Abang Toto's Malaysian Deli — Restaurant in Cologne

This restaurant had been on our list for a long time, mainly due to the great reviews and the rarity of Malaysian cuisine in the area. Unfortunately, our experience didn’t quite live up to expectations, and we left feeling somewhat disappointed.

We visited in May, and my boyfriend was especially looking forward to having Laksa. However, we were told it wasn’t available at the time and might return to the menu in winter. That was a bit of a letdown.

Having visited Malaysia a few years ago, we came in with a sense of what to expect—bold, rich spices and vibrant flavors. The satay chicken was one of the better dishes: juicy and tender. The peanut sauce, however, was too sweet for my taste. I personally didn’t enjoy the Nasi Lemak—the rice was broken and too soft, and the sambal sauce was more salty than spicy, lacking the depth we were hoping for. The pineapple salad also fell flat, tasting mostly sour and quite plain. The beef rendang, typically known for its intense and complex spice profile, leaned heavily toward sweetness, which overwhelmed the other flavors. For the €20 price point, we expected more. My boyfriend had the fried mee noodles, which were decent—definitely better than my dish—but again, the flavor was mostly just soy sauce without much else going on.

That said, food is subjective. While it wasn’t to our taste, we noticed other guests enjoying their meals, and the service was polite and welcoming. If you’re curious about Malaysian cuisine, it might still be worth a visit—you might find something you enjoy more...

Being a Malaysian, abang toto is definitely one of the places in Germany that reminds me of my roots and proud of our Malaysian cuisines . I came to the restaurant today with one other friend and we had an amazing time here. Being served with one of the closest to authentic Malaysian food is just one of the blessings the restaurant could offer. We order two tea tariks, a classic Mee goreng, and the new addition to their menu, nasi lemak with fried chicken. And it was just simply delicious. We also had a wonderful time chatting with the owner of the restaurant, and their fellow staffs including a Malaysian Abang. They are so friendly and welcoming. They even provide us with some snacks while waiting for our food to be served and desserts after our meal which is the traditional malaysian kuih (pastries made from mostly glutinous rice flour) and it’s all on the house. What’s not to love? I highly recommend everyone to come and give it a try as not only are u served with one of the best foods in town, but also get to meet new friends in a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere the restaurant offers. Especially if u are a Malaysian and trying to find good Malaysian food in Germany , this is the only place in NRW where u can expect no disappointment. Lastly, I would really love to shout out to all the staffs that worked hard to provide us with such a wonderful evening, surrounded by good food and people. Keep up the good work and will for sure...

Came here with high expectations and they didn‘t disappoint! We ordered the Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang and it was better than I had imagined. The rice was fragrant and the beef rendang was tender. The rendang spice was so accurate with the savory taste and unique texture of coconut.

In contrary to another review I have read as I was scrolling here, as an Indonesia , I believe comparing Indonesian and Malaysian rendang is a totally pointless thing to do 🤪 Both are different and amazing in their own ways and the Malaysian rendang they serve here was chef‘s kiss 👍

Mee Goreng Mamak was tasty and had that ‚wok hei‘ that they promised. Served with lots of toppings. The Seasoning was on point and although it looked like it was doused in a bottle of soy sauce, let me convince you that it did not taste overwhelmingly sweet. A great mixture of sweetness, tanginess, and savory taste.

I don‘h think I need to write another long paragraph for the Teh Tarik. The picture explained itself. It was creamy and sweet and had that unique Malaysian tea taste. They really took time to curate the ingredients down to their beverage selections 💯

Another bonus point for the cozy and chill atmosphere. Best to come with a reservation because they could also be crowded on a weekday.

Left the restaurant with a happy belly. Would I come again if I‘m in Köln again? Definitely. Need to try their Kuih...