Angie's Malaysian Eatery

Angie's Malaysian Eatery is a small family run restaurant where the husband is the chef, the wife handles the front of the house and their children help out whenever needed. The restaurant is small with less than ten tables available and has a homey atmosphere, as if you are having dinner at a friend's. From the fabric table cloths to how place mats are placed underneath every plate, the little things add to the homey vibe.

A chalkboard menu is posted at the back of the restaurant with photographs attached and the owners also came by to show us pictures of each dish that the restaurant has to offer. On top of that, the owners provided a thorough description and were helpful in explaining what each dish was like, which we found helpful for those who are not familiar with Bruneian cuisine.

ROTI CANAL ($4.50).
Rating: 4/5.
Starting with an appetizer, the roti is perfectly puffed up, exhibits a crisp exterior and there are plenty of soft (not doughy) layers inside. The curry sauce is also fairly rich, flavourful and has a mild spiciness.

SAMBAL VEGETABLES ($11.95).
Rating: 4/5.
We requested for spicy Sambal Vegetables and there is a perfect amount of spiciness where it starts off at a medium level and gradually builds to a stronger level. In addition, the string beans taste fresh, juicy and are perfectly cooked. There is plenty of caramelized wok flavour as well and the fried shallots add to that extra taste. The only downside is that there is not much of a sambal profile and the vegetables taste like basic wok fried string beans, despite being perfectly prepared.

HAINAN CHICKEN THIGH ($12.95.
Rating: 2.5/5.
This is the large version of the Hainan chicken that comes with two legs. The chicken tastes tender and the skin is silky smooth while adhering to the meat, but there is no Hainan flavour at all (tasting more like a simple poached chicken). As for the accompanying sauces, Angie's provides a mix of a ginger and chilli sauce. We prefer only the ginger sauce however, which tastes pretty good. The housemade sauce has a strong and sharp ginger flavour.

CHICKEN RICE ($2.00).
Rating: 2/5.
Trying the Chicken Rice when ordering a Hainan chicken is always a must, but the rice is a touch too mushy and again lacks that Hainan flavour. This is just basic rice in my opinion and could have been more flavourful.

PULUT PANGGANG ($3.75).
Rating: 2.5/5.
The sticky rice is filled with coconut, dried shrimp and sambal, but there is not much flavour. This is probably where the home style version of the dish comes in as the flavours are noticeably lighter.

CURRY LAKSA ($8.95).
Rating: 3.5/5.

With all the dishes arriving fast and at once, the Curry Laksa was cold by the time we got to it. The laksa is prepared in a homestyle way where there is a nice creaminess from the coconut milk, but it lacks that rich curry flavour and velvey consistency. As for the minimal amount of ingredients, it includes tofu puff, boiled egg, sliced chicken and fish ball.

SERIA KOLOMEE, "Wet noodle with minced pork ($8.95).
Rating: 3.5/5.
The al dente noodles are nicely prepared, not too oily and the accompanying pickled jalapenos are provided on the side to add a refreshing tangy profile. The slice of barbecue pork tastes tender as well and not dry, but another slice would have been appreciated. Underneath the fried shallots, there is a fair amount of ground pork and the seasoning overall is on the lighter side (a stronger sesame oil than pork/soy flavour).

K.K BUTTERMILK TIGER PRAWN ($13.95).
Rating: 4.5/5
Arriving last is the BEST dish of the evening. The tiger prawns have a really rich caramelized flavour and taste spicy. On top of that, the creamy and rich sauce has a nice velvety consistency and tastes really good. The only disappointment is that the prawns are overcooked by a few seconds and lack that nice bounce (tasting spongy). I would have preferred no lettuce on the bottom too because it made it harder to grab some of the sauce for the rice!

Angie's Malaysian Eatery serves home style food, so do not expect extremely rich and heavy sauces. Of course with the exception of the K.K Buttermilk Tiger Prawns, which I would grab for take out if I was in the area. The food overall at Angie's is mostly above average, not heavy seasoned and the portions are reasonable for the price. Moreover, the presentation is fairly nice and you can tell the chef puts effort in the execution of food.

POSITIVES
- Good portions
- Reasonable prices
- Mostly above average food
- Homey atmosphere and friendly staff

NEGATIVES
- Food came all at once
- Some may prefer stronger flavours

Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3.5/5

ANGIE'S MALAYSIAN EATERY
7355 Edmonds Street Burnaby, BC V3N 1A9
Telephone (778) 398-0012
https://www.facebook.com/Angiemalaysianrestaurant/