Entertainments | Restaurant Reviews | Raffles
To travel half way across the world to sample the delights of Eastern food may be a little extravagant.
But there's no need to splash out thousands on flights, when there's a tiny piece of Malaysia on your doorstep.
Kenilworth' Raffles restaurant in Warwick Road is a dining experience not to be missed.
Never having tasted Malaysian food before, my partner and I were as cautious as you would expect any novice to be. But it turned out it was a first for many of our fellow diners that evening.
We needn't have worried, as the staff were helpful and explained the system. There are three menus to chose from and you can mix and match between them to create a unique combination of traditional Malay, Chinese and Indian dishes, paying £23.50 for four courses with coffee and chocolates, £21.50 for three courses and £18.50 for two courses.
Of course, it wouldn't be polite to visit Raffles and not experience a Singapore Sling ... so the spicy gin-based cocktail was our initiation into the wonders of eating out Malaysian style.
For my first course, I chose the Murtabak, layered bread with mince beef, and my partner went for the Malay fried fish with a sweet chilli pickle, which both served as tasty appetisers and made us eager to carry on.
To follow we were both tempted by the Mysore Aadu, a hot (in fact, a little too hot for beginners) slow-cooked-lamb dish served with coleslaw and roti chanai bread.
In between courses we had enough time to take in the atmosphere of the restaurant. Raffles is a reasonably-sized restaurant with cool decor, table candles, plants and mirrored back walls to give the illusion of space.
After the hot spice of the second course, I played it safe and opted for the Malay Satay Ayam, which was skewered chicken served with peanut sauce, which was delicious.
My partner chose the Rendang Daging - beef medallions flavoured with lemon grass, mild chilli and coconut milk and served with rice and cabbage. He assured me he was more than happy with his choice, and we agreed we would visit Raffles again.
But not before desserts chosen from the menu, which consisted mainly of ice cream and fruit based sweets. The vanilla ice cream with pineapple was a fine way to end an enjoyable evening of fine dining in a gem of a restaurant.
There's a full vegetarian menu, and something for those who like a spicy challenge and for those who prefer to play it safe and mild.
I certainly will be returning, and I thoroughly recommend that everyone should try it. Those who do will undoubtedly not make their first visit their last.
Calista Duffield Rating 4/5
