LUNCH AT MAMAK DANG FUSION MALAYSIAN CUISINE - Northeast

This little hole-in-the-wall restaurant on 12th Street off McKnight in the N.E. is a hidden jewel in the McCall Industrial Park. I use to work in this area until my company moved. During this time, I have seen this restaurant change from a hamburger/sandwich joint, to a Vietnamese restaurant, then a Malaysian restaurant (Tropical Delight) and finally to Mamak Dang. I'm not sure if there was another restaurant in-between Tropical and Mamak since my company had already moved by then. My first taste of Malaysian food was at Tropical Delight.

I was in the mood for Malaysian curry and deep fried tofu. I first went to Banana Leaf but they were closed today (as per their hand-written sign - they are usually open on Sundays). So, I looked up Mamak Dang to see if they were open. I was very surprise that they were since most businesses in the industrial area are usually closed on Sundays. I went around during noon and was surprise to see the restaurant was half full. I ordered take-away since I had a lot of stuff to do at home. First thing to notice regarding food is that the menu is not the same as its competition on 32nd ave. They don't have Taiwanese items, but some Thai, and no deep fried tofu which was okay since there were other stuff to try. There was only one server today, and he seemed very efficient. I didn't have to wait long for him to come back to grab my order.

Roti with Curry Sauce $5.75

You get two pieces of roti per order. The roti was a good size, and it was flaky and delicious. It was even more delicious dipping it in their curry sauce. At first, I thought I can handle their curry sauce but it kept getting spicier after each bite. I'm a wimp when it comes to spicy. I had to drink my soya milk with grass jelly and water constantly but the taste was worth a burned mouth. The curry was very flavourful, and they give you the perfect amount for the roti.

Nasi Beef and Chicken Combo $13.75

Nasi lemak is Malaysian coconut milk rice served with sambal, fried crispy anchovies, toasted peanuts,and cucumber. I chose the combo because I wanted to try their curry chicken and rendang beef. The amount of food they give you was enough for two people for lunch. I didn't really taste the coconut in the rice but the rice was nice and moist and not dried out. The anchovies was mixed with onions and they were crispy. The cucumber and carrot refreshes the palate after the spice of the meats. The peanuts and wonton chips give the dish a nice crunch and added more texture. Now, for the meats, the curry chicken was the same curry that I got for the roti. The chicken was tender and moist. The beef was also tender, and I could cut the pieces with my plastic fork. Both the sauces were unique and flavourful. This dish also includes a hard boiled egg which I use to dip the leftover sauce in. The dish was spicy, and I ended up drinking a lot of water but again it was all worth it.

Soya Milk with Grass Jelly $3.75

Soya milk with grass jelly enough said. Two flavours that doesn't seem to go together but it works. I usually don't like chewy stuff in my drinks - hence no bubbles in the bubble tea - but I like this drink. I can make this at home but I like to think of this drink as a treat so I don't get tired of it. This drink did help my mouth combat the spicy dishes.

This is a good place to go if you are working in the industrial park or a place to drop by after work or on the weekends. They are open late (9 pm) and on weekends, however they don't open Mondays. They do have a lunch special but I forget what you get. The service is fast, and the prices are reasonable. The next time I'm here I will order laksa soup, and I think you get to pick the level of spice.

Mamak Dang Fusion Malaysian Cuisine
4604 12 Street NE Unit A
403-261-1811