What the Reviewers Said

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="055d4c03.jpg"> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>"Who could have dreamed up this tangy medley-cucumber, pineapple, carrots, jicama (a crunchy root vegetable)</B><B>-</B><B>dressed in a dark soy sauce that had been sweetened with what seemed like brown sugar?  Surely not a Westerner.  The rojak, a popular Malaysian salad served up by hawkers in street markets, also had the spicy bite of pungent shrimp paste ...."</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id45_m.htm#who_joel_denker_the_intowner" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="What the Reviewers Said"><U><B>Joel Denker, </B></U></A><A HREF="id45_m.htm#who_joel_denker_the_intowner" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="What the Reviewers Said"><U><B><U>The InTowner</U></B></U></A><A HREF="id45_m.htm#who_joel_denker_the_intowner" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="What the Reviewers Said"><U><B> (2004)</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="0d927220.jpg" border=0 width="295" height="34" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">     |     <A HREF="default.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Straits Of Malaya"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <B>What the Reviewers Said</B>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thank You"><U>Thank You</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Building"><U>Building</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Roof Top Dinning"><U>Roof Top Dinning</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sidewalk Seating"><U>Sidewalk Seating</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Dining Room"><U>Our Dining Room</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Team"><U>Our Team</U></A></div> <div> What the Reviewers Said</div> <div>  <A NAME="tom_siesetma_washington_post"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>“The bottom line is, there's a fresh place to eat in Dupont Circle and it is not a giant sandwich maker, an imported steakhouse, another Thai eatery or a bar posing as a restaurant. (Even better, it hasn't been taken over by CVS or Starbucks-yet).  Straits of Malaya signals the return of a good neighbor and the chance to explore Malaysian cooking - with its Chinese and Indian influences - that has few rivals…. "Rojak - a warm salad of carrots, jicama and pineapple in a sauce of ground peanuts and shrimp paste - makes a zesty introduction while curried Chinese eggplant, offered with chicken or tofu, is rich with coconut milk, cumin, fennel and other seasonings.  Tan's mother now lives in Winnipeg, Canada, but she left behind something for diners to enjoy:  her recipe for five spice roll, fashioned from ground beef seasoned with star anise and cinnamon and bundled into crisp bean curd wrappers.  Picture meatloaf by way of Malaysia-pampering  from far away.  In other words, don't miss it,”<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="QuickType" > </FONT><B>Tom Sietsema, </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>Washington Post</U></B><B> </B></FONT><B>(2004)</B></div> <div>  <A NAME="who_joel_denker_the_intowner"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> "Who could have dreamed up this tangy medley-cucumber, pineapple, carrots, jicama (a crunchy root vegetable)-dressed in a dark soy sauce that had been sweetened with what seemed like brown sugar?  Surely not a Westerner.  The rojak, a popular Malaysian salad served up by hawkers in street markets, also had the spicy bite of pungent shrimp paste.  Chopped peanuts, a favorite Southeast Asian garnish, were a sprightly addition to the dish prepared at the recently reopened Straits of Malaya restaurant. The pineapple, most unexpected, lent a bracing tartness to the ensemble.  Pineapple contributed a juicy acidity to a stir fry of delicately cooked scallops my wife, Peggy, and I shared. The flavor of pineapple played off the taste of tender onions and green peppers. The light sauce had the tingle of tamarind, the pod-shaped tropical fruit filled with a sticky sourish pulp.” <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><B>Joel Denker, </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>The InTowner</U></B></FONT><B> (2004)</B></div> <bR> <div> “After a four-year hiatus, Straits of Malaya reopened in its original location in May2004, serving up the comforting dishes from Singapore and Malaysia that made it a neighborhood fixture in the 1990s.  The family style restaurant encourages sharing, and the staff requests that you treat them like family, too.  Snag a seat on the tranquil roof deck in nice weather where the bird's eye view of 18th Street makes for great people-watching, or have a seat in the sparse dining room where a mural of pandas and bamboo adorns the walls….Though you may not be able to pronounce the names of every dish, menu descriptions are helpful and clear, written in a way a friend might explain a dish to you.  