Culture,
July 26 2022
Malaysia is sending its star athletes to the UK for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Expectations are high for the country’s top badminton players, diving duos and swimmers to win a crop of medals this summer. So, get into the winning mood with a flavour of Malaysia right here in London and visit these popular Malaysian spots.
The singer Adele declared Kai Mayfair her favourite restaurant. If that’s not enough to tempt you to this exquisite fine-dining Asian restaurant, perhaps the awards and the delicious menu will win you over. Owned by restaurateur Bernard Yeoh, an ex-Olympian who represented Malaysia in 2004 in trap shooting, and Malaysian head chef Alex Chow at the helm, this is a restaurant with an impressive – and athletic – reputation.
Kai Mayfair is the first Malaysian-owned restaurant to receive a coveted Michelin star. It also set a Guinness World Record in 2005 for serving the most expensive soup in the world (£108). Today, they serve Liberated Nanyang Cooking at more reasonable prices. Try lip tingling seabass in warming hot pots or the fragrant wasabi chai.
Fancy something lighter? Catch up with friends over delicate nibbles at a Chinese Whispers Afternoon Tea.
Kai Mayfair is at 65 South Audley Street (W1K 2QU).
Head to London’s largest Asian food hall in North London for taste sensations galore! Bang Bang Oriental Foodhall is 32,000 square feet of culinary adventures. Go with an empty stomach and pick from 30 kiosks that transport you China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, India, Taiwan and, of course, Malaysia. It has the widest range of specialist Asian restaurants in the UK and everything looks delicious.
Head to the Coconut Tree vendors who cook up a host of classic Kuala Lumpur dishes. Try delicious curry laksa, tuck into a filling Malaysian pad thai, or choose a vegetarian char kway teow made with meatless chicken. It’s a challenge to think of better place to celebrate Malaysia at the 2022 Commonwealth Games than lunch at the Bang Bang Oriental Foodhall this summer.
Visit Bang Bang Oriental Foodhall in Colindale (NW9 0FH). The nearest underground station is Colindale (Northern Line).
Visit Bang Bang Oriental Foodhall
Fancy a game of badminton? On the surface, this may look like a gentle sport, but watching the Malaysian team whip the shuttlecock back and forth at the Commonwealth Games will soon correct that. Malaysia’s Tan Boon Heong hit a world record-breaking 306.3 mph smash during a speed-trial match in 2013!
A more sedate pace is, of course, perfectly acceptable at the Queen Mother Sports Hall in Victoria. There are 5 badminton courts here, and there’s no need to be a member, you can simply pay and play. Book your court up to 7 days ahead, hire racquets, and buy shuttlecocks at reception. Whether you’re all about speed or just hope the shuttlecock touches the racquet occasionally, it’s a great indoor sport if the weather isn’t playing ball.
Play badminton at the Queen Mother Sports Hall, Pimlico (SW1V 1EL). The nearest underground station is Victoria Station.
In the heart of Chinatown down a narrow alleyway is an unlikely star of London’s Malaysian food scene. For C&R Cafe Restaurant, be prepared to queue because many Malaysian expats in London looking for a taste of home can’t resist its delicious smells and tastes.
Owner Rosa Chung relocated from Johor to London in the 80s but couldn’t find authentic Malaysian cuisine anywhere. So, she set up C&R Cafe in 1998 to serve her favourite family recipes. The result is a fast-serving, no booking, no-nonsense delight of cheap, spicy and nostalgic Malay food.
Try C&R Cafe Restaurant in Chinatown, Soho (W1D 6DY). The nearest underground is Leicester Square.
