Situated in the charming wood and brick interior of Nyonya, sipping coconut water from freshly cut shells and nibbling on Roti Canai, I was transported back to a magical evening feasting at an Italian cafe on a pristine beach outside of Rio. Of course my imagery is grossly incorrect -- we are in Chinatown eating at supossedly the best, if not one of the only, Malaysian restaurants in Manhattan.
Roti Canai, 'the' essential Malaysian appetizer, might arguably be the archetype of a perfect food. Ethereal wisps of bread provide a light crunch before instantly melting together with the piquant dipping sauce filled with chunks of potato, shredded chicken and an essence of peanut. Simultaneously sweet, sour, salty, bitter -unami!
After such a luscious introduction to the meal, the subsequent dishes could only disappoint. Yet, the other two appetizer offered pleasurable moments. The pasembur was a pastiche of land, sea, and fowl. The seemingly disparate elements of jicama, cucumber, jelly fish, fish cake, shrimp pancake, tofu and hard boiled egg were bo
u
nd together by an almost saccharine sauce that was oddly alluring. We all eagerly tore apart the fish cake and tofu -- soaking up the "Chef's Special Sauce'. But no one could discern the jelly fish from the shrimp and the eggs were left untouched. The last appetizer appeared to be an assortment of summer squash and possibly other vegetables marinated in a sauce of turmeric powder, herbs, sesame seeds and peanuts. Pickled Vegetables? - yes please!!!! (In fact, the entire existence of the fat bastards is due to the mutual appreciation of pickled watermelons and beets.)
The execution of the main courses was mercurial. The stellar chicken dish, whose name may or may not be Nyonya Kariayam (i forget), was the unanimous favorite among the carnivores. A deep auburn-colored sauce with subtle hints of coconut, chili and lemon grass imbued both the chicken and bones with an earthy sweetness. We eagerly scooped every last drop of the addictive sauce over coconut rice.
Since all the fat bastards were incapable of identifying whether a stingray was actually a fish, the order of Stingray
wrapped in Lotus Leaf was followed by much speculation and anticipation. The reception of the dish among the pescetarians was mixed. The soft yet stringy specimen was ensconced in a thick brown paste that masked any preexisting taste of stingray. Like many other dishes of the evening, the sauce was savory, sweet and spicy. However, in this version the overwhelming flavor was fermented shrimp paste, an acquired taste that I am slowly growing to appreciate.
The final two entrees were less satisfactory. A casserole of curried mixed vegetables was visually appealing and unobtrusive, but seemed to be lacking the "curry". (It was obvious that Nyonya was spicing our dishes for an American clientelle. At the end of the meal, we stared longingly at the table next to us who apparently knew how to order and had been delivered plates of chilies to add to their food.) The Keuh Teow Thong noodles bordered on awful and the leftovers made me sick.
A shared order of "ABC", a dessert composed of shaved ice, red beans, corn and palm seeds, colored with jelly and rose syrup, provided a lovely conclusion to the meal. Beans and ice? Yes, it is damn tasty....
Nyonya was a wonderful find! However, Fatty Crab still has my vote among the few contenders for best Malaysian in the city. Despite offering smaller portions, higher prices and dubious authenticity, memories of pickled watermelon mixed with fried pork fat and slow braised short rib linger on my tongue....
Much fun was had with the coconuts. All pictures from the night can be found at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/94933506@N00/sets/72157602260837134/
