Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 11 and Version 1 of Roti King At Euston Chinese, NW1 1LH

Version 11 Version 1
== Line 0 == == Line 0 ==
The Roti King has been on the move since being turfed out of [[Oriental City]] when it closed in 2008. He has now set up shop in the Euston Chinese restaurant just round the corner from [[Euston Station]].
The Roti King has been on the move since being turfed out of [[Oriental City]] when it closed in 2008. He has now set up shop in the Euston Chinese restaurant just round the corner from Euston station.
== Line 2 == == Line 2 ==
The restaurant is quite small — perhaps about ten tables — and located in the basement of a block of flats off Eversholt Street, at the bottom of a fairly narrow switchback staircase. The decor is very basic and the location somewhat insalubrious, but you don't come here for those. Menus are dog-eared laminated sheets — make sure you get the Roti King menu alongside the Euston Chinese menu as it comes on a separate sheet which looks like it has traveled with the Roti King on his recent peregrinations. The Euston Chinese menu itself seems to cover a reasonable range of Chinese, Malaysian Chinese, and Malaysian standards.
The restaurant is quite small and located in a basement at the bottom of a fairly narrow switchback staircase. The decor is very basic and the location somewhat insalubrious but you don't come here for those. Menus are dog-eared laminated sheets - make sure you get the Roti King menu alongside the Euston Chinese menu as it comes on a separate sheet which looks like it has traveled with the Roti King on his recent peregrinations.
== Line 4 == == Line 4 ==
Shuri and [[Robbie]] visited on a Thursday lunchtime in July 2014. The (short and sweet) roti menu consisted of a choice of lamb curry, chicken curry, or dal served with two roti canai on the side (£5.50). The roti were expertly produced: light and soft on the inside and cooked to a crisp perfection on the outside. The lamb curry was rich and interesting, and the presence of plenty of bones hinted at where some of the flavour came from. Chicken or lamb murtabak (flat roti dough fried with a filling of spiced meat with what appeared to be egg — I found a whole star anise in mine) cost £5 and were well made and tasty.
I can't comment on the Euston Chinese menu items as we didn't try those, but it seems to cover a reasonable range of Chinese, Malaysian Chinese, and Malaysian standards.
== Line 6 == == Line 6 ==
Sweet roti were available for around £3 each; we tried a roti with kaya (coconut curd) which was hot and fresh with a good smear of sweet kaya inside, though Shuri would have preferred a bit more kaya on her half. Other sweet options included banana roti.
The roti menu is short and sweet. Your choice of lamb curry, chicken curry, or dal server with two roti canai on the side costs £5.50. The roti themselves are expertly produced: light and soft on the inside and cooked to a crisp perfection on the outside. The curries are rich and interesting and the presence of plenty of bones in the lamb curry hints at where some of the flavour comes from.
== Line 8 == == Line 8 ==
Soft drinks included teh tarik (a milk tea drink) and a sweetened soy milk that Shuri reported as decent but nothing special. Other options were grass jelly drink, luohan guo drink, and Milo, all apparently available hot or iced, which was welcome on the day we went as it was 27 degrees outside. Tap water was available on request, as well as standard carbonated soft drinks.
Chicken or Lamb murtabak (flat roti dough fried with a filling of spiced meat with what appeared to be egg - I found a whole star anise in mine) cost £5 and are well made and tasty. Sweet roti can be had for around £3 each and we tried a roti with kaya (coconut curd) which was hot and fresh with a good smear of sweet kaya inside, though Shuri would have preferred a bit more kaya on her half. Other sweet options include banana roti.
== Line 10 == == Line 10 ==
It was almost empty when we arrived at opening time for lunch, but the only tables which weren't reserved were for two people, so if you want to bring a group it would be best to call ahead to book. After about 20 minutes the place was pretty full, and by the time we left there was a queue waiting both for tables and takeaway. Service was also getting very slow by the time we left as there's only one man making the roti, which limits the speed somewhat.
A menu of soft drinks is also available including teh tarik (a milk tea drink) and a sweetened soy milk Shuri reported as decent but nothing special. Other options include grass jelly drink, luohan guo drink, and Milo. All of these are apparently available hot or iced, which was welcome on the day we went as it was 27 degrees outside. Tap water is available on request, and standard carbonated soft drinks can be had too.
== Line 12 == == Line 12 ==
[[Robbie]]'s verdict: Overall very tasty food in a fairly downmarket location, and two people can eat well for £20 if they don't mind it taking an hour or so.
Shuri and [[Robbie]] visited at opening time on a Thursday and it was almost empty when we arrived. The only tables which weren't reserved were for 2 people though so if you want to bring a group I would call ahead to book. After about 20 minutes the place was pretty full and by the time we left there was a queue waiting both for tables and takeaway. I think it's been a victim of its own success following the Guardian review and service was getting very slow by the time we left as there's only one man making the roti which limits the speed somewhat.
== Line 14 == == Line 14 ==
[[secretlondon]] visited on a Friday lunchtime in August 2014 on the strength of [[Robbie]]'s comments. I had to wait to get a table and longer for my food, but it was very good. I had roti canai with lamb curry <small>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/secretlondon/14616946308 photo]</small>. The lamb was on the bone and in a rich brown sauce with lovely flaky roti. I had iced Malaysian coffee which tasted a bit like Vietnamese coffee &#8212; white and sweet. To follow I had chocolate cone (&pound;4) <small>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/secretlondon/14803214982 photo]</small> which wasn't a roti, it was sweet and crispy. This was interesting but I think next time I'll get a sweet roti instead. This is a great little place but it doesn't have a lot of capacity. I spent 90 minutes there and about &pound;13. Highly recommended!
Overall very tasty food in a fairly downmarket location, and two people can eat well for £20 if they don't mind it taking an hour or so.
== Line 17 == == Line 17 ==
* [https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/25/roti-king-london-restaurant-review Marina O'Loughlin's review in the Guardian]
* [http://www.halalgirlabouttown.com/roti-king/ Halal Girl About Town review]
* [http://lizzieeatslondon
.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/roti-king-revisited-euston.html Hollow Legs review]
* [http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/25/roti-king-london-restaurant-review Marina O'Loughlin's review in the Guardian]
* [http://euston-chinese.co.uk/index.html Euston Chinese website - makes no mention of Roti King though]
== Line 21 == == Line 20 ==
<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[secretlondon]], August 2014. Opening hours taken from the Time Out page, July 2014.</div>
<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Robbie]] and Shuri, 24 July 2014. Opening hours taken from the Time Out page.</div>
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category='Ex-Oriental City,Featured Article,Malaysian Food,Restaurants,Takeaway'
edit_type='Minor tidying'
category='Malaysian Food,Restaurants,Takeaway'
edit_type='Normal edit'
== Line 26 == == Line 25 ==
formatted_website_text=' class="external">https://www.facebook.c...'
host='81.187.166.218'
hours_text='noon-3pm, 5pm-10pm Mon-Sat; closed Sun'
latitude='51.528539
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formatted_website_text='https://www.facebook.c...'
host='87.113.107.92'
hours_text='12-3pm, 5-10pm Monday - Saturday'
== Line 31 == == Line 29 ==
longitude='-0.130290'
major_change='0'
map_link='http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=529683&y=182780'
node_image='https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7476/15684166987_2ddf7d00ed_m_d.jpg'
node_image_copyright='Kake'
node_image_licence='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/'
node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/15684166987/'
opening_hours_text='noon-3pm, 5pm-10pm Mon-Sat; closed Sun
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os_x='529683'
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major_change='1'
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opening_hours_text='12-3pm, 5-10pm Monday - Saturday'
== Line 43 == == Line 34 ==
summary='Purveyor of roti canai based in a Chinese restaurant round the corner from Euston Station.'
summary='Purveyor of roti canai based in a chinese restaurant round the corner from Euston station.'

