Laksamania

Left the restaurant laksa manic! 

It’s the festive season; the weather is getting colder, the sun sets earlier and the things that need to be done are piling up. International people who don’t have family members to cozy up the season with will often get homesick, just like I did.

My hometown, Penang Island, is the complete opposite of London; it’s always summer, there are many late-night activities to do, and tons of local food choices make my hometown special.

One of my favorites is laksa, a noodle dish cooked with fish broth complemented by red onions, pineapples, mint leaves, and other vegetables that give it a sweet-sour kick.

I found a restaurant that serves laksa of different kinds, which relieved my homesickness. Let me introduce you to Laksamania! 

Inside, the restaurant gives off a modern bar atmosphere, completely different setting that you would usually find when buying laksa in Penang. I quite like it because it feels like you are enjoying a hearty meal at night with friends.

The staff will seat you and pass you a menu where you will find variations of laksa from the different Malaysian states. They also serve other Malaysian dishes such as Char Koay Teow (fried flat noodles), Chicken Satay, Nasi Goreng (fried rice) and many more delicacies.

Of course, I had to order what the restaurant is known for—laksa—and ordered the Assam Laksa, which originates from Penang. 

When my order arrived, I was surprised at its size because back home, the portions are smaller (but so are the prices, but we won’t talk about that!).

From the looks of it, the dish in front of me did not look different from the ones back home and with excitement, I tucked in. The taste was homecoming—the broth was rich with the fish flavour stewed to perfection, it had the nice sour tang and it hit all the right places that brought comfort to me.

With every mouthful, I was reminded of the times I had this at home and felt nostalgia. However, the noodles could be more bouncier and chewy, and the broth could do with less fish because it was really thick when the soup should have been more liquid.

Usually, there would be a spoonful of sweet prawn paste to mix in the dish, but they could’ve possibly done that in the kitchen already. I also wished there was a plate of crispy spring rolls to pair with the laksa, which is a great addition to complete the meal.

But I was satisfied with this since it was a big bowl, and I was really full at the end. 

P.S. If you still have room for matcha, just cross the street to Omotesando Koffee for a cup! 

Location:

92 Newman St, London W1T 3DT

Written by Althea Scully