Start off with spicy laksa soup or the owner's mother special five spice rolls - a blend of spiced ground beef enveloped in a wrapper and fried.  Entree choices include chicken curry, tamarind chicken or poh pia (a stir fried mix of jicama, sprouts and chicken wrapped in pancakes). Vegetarians will find plenty of options, as many dishes can be prepared without meat.” <B>Amanda McClements, </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>AOL City</U></B><U> </U><B><U>Guide</U></B><B> </B></FONT><B>(2004)</B></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="sarawakian_opens_first_malaysian"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> "<B>Sarawakian opens first Malaysian restaurant in the heart of Washington</B> - Straits of Malaya serves top-notch Southeast Asian cuisine in an attractive setting........Start with Laksa, one of the most delicious soups I have ever had.....The Rojak is great too.  There are so many good entrees....Cha Kway Teow is tops on my list.....The Chicken with basil is a simple dish, but they sure do it right here.  The Poh pia is a fun choice....It's is rare that I've gone to a place, no matter hod good, and have loved every dish on the menu.  Straits of Malaya is one of those places.!"  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Salmy Hashim,</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>Sarawak Tribune, Kuching, Malaysia </U></B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>(1989)</B></FONT></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="sarawakian_does_kl_proud_in_washington"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>"Sarawakian does KL proud in Washington</B> - Sarawakian Lawrence Tan has a lot to rejoice over this last Christmas of the decade.  He has just opened the first malaysian restaurant in the heart of Washington - which he has named Straits of Malaya.  The Straits is more than just a place to savour spicy Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine.  Here guests also get acquainted with Malaysia and its culture from the batik tablecloths, from the wau (kite) hung on the wall and to the oriental bamboo mural, the sign of good life, painted on the white-washed wall of the restaurant....</FONT>His Sarawak laksa is deliciously served with shrimp, chicken, bean sprouts and eggs and flavored with spices imported from home.  A customer, who has visited Malaysia before, describes the dish as "something to get you out of a hangover".  He might have needed that after downing his fifth tall glass of Tiger Beer, the most popular imported beverage among Lawrence's customers."  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="QuickType" ><B><U>Bernama, Borneo Post</U></B></FONT><B> </B><B>(1989)</B></div> <div> <I><B> <A NAME="rated_one_of_the_top_20_ethnic"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></I></div> <div> "<B>Rated one of the top 20 ethnic Restaurants!</B> Straits of Malaya serves top-notch Southeast Asian cuisine in an attractive setting...Start with Laksa, one of the most delicious soups I have ever had...The Rojak is great too.  There are so many good entrees...Cha Kway Teow is tops on my list...The Chicken with Basil is a simple dish, but they sure do it right here.  The Poh Pia is a fun choice...It's rare that I've gone to a place, no matter how good, and loved every dish on the menu.  Straits of Malaya is one of those places!"<B>  </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="QuickType" ><B>Jonathan Stein,</B> </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>Washington, DC, Ethnic Restaurant Guide</U></B></FONT><B> (1998)</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><U> <A NAME="_best_southeast_asian_cuisine__"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U></B></div> <div>  "<B>Best Southeast Asian Cuisine</B> - Straits of Malaya is a quietly attractive showcase for chef-owner Lawrence Tan's short repertoire of Malaysian and Singaporean specialties.  During warmer months, the rooftop has choice seating. The cuisine relies upon the spices of Asian neighbors which are combined to achieve distinctive flavors. Recommendations include curry puffs appetizer, poh pia (Malaysian moo shi), tamarind chicken (chicken with a tropical citrus fruit), and nasi goreng (fried rice).  The fried bananas are a must for dessert. <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>The American Jurist</U></B></FONT><B> (1993)</B></div> <bR> <div> "On a moonlit night, the romance of this Adams Morgan Malaysian's rooftop terrace and the "exotic flavors and textures" of its food can transport you to the Far East." <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>Zagat Restaurant Survey</U></B></FONT><B> (1997)</B></div> <bR> <div> "Lovely dining room decorated with batiks and flowers, but the draw is Singaporean Malayan foods, a conglomeration of crunch and sizzle, fragrance and fruity tang, hot and sweet spices....Rojak (cucumber-pineapple-jica salad); five-spice roll; curry puffs; noodle dishes." <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>Travel