The queue is full of Malaysians. Rasa Sayang. 30.5.25

 

The queue is full of Malaysians. Rasa Sayang. 30.5.25.

 

Rasa Sayang Restaurant

5 Macclesfield Street, London W1D 6AY

Check the website for opening hours.

 

A group of people standing outside a restaurant AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

There is a widely held belief that if you want to judge whether the food a restaurant serves up is authentic, you need to check whether it is full of that nationality in particular. If there is a long queue waiting for a table and its full of nationals from that country, I can confirm that the conventional wisdom is indeed true. At least if you’re dining at the Rasa Sayang restaurant in Macclesfield Street, in London Chinatown. It describes itself as a restaurant serving up Singaporean and Malaysian cuisine. Having eaten there with a companion, I can vouch for the authenticity of the claim but with a single positive caveat – the portions are true British size portions. A genuine case of getting the best of both worlds.

 

A bowl of soup and a flatbread on a plate AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

 

One unexpected pleasure of deciding to become a food blogger is that I have felt compelled to try out a couple of new restaurants every month. Having chosen to narrow down the scope of my new endeavour to London Chinatown and nearby areas, I admit it can feel a bit of a challenge. Most of the food on offer is either South-Asian or East Asian in origin. It’s all lovely stuff but it is tricky to come with fresh descriptions for each review. If I had to pick a single adjective to describe the Rasa Sayang, it would be ‘authentic’ - with knobs on.

 

Bowls of food on a table AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

 

My dining companion ordered the Roti with Chicken Curry. I ordered the Koh Loh Mein with Hainanese Chicken. We shared a plate of Choy Sum with garlic. I also downed a Schweppes Lemonade. Roti provoked squeals of pleasure. Hot fresh and crispy, it struck all right notes. The chicken curry was rich tasty and came with a generous portion of chicken. As a Malay chicken curry, I seriously doubt if my mother could produce a better version. The Koh Lo mee was also bang on. Ditto the Hainanese chicken rice. A Georgetown hawker would not better this interpretation. As I mentioned earlier, the flavours were authentic but the portions twice what you could realistically expect in either Singapore or Malaysia.

 

A plate of vegetables on a wood table AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

 

We were seated at a counter and the diners next to us had ordered a mouthwatering looking plate of Beef Rendang. Next visit, next visit, I muttered as though it was a mantra.

 

Service was brisk and polite. Two waiters came to take our order. Food arrived swiftly, was hot and freshly made. It was only when I descended into the basement for a comfort stop that I discovered that there was another larger level to the restaurant and it too was packed out. The Rasa Sayang is a halal establishment so you’ll need to forgo the pork on this occasion, but it will be worth it. Total bill was £48.77 and worth every penny. Go soon.

 

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