Kopitiam - Oxford — Restaurant in Oxford

Came here for dinner and ordered the beef rendang + plain rice. At £15.40 it was quite expensive but this would have been ok if the experience was good.

However, it was dire. The beef rendang tasted very little like any beef rendang I have had in my 7 years residence + 13 years of frequent visits to Singapore and Malaysia. There are Irish beef stews which are more similar to the authentic version a nasi padang stall would sell. The meat was tough- as though it had been cooked quickly on a high heat rather than simmered slowly as it should be- and the gravy didn’t have the taste of spices or lemongrass that it should have. The plain rice, an unbelievably simple dish, was also poor. The grains were dried out and crunchy, like rice that cooks onto the bottom of your rice cooker.

Despite this, I was planning on giving them two stars because the service was good and efficient, but then they dropped the ball by bringing me the bill before I asked for it. I find this incredibly rude: don’t shoo people out 30 minutes after they’ve walked in when they’ve paid upwards of £15.

In their defence, the dishes at other tables looked a lot better than what I had, but there’s absolutely no way I’m coming back to give them...

The service by the girls from Bangladesh was attentive, but the food itself was quite disappointing. As a Malaysian, I came in with lowered expectations, but unfortunately, even those weren’t met. I ordered the chicken satay, which was pan-grilled—understandable—but it had a sour taste that made me question whether tamarind was used in the marinade or if the meat had simply gone bad. Time will tell. The nasi lemak with rendang ayam had some redeeming qualities: the sambal was spicy and flavorful, but the portion of anchovies was sparse. The lightly fried boiled egg wasn’t to my taste; a regular hard-boiled egg would have been much better. The rice was just okay, but I would have preferred a fried chicken leg in aromatic spices instead of the lackluster rendang. The iced teh tarik, reminiscent of teh ais in Malaysia, was overly milky and lacked the robust tea flavor I’m used to back home.

I’d describe this place as a Malaysian-inspired restaurant rather than an authentic Malaysian experience. However, I didn’t try their Malaysian Chinese dishes, which might be their strength. Overall, it wasn’t for me, and I won’t...

What an experience !? It started with chicken dumplings. It was tasty and lovely. That's all I enjoyed. I tried the fried noodles. I didn't know what the principle of this dish was. Crunchy at the outside, and creamy when mixed with the sauce. Sounds great ? Yes, but with frozen vegetables and an awful sauce, it's not the same ! The texture was here, but not the taste ! I just didn't see the chef's personality there. It was made with no passion and no taste ! My friend took the curry with rice. What a disappointment. The rice was tasteless, and the curry without any flavor. The service was correct. It's just the cuisine that didn't meet my expectations. Please transfer some love...