Holiday</U></B></FONT><B> (1995)</B></div> <bR> <div> "The Straits of Malaya is a winner...This restaurant serves the most exotically delicious Asian food we've sampled recently....Its popularity is understandable and well deserved." <B>Celeste McCall, </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>The Washington Times</U></B><B> </B></FONT><B>(1990)</B></div> <bR> <div> "Savvy Washingtonians looking for an Asian culinary thrill now can explore the earthy wonders of Malayan food. A lush, tropical cuisine smoothed by coconut milk and accented by chilies, lemon grass and garlic, Malayan cooking bears strong hints of its Indonesian, Chinese and Indian influences. As patrons of the Straits of Malay (Washington's only, maybe its first, Malayan restaurant) will discover, Malayan food has a certian richness and subtlety that make other Asian foods seem pallid." <B>Alexandra Greeley, </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>The Journal</U></B><B> </B></FONT><B>(1990)</B></div> <bR> <div> "MOST OF THE DISHES ON CHEF LAWRENCE TAN'S short menu show the strong culinary influences of China, Thailand, and Indonesia on the cooking of Singapore and Malaysia. Yet, amid the familiarity of broad rice noodles, chicken or beef stir-fried with basil, and a coconut-milk soup called laksa, one finds ingredients from the major Asian cuisines assembled to creat a Malaysian original. The stellar example is Kuching Shrimp, a sweet-and-fiery dish with a complex sauce of tamarind juice, chilies, and a spare addition of black bean spice." <B>Robert shoffner,</B><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>Washingtonian 100 Best Bargain Restaurants</U></B></FONT><B> (1995)</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"</B>Award for Quality<B>" </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>National Academy of Restaurant Evaluation</U></B><B> </B></FONT><B>(1997)</B></div> <bR> <div> "Some say Singapore has the best food in the world, and Straits of Malaya encourages me to believe that. Its cooking hints of China and India, with the tropical fragrances of coconut and ginger, galanga and lemon grass, chilies and tamarind, plus strong overtones of cilantro.  Dine on these highly perfumed family-style dishes on Straits of Malaya's roof terrace, and you will feel closer to Singapore than Washington. Straits of Malaya's menu can be daunting even though the entrees are almost all based on chicken or shrimp. But you can count on the staff's helpfulness and the kitchen's flexibility. You can order many of the dishes in vegetarian versions, with or without tofu, and seasoned highly or gently. And the staff will guide you to the best dishes. Among entrees, don't miss poh pia. It is served with pancakes a la mu shu pork, but the similarities pretty much end there. its vegetables--including jicama--are crunchier, and the spicing--incorporating dried shrimp--is more exotic, while the dark sauce for slathering on the pancakes is far more pungent than hoisin. The noodle dishes--cha kway teow, bee hoon and Singapore rice noodles--are a pleasant balance to the hotter, creamy, coconut based curries such as the pink-sauced shrimp or the more familiar yellow chicken curry. A consistent favorite is small Chinese eggplants curried with chunks of carrots and chicken. And the nasi goreng--Indonesian fried rice--is one of those dishes you can't resist nibbling to the last morsel.  As for the appetizers--well, just order them all."  <B>Phyllis C Richman, </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>Critic's Choice, Washington Post</U></B></FONT><B> (1994)</B></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="a_pioneer_of__fusion_food__straits_of"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> "A pioneer of 'fusion food', Straits of Malaya derives its inspiration fron the cuisine of Singapore, blending perfumed spices of China, Thailand, Ceylon and India. Everything is cooked to order in a wok...." <B>Jean Lawlor Cohen, </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>Where Magazine</U></B></FONT></div> <div> <B><U> <A NAME="navigating_the_straits_young___hungry"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U></B></div> <div> "Between my seat on Straits of Malaya's roof patio and the door leading downstairs sit a couple dozen of the luckiest diners in the District....'Well, this is lovely, honey,' remarks my mother, who's in town to visit some of her chums and embarrass me in front of mine....Around the time my favorite part of the meal arrives, I earn my purple heart. Waiter 5 isn't lying when he announces that poh pia is "always a crowd pleasers." A close cousin of mu shu pork, poh pia is a mound of shredded jicama cooked with leeks, sprouts, dried shrimp, and chicken that's meant to be rolled into pancakes and eaten sans fork." <B>Navigating the Straits, Young & Hungry, </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>Washington City Paper</U></B></FONT><B> (1996)</B></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>