Rasa Sayang – My New Favourite Malay Joint

I think I have found my favourite Malay eatery now. Since we have been back, I think I have eaten at Rasa Sayang on at least 5 occasions. All with different groups of friends, who all have loved the place. I’m sure, I am due a free meal there now.

Even when it opened last year, Rasa Sayang was serving good food. Good Malay/Singaporean food. Which in this part of London was badly needed, as most China Town eateries only serve swill to the masses. But as Chinese food has been relegated to cheap take aways, not many people will pay a premium for good Chinese cooking. It has now become a cuisine that is cooked so badly it is a wonder that people still eat it. But that rant is for another blog.

Back to the Rasa Sayang. It reminds me of many a coffee shop in Malaysia or a simple eatery in a housing estate in Singapore. One to which our favourite and best food guide is more than happy to show us every good place to eat in his country.

There are the obligatory pictures on the wall to get you into the mood of being in that part of the world. Table and chairs are also fitting of being in Asia. They are plain and basic and do the job.

The menu is split into different sectors, having been in Colombia for what seemed like an eternity. I only ever look at the hot section. I come here for one thing and one thing only. Heat and spice in my food. It must be withdrawal symptoms or something. I want spice. I want heat. I get it here.

I even took Linas' Aunt and Uncle and cousins there recently. Apart form Alonso, everyone else had noodles. I am not a big fan of fried noodle dishes. It screams blandness to me and I get no enjoyment from eating them. But they all loved them. 

So far I’ve eaten the Nasi Lemak, Laksa, Satays (the peanut dipping sauce is to die for), Roti Canai, Ayam (Chicken) Curry and the Beef Randang. They have all been fantastic. Lot’s of spice to perk my lips and tongue up.

In the battle between the Nasi Lemaks of this small part of London. Over all, the one at the Rasa Sayang wins over the one at the C & R Café, but the chicken curry is slightly better at the latter. But everything else is better at the former. They still over boil the eggs, but less than anywhere else. They are getting there.

The service is good, people are friendly and they serve Tiger beer. What more could you ask from in life.

I think I am going back to the Rasa Sayang now to have their Fish Curry. See you there.  

It's Curry Time .....

I think this could be an English thing, but every so often if I do not have some form of Indian food, I turn into one miserable git. I crave the delectable tastes, spices and fragrance of a good curry, as some other people I know.

We tried a couple of places in Japan for their version of a curry, which were ok, nothing to write home about. They consisted of half a plate of rice with the other half with the curry sauce on and then wot ever meat on top, normally breaded chicken or pork. As I said they were ok, nice lunch time train station snack. 

So these prangs of need washed over me within a week of coming to Hong Kong, so we made the slow boat trip across Victoria harbour to Kowloon. The walk from the Star Ferry port to our curry lunch took us past the Peninsula Hotel, the grand old lady of Hong Kong hotels. Turn left up Nathan road, and all the glitz and glam that it offers first time visitors. Then before our eyes lays the Chungking Mansions. This monstrosity is 17 floors high with 5 blocks. They reckon over 4000 people live there with a melting pot of 120 languages spoke there, and at least a million people pass through its doors every year. Everyone who works there (legal or not) is just after making money. It’s not as dangerous as it once was. It kinda has a small feeling of respectability about it now.

No matter what the place is like, it has the best Indian and Pakistani restaurants in Hong Kong.

As we were just changing money we decided to stay on the ground floor, after wandering around the labyrinth of shops we saw a few places at the back. So looking at wot was on offer we decided to head for the Punjab Food Restaurant. A small nonsense eatery, filled with local wheeler and dealers of the Chungking Mansion family. Plastic tables and chairs adorned its small front. The waiter was a happy smiley bloke, which kinda drew us to it in the first place.

We had a gander at the menu, which focused on all the usual North Indian favourites. We opted for a mutton biryani, butter chicken, a naan and two mango lassi’s.

The lassi’s were as expected, lovely. Really fruity and refreshing. I mean any Indian joint that cannot make a good lassi, should not be in business.

The food arrived, thankfully as by this time we were starving. My Butter Chicken, was moist & melted in the mouth it was so tender. The sauce was thick and had a fabulous taste. Lina’s Mutton Biryani was pretty damn good. It had a good selection of mixed spices, which made it a delight on the taste buds. Although downside, not enough meat for my liking. The naan was hot and had that tandoor oven taste about it, it was great to soak up the gravy sauce from my chicken.

The bill came to just over a 100 Hong Kong dollars, about £7. Bargain.

Actually just writing this is making me get those curry tinglings again. Luckily there is a Malaysian café just behind this building. So may have to dash out for something soon.

More on that later …….