at mandalay, there is a map on the door that details the location of the toilet. this tiny family run restaurant finds itself on the grubbier side of edgware road. i, o and i would definitely recommend a visit and also advise that you order starters to tide over the waiting time – we ordered a mix of dishes and a starter as an after thought that arrived alongside dessert. yes, i agree that that is a rather bizarre manner of eating but hunger coupled with a 45 minute wait doesn’t help. notwithstanding, do not let that put you of visiting this place. it’s really worth the wait!
we ordered a medley of dishes. there was lentil rice which to me was a rather trendy version of kichiri – a pakistani dish made of yellow split lentils and rice but in a soft consistency (often used to soothe upset tummies). mandalay’s version wasn’t creamy. Its rice held its shape and was flecked with lentils. the okra was cooked to perfection maintaining its greenness and garnished with crispy fried onions. a personal favorite, the khauk-swe which is made up of noodles served in a curry flavoured coconut milk with prawns was excellent. the coconut milk adds depth and tempers the edge of chili and the noodles, meat and vegetables in it make it a wholesome meal. the chicken in tamarind was tangy and sweet.
dessert arrived alongside the prawn and vegetable fritters, essentially shredded vegetables and baby prawns dunked in a flour batter, deep fried and served with some mango and chili sauce. the banana fritters came as whole banana’s with a crisp golden coating and my semolina and coconut cream was an interesting combination of little blocks of pale cream semolina nesting in coconut cream with a drizzle of dark caramel syrup.
