If you listen to much of my moaning (not wise), you know that my eating choices have been sadly constrained by circumstance. That is entirely my fault though and was easily foreseeable. It just leads to more of a challenge and I am never one to back down from that. So in my hunt for Asian food in my local area, imagine my surprise (and happiness) to find out that there was a Malaysian place nearby. These seem to be few and far between in the UK.
So in this stereotypically laid back and no frills place, I sat down to eat. They got that atmosphere down pat. Loud tacky music playing in the background, cutlery and napkins appearing in a tin box, tightly packed tables and seats. I had hope that the food would be similarly authentic.
Satay Ayam, grilled chicken skewers, marinated with turmeric, lemongrass and mix spices, and served with peanut sauce. You could say that chicken satay is not hard to do. I would say that most places nonetheless seem to mess it up. Much in the way that you could say that many things in this world are not hard to do, keep the trains running, fill in the pot holes in the road, keep citizens fit and healthy.
In the chicken sense, I have had sadly overcooked (hard for chicken), dry as if it was left out in the sun too long, undercooked (more towards the chicken sashimi (yes I’ve had that in Tokyo) end of the spectrum) or just just plain unappetizing chicken before. This was decently juicy, nutty sauce and complimented by clean flavoured cucumbers. Not earth shattering but satisfying.
Nasi Kerabu, blue pea flower rice, percik dishes, soft duck egg, fish & coconut serunding, duck egg, shredded veg with chili dressing, prawn crackers and chicken leg. A generous portion, according to my Malaysian diner, it was fairly authentic. It was rather mild and although the rice was somethin I hadn’t had before, the serunding also something novel for me, it just didn’t really hit the spot for me though as I preferred a stronger taste. Although that is probably due to my food below.
Nasi Lemak, coconut and pandan rice served with sambal, crunchy peanuts & crispy anchovies, boiled egg and cucumber slices with beef rendang. Ok even if it could have done with deeper taste. It just seemed somewhat under spiced. Yet the beef did have heavy flavour, the rice had that umami taste and sambal with a hint of fire. So it was serviceable even if it could have been better.
It wasn’t a place to set the world of fire (even if things are getting warmer due to global warming) but if you live around the area, definitely somewhere to return. The best thing is, it isn’t going to break the bank either. Which is something that you have to be wary of in this day and age.
Â
A quiet eating 8/10.
Â
1 course was about GBP13 excluding drinks and service.
Â
Malaysian Deli
338 Brockley Rd,
London SE4 2BT
