Beef Penang curry on brown rice and a chicken satay stick
Thought i’d try a place I found when strolling about the Old Street area after work. What drew me in initially was the fact that they provide congee (a savoury rice porridge popular all over asian countries).
Upon entering, the smells of all the food on offer was amazing and the interior is something that we’ve all come to expect in East London. Reminds me of Dinearama’s building aesthetics but condensed into a cosy restaurant.
To order hot food, you pick your base which can be brown or white rice and you choose your topping. There are also soup noodles and pad thai’s available also in the self serve display case by the counter.
The satay came with a peanut sauce. The chicken was succulent and well cooked. I’ve had my fair share of dry satay and peanut sauce where it was more oil with a smattering of peanut. This was neither and I would happily eat a pile of them as a meal in itself.
Alas, the need to eat healthy is overwhelming and i reach for the mini box of brown rice and order the beef penang curry to accompany it. Looking at the mini box, you’d think that you wouldn’t be full but rice can be deceiving as you don’t need a lot to fill you up.
The hits of flavours and textures that came in this meal is like a hit in the face. The veg was cooked but still maintained its crunchy texture, the hit of ginger and spice is warming and the beef was well cooked and not gristly as most meats in curry/stews can be if not treated properly. The spices were well balanced, it has a strong hit but it doesn’t make you uncomfortable and reaching for the fire extinguisher.
The overall portion that I had was perfect for me, it filled me up without making me feel sluggish from overeating. Can’t wait to go back next time and go test out the congee. It’s a dish that every asian judges against the congee they have from their mum as a kid. It’s so varied in how it is made and everyone has their own preference on the look and accompaniments.
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