Like all food psychos, we love finding that one hidden gem, that special place where the food just tastes better, the menu is a little more adventurous, and no one else knows about it yet. Then we arm wrestle at the HQ about whether or not we let the city in on the deets. We’re not an especially tough breed around here, so today’s champ won simply by showing up.
We do love us some crazy-spicy Non-Chinese Asian food, and by all accounts, so do you. The best Malaysian food in the city can be found at Banana Leaf in Chinatown, but our recent discovery of Asia @ Cafe really blew. Our. Minds. Nestled tightly at 8th and Washington Streets, these folks have delivered to us 3 of the tastiest meals we’ve eaten in months.
Pictured is the Spicy Chicken Curry Noodle Soup, which comes in 2 separate containers and has kept us warm for about 2 weeks now. A hearty and searing broth comes in a tall conatiner, with airy, fluffy dough chunks floating in the juice, soaking up all it’s goodness. The curry chicken is on the bone over a bed of noodles in the other container, so you can balance your own version, more broth, or more chicken. On-the-bone is not truly the case, as the tender meat falls away almost instantly when your fork/spoon touches the little morsel in her liquid home. Each bite into the doughy charms releases more of that spicy broth for a unique dining experience you won’t soon forget. Oh yeah, that soup costs $4.95.
Other favorites included the Roti Canai, and Indian/Malaysian ethnic clash in a scallion pancake, served with the house dipping sauce, as well as the Malaysian Belachan Fried Rice, which is your typical rice, but with tomatoes, tofu, shrimp and fried dough. The Chow Xuef is also not to be missed. A mixture of flat rice noodles, bean sprouts, chicken, eggs, and a hella hot chili paste.
Much of the menu also includes classic Chinese fare, but we avoided said dishes, and focused on the Indonesian and Malaysian offerings with great success. The prices are way way low, and the delivery was fairly quick. But for food like this, we would wait a damn long time and like it.
Asia @ Cafe, 8th and Washington Sts. (215) 627-7316
On the Chinese side, the schezuan eggplant is for real. And you speak the truth: Asia @ Cafe is the holy trinity of low cost, tastiness, and absurd portions.
League Street represent! Do try the Mee Siam, too. Not quite as good as Banana Leaf’s, but delicious nevertheless. A little tangier.
colin, great call. tried the roti and loved it however the sauce was a little on the darker side when compared to banana leaf/pennang but enjoyed it. chow xuef – excellent. chicken curry noodle soup — WOW, a circus in my mouth and i want another one. plenty of left overs. delivery in 20 minutes and WELL worth the $25. Great find. thanks for sharing! This will become my local malaysian take out.
Tried it on your suggestion. The soup rocks. The other dishes we tried (which were more on the standard chinese side), were really pretty mediocre.