American casual dining restaurant Red Lobster has expanded into Southeast Asia.

Red Lobster has opened a 200-seat outlet at The Intermark mall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The restaurant is operated by a joint venture between its parent company Darden Restaurants and Malaysia’s Secret Recipe F&B Group, also signed to develop the US company”s other restaurant brands, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.

Ray Bauer, Darden’s MD for franchise operations in Asia, says the company chose Malaysia as a springboard to Asian expansion because they feel close affinity to the country having invested into partnerships in farming lobsters and aqua farm facilities.

“With Malaysia’s cultural and language diversity we believe that Greater Kuala Lumpur will become the centre for all of our Asian operations,” he added.

The next openings are planned for Quill City Mall in KL and Gamuda Walk Mall in Shah Alam.