Java Fusion - (Near Camden, South East)

5 /5 Khairul Arifin: I visited Java Fusion London, and as someone Javanese born and raised, I can honestly say this is the most authentic Indonesian food I’ve ever tasted abroad. I’ve lived in NYC and London for years, and nothing else comes close. The beef rendang was incredibly tender and juicy, the satay had that perfect grilled flavor, and the es cendol tasted just like home. The food came out very quickly, and the service was amazing, super friendly and attentive. The restaurant itself has such cute, warm, homey vibes that made the whole experience even better. Highly recommended for anyone craving real Indonesian comfort food!

5 /5 Gargi Talukder: I usually go to Roti King or Normah’s for my Malaysian food fix, but this restaurant has completely won me over. I can’t believe how local it is. The customer service is excellent, and the food comes out quickly so you’re never waiting long. The restaurant itself is small and cute, so I’d recommend booking ahead; luckily, it was quiet when we went. Parking can be tricky, nearby spaces are mostly residential, but weekends are free, and you could park at the nearby Sainsbury’s and walk. The flavours were absolutely incredible, with a variety of dishes inspired by different regions of Malaysia (as the waitress explained). Portions are large, prices are very affordable, and the quality is outstanding. Honestly, this is easily in my top three Malaysian restaurants in London.

4 /5 H: I found the restaurant very cosy, with a pleasant atmosphere and attentive, helpful staff. For starters, we had the chicken satay, which was absolutely beautiful — I would highly recommend trying this. We also ordered the Cucur Udang which, although slightly lacking in prawn content, still tasted good and came in a decent portion. For the mains, we chose the Beef Salai Lamak. It was wonderfully flavoured with a really nice broth. The only downside was that, despite being marked as spicy on the menu, it had very little heat. Even so, it was still a great dish. We also had the Mee Goreng Mamak. This was probably one of the best Mee Gorengs I’ve had — excellent flavour, though again lacking any real kick. A bit more spice would have elevated it even further. My only other criticism is that the portion was on the smaller side. The star of the evening was the Curry Laksa. Wow. The broth was incredibly smooth, the mix of meats was delicious, and the portion was huge. I definitely recommend this dish. However, like the others, it wasn’t spicy at all. If you prefer a spicy Laksa, it’s worth requesting it specifically. Aside from the spice level, it was absolutely beautiful. For dessert, we had the Sago Gula Melaka — a light, smooth, and pleasantly sweet way to finish the meal. One note: if you enjoy spicy food, you may want to request extra spice, as the dishes marked spicy on the menu weren’t spicy by default. Overall, it was a very pleasant evening. Even though it’s quite far for us, we’ll definitely visit again. One of the better Malaysian restaurants around. Highly recommended. 4.5/5 (minus half a star for the lack of spiciness).