MALAYA 19th 馬來亞

MALAYA 19th 馬來亞, which opened last December, is a modern Malaysian bistro – modern in that it’s taken a more contemporary approach to traditional Malay dishes. The restaurant’s name refers to British Malaya, and the 19th is a reference to the 19th century, a time when there was the first big migration of Chinese workers to Malaysia.

MALAYA 19th serves up classic Malay dishes like laksa, nasi lemak and rendang, that will likely satisfy most of the Malaysian and Singaporean expat community in Shanghai, especially those that aren’t culinary purists about food from back home. They’ve taken a little creative license on some dishes; their selection of cakes and desserts, for example, are mostly their own original creations, inspired by typically Malaysian flavors and ingredients.

For mains, their classic laksa (59 rmb) is quite good, served with round rice noodles, thinly sliced fish cake, dried tofu strips, fresh prawns, a flavorful soup, topped with a wallop of sambal sauce. Also good was their nasi lemak (60 – 68 rmb), which they serve with spicy sambal, peanuts, egg, crispy anchovies, and a choice of rendang chicken, beef, pork, chicken satay, or curry chicken. 

A dish I wouldn’t necessarily have ordered on my first visit, but was one of my favorites at MALAYA 19th was their curry chicken with a crispy roti prata (58 rmb), which had a satifying contrast of textures and depth of flavors. For dinner they also offer some stir-fries, a memorable one was their sambal chili clams (58 rmb), a dish best paired with an ice cold Asahi on a hot summer day. The prawn paste fried chicken wings (27 rmb for two wings) is another tasty little snack – be sure to give it a squeeze of calamansi on top.

They also have a very good selection of cakes and desserts for those with a sweet tooth. Recommendations include their coconut chiffon cake (29 rmb / slice), the kueh seri muka – a steamed layer cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk and pandan leaves (9 rmb / slice), the kueh bingka ubi – a baked tapioca cake (9 rmb / slice), or any of their chocolate truffles. They all go well with their Nanyang coffees and teas (16 -22 rmb).

MALAYA’s menu offers so many good dishes that for fans of Malaysian cuisine, it will take a few repeat visits to get to everything that may pique your interest. If you’re in the Plaza 66 area, this is a good place to pop in and out for a quick casual lunch or dinner.

^{* This listing was updated on 3 July 2024 and the information at the time of writing was accurate. Please look them up on 大众点评 for the most up-to-date information.}