Wednesday 3 December 2008

Makan

20/01/11

Rice combo with chicken sambal and tofu/veg fry- £5.00

03/08/09
Erm, sort of heavy (light would be lying) snack before a steak dinner with Cheese and Biscuits.
From left, banana cake, pulled tea (except that it wasn't) of teh tarik, sweetcorn fritter and curry puff. South East Asian cakes are baked using margarine instead of butter, it might sound yucky but it bodes well with their methods and ingredients. The above came to £3.90 and they were all yummy.

13/05/09
I love this place to bits, the service is always courteous and smiling. The diners here are like the United Nations under one roof.

Combo noodle dish with sambal chicken and random green veg- £5.00

Unlike the expensive version here, these wonderful chicken curry puffs are £1.20 for two.

To include a can of Coke, this vague and obscure bill should show £7.

02/03/09
Teh Tarik- £1.30
Pulled tea with condensed milk (one of the more positive things that lingered on from the colonial days; the milk that is)

Mee Goreng with Aubergine and Fish Curry- £5.00

Coconut cake- £1.50

Dirt Cheap Rice and Noodle Haven.
This place makes a total mockery of all the dodgy (and very false) Thai joints in London, and it ain't even Thai, thank goodness!


Scroll down for more pics.

I enjoy coming here as the food is consistently above average and does indeed retain a fair degree of authenticity with the cooking. It’s after all Malay cuisine cooked by decent and friendly Malays from the East Coast of Peninsula Malaysia. As it’s also based on Portobello Road, one can pop over to Café Garcia down the road for some pudding thereafter and finally rid the luncheon excesses by walking along the said road to Notting Hill Gate.

Although not as cheap as the subsidised grub offered at the Malaysia Hall Canteen, the food here is generally better.

Nasi Lemak

Beehoon Goreng

Classics like Nasi Lemak, Laksa, Roti Canai and an array of noodle dishes are offered at respectable prices. In fact a complete meal here with an all too sensible drink will set you back a tad above six quid.

Noodle Combination with Chicken Padang, Tomato Prawns and Greens

Beware of peak lunch times as you might find yourself waiting forever for the cook-to-order-dishes; if that’s the case go for the noodle or rice combo dishes which are dished out immediately and warmed in a microwave oven.

This café is like an advert for the United Colours of Portobello Road; peeps of all sorts of races are seen to enjoy the food here. Just goes to prove that Malaysian cuisine is wholeheartedly universal and not in the least selective on the type of diners it’s aimed at.

My previous review.


270 Portobello Road
London W10 5TY
Additional Pics-

19/12/08

Curry Puffs

Curry Laksa

05/01/09

Noodle Combination with Tomato Prawns and Greens

Begedil- Spiced meat and potato cutlet

Teh Tarik

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just on the general theme of Malay/Thai places, when you're anywhere near Leytonstone then do try out the Singburi Thai caff on Leytonstone High Road (E11 4PA).

I thoroughly recommend it. It's been there a while, and the locals love it. Be good to have your review of it.

bellaphon said...

Hey Anon- Thanks for dropping by and the tip. As long as most places are within the M25, I'll seek them out. Watch this blog for Singburi.

Gastro1 said...

No mention of Beef Rendang !

Do they make a decent one here ?

bellaphon said...

Gastro1- They do indeed but not a patch on Bonda.

Emily said...

OK, I have to try Makan. Is it only open for lunch?

bellaphon said...

Emily- Lunch; more so than dinner.