Laksamania
92 Newman St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3EZ
Nearest Tube: Tottenham Court Road
4 Yummy Stars
Price ££ Starters £5.95-£12.95; mains from £7.95-£15.95 (at time of writing)
Melaka Laksa at Laksamania
Buzz Factor 3.8
Food 4.2
Value for Money 4.0
92 Newman Street - that sounds familiar. What was there before? Mmm, it must have been such an exhilarating experience that I can’t remember the restaurant … A small frontage with just a few tables on the ground floor (and no windows) hides a sizeable and tastefully decorated basement, adorned with big pendant lights like upturned white Chinese teacups.
A restaurant called “Laksa” is definitely tempting and when you add “mania” to the name, it raises further expectations. Danny Tan, the Chef, comes with some serious credentials. Having started life as a chef since 17, he worked at Hotel Shangri-La in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and has over 30 years’ experience in the UK.
The menu was extensive, offering an array of Malaysian eats and a few variations of Laksa. Although it describes itself as “Traditional Malaysian cuisine”, I was perturbed by the use of Western ingredients eg mayonnaise (!?!). My Malaysian friend described the menu as 80% Malaysian. The ever so trendy “bao” (Chinese buns) were on offer as well as some other Chinese and Thai dishes.
Our initial angst about the menu dissipated as soon as the food arrived. The Grilled Spicy Baby Squid was perfectly cooked. The dinky bulging white tubes of baby squid, sunkissed by the turmeric, were still tender and well spiced with the chilli. Watch how much of the chilli vinegar dressing you put on. It was pretty spicy. The chicken satay was soft like a baby’s cheek and full of flavour, but a bit too sweet for me. The accompanying sauce was thick and nutty with some heat.
We opted for Melaka Laksa with sambal (shrimp curry paste), which came with fish balls, prawns and bean curd puffs and of course, noodles. The soup (which had apparently been cooked for 8 hours) had real depth. I could have the massive bowl of soup any time, any day. The standout dish for me was the Sambal Okra. The okra was cooked just right, retaining its vibrant green colour, moisture and texture. It was sublime, having absorbed the flavours from the intense sambal sauce.
Without having to ask, our waiter checked to see if our satay had arrived, while we were enjoying the main courses. Nothing beats initiative, particularly as the restaurant was pretty busy with office workers who were mostly there for a quick lunch. Do go particularly while they are offering a 20% discount on lunch.
With the high standard of cooking from a skilled chef who knows exactly how long to cook different foods to maximize their potential and so much about flavouring, I do hope that Laksamania will stick around for a long time.
