Reviewed
08/04

Makan La has a couple of identity problems. It's managed by the Nosebag, but has branched off into a whole new thing occupying the downstairs part of 6-8 St. Michael's. Furthermore, one side of its two page menu is devoted to Malaysian food, while the other is dedicated to European fare. Despite its psychological issues, Makan La is a decent place for a relatively cheap meal, and an acceptable compromise if you and your dining partner can't agree on a cuisine.

Small and casual, the restaurant offers table service, but you generally seat yourself upon arrival. Someone will eventually come and get your order, although on my last visit there was only one waitress working and so we had to wait about ten minutes.

The mini vegetarian spring rolls are a good place to start, but eat them quickly - they're a bit tough when cool. You get 8 for £3, so they're good for sharing. The tofu satay for £3.50 is also a nice vegetarian appetizer. The six skewers of tofu squares with red and green peppers are presented very aesthetically, and livened up with peanut sauce.

I recently tried the Chicken Masak Sambal for £4.70. It came with a generous serving of white rice, chunks of tomato, and far too many slices of fresh onion. I avoided the onions and slogged through the unnecessarily sweet, orange-coloured tomato sauce to get to some tasty pieces of chicken.

While the meal was certainly edible, I felt envious of my friend, whose choice looked wiser. She gave her approval to the £5 Char Keay Tew, a complicated mixture of wok-fried flat egg noodles, chicken, squid, peppers and even more onions. Her only complaint was that it could really use more spice, a comment I would apply to all of the food I've had at Makan La (but perhaps a feature of Malaysian cuisine?).

I was more favourably impressed by Makan La's English breakfasts, which you can get for £4.75 until 3pm daily. If you only want three options from the spread of bacon, egg, mushroom, tomato, sausage and toast, you can go for the small English breakfast for £3.95. I enjoyed mine - the bacon was a good kind of chewy, the tomatoes weren't overcooked, and the toast was fresh. With coffee or tea, it's a pleasant way to nurse a hangover or just enjoy a morning. Other items from the European side are traditional sandwiches and salads, although how a Thai Chicken Salad legitimized its place on the European side is beyond me.

You have to be somewhat aggressive in order to get attention from the wait staff, but the plus side of this is that they're happy to let you sit and chat after your meal without bothering you. Since they're open until 10pm Monday to Saturday, and 9pm on Sunday, this is actually quite a bonus.

In the end, you don't end up spending much, you may have tried something new, and the food is satisfactory if not dazzling.

Lindsay Oishi, 09.08.04