-Malaysian style chicken rice, chicken inasal from the Philippines and Vietnamese pho.

AirAsia’s hub is at the low cost-terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL).

Menu options were chosen to highlight countries that the airline connects, and the ingredients – from coffee and tea to spices and produce – were sourced from throughout the region.

A team of five chefs, and a group of culinary students were responsible for designing the menu.

The list of dishes on the ground at Santan is, unsurprisingly, much longer than the one on most flights because the restaurant doesn’t face the space constraints of an airplane.

“We are very proud to extend what started out as an in-flight menu into new markets and reiterate our support for local and (Southeast Asian) producers, suppliers; apart from creating new job opportunities with affordable franchising,” Catherine Goh, the restaurant’s general manager, said in a news release.

AirAsia is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, but the company is setting its sights beyond Malaysia’s borders. A representative for the airline tells CNN Travel that they hope to expand the Santan restaurant concept to other countries, including China and the United States.

Meanwhile, diners in Kuala Lumpur have the option of checking out the restaurant in person or ordering delivery online.

Santan, Lumpur Street, Mid Valley City, 58000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 4M8G+58