Mr I whisked me away today to somewhere along the backroads of Edgware Road.
After the buzz of a double-apple shisha - always at Slemani - my hand (and the rest of me) was forcibly steered away from our natural course. Along fallen autumn leaves in crescents and streets. Skirting post-boxes and families. Arriving at Satay House.
I won't cheat. I won't deny you that this was not my first visit.
But, oh, I have not been in a while. I have not had the Malaysian curries and the coconut rice and the fun drinks!
And Mr I decided I should have my fun drinks and my coconut rice as I have been working very hard today. So I got a treat. Naturally - food.
Satay House had a different idea. Satay House thought we should come back in an hour with a-really-its-a-Saturday-night sort of air. Which considering their standard of curry is forgiveable. Even, maybe, sitting on little leather footstools for another 15 minutes is forgiveable. Because I knew that we would be satisfied.
As a warning, do not go to Satay House for a quick bite. A fast dinner. A stop-over lunch. No, you must linger over the food as we did. Wait for the food, steal greedy looks at tables nearby. Because this is Satay House and service isn't, what one might call, the fastest.
But then, all of a sudden, your drinks might arrive. Ours did. They had exotic (!) names and were delicious and sweet and not the usual sparkling water that I order. Mr I had rose syrup with milk (oh, yes.) and I had rose syrup with grass jelly (which is for lovers of boba and slurping and little bits of fun in drinks).
And then....
Little morsels of lamb and potato cooked in an eggy delightful batter. Homey and delicious and dipped in a bright red sweet chilli sauce.
And, before we could take a breath...
satay. Chicken satay tender with delicious peanut sauce and served with the most tender (and fun!) little rice cubes which I just dipped and dipped into a peanuty-sweet satay sauce. The chicken was tender and Mr I stole a skewer before I took a photo. But five minutes later everything was gone.
And we were left to contemplate the food at the tables around us. We lapsed into silence not because I didn't have anything to talk about (I did: Dark Souls and holidays and newspaper columns). But because we were in staunch anticipation.
The coconut rice. Which we drenched with ayam percik. Which is the most delicious chicken curry. Tender chicken swimming in an aromatic coconut, rich and creamy without heaviness it is a delight. The sort of delight that I, stealing glances around me, try to scrape every last morsel of sauce from the plate.
Mr I ordered another serving of the begedil. Whilst I indulged in dessert. (I have a feeling Mr I believes that dessert is a waste when there is meat to be had...)
This was warm, black (sort of) glutinous rice in coconut-based broth and sugar. I often find East Asian desserts too sweet. However this was warm and rich and complex. It was not too sweet and the rice was starchy and earthy and the coconut delicious. I felt that I would give up any amount of meat for this rich and delicious dessert.
Conclusion:
The go-to place in London for Malaysian. Rich, delicious curries, well-balanced flavours. And so much fun.
13 Sale Place
W2 1PX
This looks fantastic...
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