Sanur Restaurant, 18 Doyers Street, Chinatown, New York, NY, 212-267-0088/0976 [A Guy In New York | MenuPages | Citysearch]
The food was great. My favorite dish was the greens (Ok-Choy) perhaps but everything was a cut above other Malaysian places I have found in this country...
Mandarin Inn, 3045 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA (across the street from Bombay Curry Company), 703-548-4052, 703-836-2300, usually open. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Chowhound | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Mostly a Chinese place, but they have some Malay specialties as well. Across the street from Bombay Curry Club. Much more of a Mom and Pop than Straits of Malaya. I went once, with mixed results. I had a very good appetizer of chicken wrapped in bean curd, dipped into a sweet sauce. The Beef Rendang had a good sauce, but the beef itself was dry and tasteless. I am intrigued enough to go back, but the final verdict is not yet in.
Straits of Malaya, web site, 1836 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, near T Street, 202-483-1483 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Hill Rag (scroll down) | In Towner | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]
This place closed in 1999, now it has reopened nearby, in the old home of Wazuri. See my remarks under Malaysia Kopitiam.
Pete's Diner, 212 2nd Street SE, Washington, DC, 202-544-7335, near Capitol Hill (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WAMU | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]
They are supposed to have some Malaysian specials.
Penang, web site, 1837 M Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-822-8770 (on the corner of 19th and M Streets NW, just down the block from Malaysia Kopitiam) (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Also 4933 Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda, MD, 301-657-2878, Bethesda branch has better hours. [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Pretty good, but not as good as the sister branch in New York City (Penang: 109 Spring Street, New York, NY, 212-274-8883; Nyonya: web site, 194 Grand Street, New York, NY, 212-334-3669).
It’s still the best Malaysian you’re likely to get this side of Asia, so count your blessings. Some of it is too sweet for me and not spicy enough, but sometimes rigorous instructions can overcome this problem.
Malaysia Kopitiam, web site, 1827 M Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-833-6232 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
You can’t go wrong with Malaysian food, but once you know its peaks, all these places are disappointments. I love Malay and Malaysian food, but not in the U.S. This place is OK, but best for those who don’t know the real thing. “Kopitiam,” by the way, means something akin to “coffeehouse” in Malay. Real Malaysian and Singapore coffeehouses are quite a different breed, get their incredible toasts and snacks.