Secret Flavor is a Malaysian restaurant in Shanghai that has long been on my to-eat list, and I’m proud to say that it is 100% approved!
Secret Flavor has been around since 2015, and there are currently two locations. The main location is in Printemps mall opposite iapm. The access elevator is to the right of Five Guys. There’s also a “Secret Flavor Nasi Lemak” at Bund 31, the same development as Artyzen Qiantan.
There’s not much to say about the vibe at the Printemps location. The restaurant does have a charming tropical theme, but otherwise it’s a functional dining room. Brownie points for the music — old school Malay rock.
Behind the menu is chef-owner Shah (Sharizan Mohd Rafi Kanan), who hails from my homecity of Kuala Lumpur.
The Food
I’m glad to say that all the signature Malaysian dishes I tried hit the mark, especially the Nasi Lemak, Malaysia’s national dish and the breakfast of champions.
The Nasi Lemak comes with coconut milk rice, sambal, crispy fried anchovies, toasted peanuts, cucumber slices, fried egg, and fried chicken.
The rice is cooked with an ample amount of coconut milk and is extremely fragrant. The sambal, a chili condiment, hits the mark on complexity and spice level — it is addictively spicy, and I’d give it a 7/10 on the heat scale.
Finally, the fried chicken, a generous piece of thigh fried golden brown is juicy and flavorful. It’s a great value meal and tastes just like home. To best enjoy Nasi Lemak, you need to get a little bit of everything in one bite, especially the sambal, which some might argue is what really makes the dish.
For satay, there are options for chicken, beef, and lamb, individually or as platters. The satay marinade is on the sweet side, which is not uncommon in Malaysia. I got the Satay Platter, which came with chicken and beef. The meat is flavorful and tender, and I preferred the chicken, which was juicier.
Another classic Malaysian dish is the Laksa. I don’t think I’ve encountered another dish that has that many variations nor one that is contested and argued about with such ferocity. Some sources say there are more than a dozen versions, and honestly it could be in the high 20s.
Secret Flavor does a Seafood Curry Laksa. The soup is of medium thickness, coconutty, spicy with a light sheen of bright red oil on the surface. It’s extremely flavorful and goes well with the rice noodles, loaded with fish cake, fried puffed tofu, prawns and vegetables. I’d recommend it.
For curries, I have high praise for the Beef Rendang. Marbled beef brisket chunks are simmered with a myriad of spices and aromatics to a tender finish. This one packs some heat and had me sweating. It’s an 8.5/10 for me, caution for those treading with sensitive palates. It’s a dry curry, complex with aromatics and spices, and currently my #1 favorite in Shanghai.
There’s also a Beef Curry, which is much milder, but just as flavorsome with a higher ratio of coconut cream and comes with large pieces of potatoes and carrots. They have a two-curry option, Rendang and Beef Curry.
For dessert, try the Bubur Cha Cha, a medley of starchy ingredients, typically yams, in cold coconut milk. Their version comes with red beans, sweet potato, and yam, served in ice cold coconut milk. It’s more refreshing and lighter than it sounds.
For drinks, they had two kinds of fresh coconut, one from Thailand and the other from Sabah (¥38), the latter has a thick, milkier flesh, which I prefer.
The menu is a tome with dozens of Malaysian dishes from Malay curries to chicken rice to Penang-style fried Kueh Teow. They also do a few Thai dishes too and Singapore Black Pepper Crab.
Secret Flavor is available for delivery on Eleme, but only within a limited radius.
Secret Flavor
Address: 4/F, Printemps mall, 939 Huaihai Zhong Lu淮海中路939号巴黎春天4楼2号
Tel: 54566716
Hours: Daily, 10am-9pm
Address: B1, No. 15, 666 Haiyang Xi Lu 海阳西路666弄15号B1楼
Tel: 20776177
Hours: Daily, 10am-9pm
