Rasa Sayang
15 Frith Street, Soho
London W1D 4RE
Nearest Tube: Leicester Square
4.3 Yummy stars
Price £ “Nibbles” - £3.90-£7.90; Mains - £7.90-£15.90 (mostly £7.90-£8.90); desserts - £3.90-£4.90 (at time of writing)
☏ 020 7734 1382
Chicken Satay at Rasa Sayang
Buzz Factor 3.5/5 stars
Food 4.5/5 stars
Value for money 4.8/5 stars
Eat-in or Take-away
This little gem of an authentic Malaysian restaurant has been going for years and sits modestly in a side street to the hustle and bustle of the main thoroughfare of China Town. When I first saw the frontage with the menus displayed by the window, I must say that I was initially put off by the garish sight of them. Dare to venture in and you are greeted by these hideous wooden tables and chairs. High up on the wall was a rusty-looking placard, advertising Ovaltine as an energy drink in Malay. Did the décor get lost in translation?
The waiters were friendly and helpful. Service was perfectly acceptable. This is a no-frills eaterie but read on….
We tried a few of the main staple of Malaysian food such as Char Kuay Teow (flat noodles) with seafood. This was one of the best I have had in London in terms of flavour. It had just the right amount of sauce and wow, was it a good sauce. Just wish that they had thrown in more prawns and other seafood. The satay sauce accompanying the chicken satay was rich in peanut flavour with some sweet and sour notes. It was not too spicy at all. Beef Rendang was tender and the sauce was thick with coconut milk, perfect with some steamed rice. Roti canai (pan-fried flatbread) was terrific, dipped in the chicken curry. The chef turned up the heat in their Kang Kung Belacan (Morning Glory/water spinach) stir fried in Belacan – a shrimp paste often used in Malaysian cooking. That and the Char Kuay Teow were probably my favourite dishes of the day.
Desserts such as Sago Gula Melaka (tapioca pudding with palm sugar, coconut and evaporated milk) and Cendol Ice (shaved ice, pandan jelly bean and coconut and evaporated milk) were definitely worth the calories. The Sago might not look particularly enticing, but be brave and dive in. This is a place that has substance over style.
Would I go back? Any time.
