Malaya 19th is a Malaysian restaurant in Jing’an serving up the greatest hits of my country, namely nasi lemak, satay, and curry laksa.
The restaurant is located on Nanyang Lu—how appropriate—just behind The Portman. It’s a casual space that oozes nostalgic décor; pandan green wooden shutters, tropical prints, and peranakan tiles.
The Food at Malaya 19th
On the menu are iconic Malaysian dishes with an emphasis on rendang, a slow-simmered dry curry traditionally paired with beef.
Their rendang is a lighter version, not as caramelized as I would like, but still flavorful with aromatics, served with beef, chicken, and pork.
As for dessert, they have plenty of cakes, inspired by Malaysian flavors, including fluffy chiffons and kuih, cake-like desserts that are either steamed or baked, sweet, savory or both.
All my life growing up in Malaysia, I have not seen or heard of adding butter to coffee. Can’t say I’m a fan. Malaysian-style black coffee tends to be thick and somewhat syrupy. It’s an acquired taste. That said, I prefer it with condensed milk or mixed with tea.
I can’t say it’s “great like it is back home”, but it’s an agreeable 7/10 for flavor, enjoyment, and a quick fix. Overall, not bad! It’s also relatively inexpensive. The sambal, their shallot-based chili sauce (¥4) is delicious and has a nice spicy kick.
Malaya 19th
Address: 123 Nanyang Lu 南阳路123号
Tel: 17316557852, 52905919
Hours: Daily, 10am-8:30pm
