Street food is a wonderful thing when done well. It’s a way to introduce flavours from around the globe to UK audiences, build a name for yourself and create memorable food experiences outside of the confines of a traditional bricks and mortar restaurant. However, sometimes the limitations of a stall or van can hold chefs and food businesses back from reaching their full potential. Given the freedom of a full restaurant kitchen and some more pairs of hands, producers are able to create and plate dishes exactly as they’d hope. Thus it proves with Nasi Lemak, who have recently taken over the kitchen at Scarlet Door.
Although it opened in 2022, we’d yet to visit the cocktail bar, which blends into the row on Heaton Moor road without really standing out against its neighbours. Until now that is, with the arrival of local food hero Jim Khor and the tastes of his hometown Penang, Malaysia.
I’ve visited Jim’s stall plenty of times at pop-ups across Manchester over the time we’ve lived here, whether at breweries, pubs, or food fairs. I’ve always been blown away by his punchy Malaysian flavours; so much so, that we continued to support the business throughout lockdowns, when Jim pivoted to taking delivery orders via WhatsApp (I credit his rendang with curing my New Year’s Day hangover in 2020 after a night in with a little too much wine). When I saw that Jim had announced a residency within walking distance of our house, I was very excited indeed.
On arrival, our waiter wasted no time in gushing over the delights on offer. The menu does a good job of explaining itself however – it’s split into smaller plates, designed to act either as starters, or as mains when paired with a side, as well as larger specialities. Having come hungry and determined to try plenty of dishes, we plump for the two-course option.
To begin, we’re presented with one of our long-time Nasi Lemak faves, the rempah fried chicken. Here though, instead of being piled on top of a box of salt and pepper fries as it has been in the past, the zingy curry-battered chicken is threaded onto a skewer and served on a pool of sticky, sweet soy. To the side is a small bowl of Jim’s intense signature sambal, a riot of sweet and spicy chilli that makes every bite pop when dolloped and drizzled. There’s plenty more of this most glorious relish ladled over the cod dish that arrives next. The fish is lightly battered and wrapped in a banana leaf.
All the spice cries out for an ice-cold beer and ours is finished by the time we take our last mouthfuls, so another Cruzcampo is swiftly ordered as the mains arrive. Speaking of which, we opt for one more familiar dish, the chicken and king prawn laksa. It’s a big comforting hug of chilli and coconut, with its delicious creamy soup, giant, juicy prawns, fluffy tofu puffs and more of the feisty rempah chicken. As tasty as it was as a home delivery meal, it reaches new heights when presented fresh out of the kitchen.
Our second choice is a duck fried rice. The pink duck breast is served atop pak choi, with a seasoned pile of rice to the side, which is crowned with a fried egg, its golden yolk ready to be burst. The dish is again accompanied with sticky soy and a small bowl of sambal. Although the punchy plate is thoroughly satisfying, our only disappointment is that it’s a little similar in flavour profile to our starter dishes, leaving us wishing we’d tried another dish to showcase the range of the menu.
The bar is busy, while the restaurant at the back of the room has a pleasant buzz. It could be fuller for a Friday night, but after all, this is a new opening and we’re here the week before Valentine’s Day. I’ve no doubt in my mind that it’d be packed out in no time, as long as the residents of Heaton Moor don’t sleep on this gem on their (scarlet?) doorstep.
Nasi Lemak serve Malaysian flavours at Scarlet Door Weds-Mon, 12:30 – 9pm.
SOUNDS TASTY 