The Roti King has been on the move since being turfed out of Oriental City when it closed in 2008. He has now set up shop in the Euston Chinese restaurant just round the corner from Euston station.

The restaurant is quite small and located in a basement at the bottom of a fairly narrow switchback staircase. The decor is very basic and the location somewhat insalubrious but you don't come here for those. Menus are dog-eared laminated sheets - make sure you get the Roti King menu alongside the Euston Chinese menu as it comes on a separate sheet which looks like it has traveled with the Roti King on his recent peregrinations.

I can't comment on the Euston Chinese menu items as we didn't try those, but it seems to cover a reasonable range of Chinese, Malaysian Chinese, and Malaysian standards.

The roti menu is short and sweet. Your choice of lamb curry, chicken curry, or dal server with two roti canai on the side costs £5.50. The roti themselves are expertly produced: light and soft on the inside and cooked to a crisp perfection on the outside. The curries are rich and interesting and the presence of plenty of bones in the lamb curry hints at where some of the flavour comes from.

Chicken or Lamb murtabak (flat roti dough fried with a filling of spiced meat with what appeared to be egg - I found a whole star anise in mine) cost £5 and are well made and tasty. Sweet roti can be had for around £3 each and we tried a roti with kaya (coconut curd) which was hot and fresh with a good smear of sweet kaya inside, though Shuri would have preferred a bit more kaya on her half. Other sweet options include banana roti.

A menu of soft drinks is also available including teh tarik (a milk tea drink) and a sweetened soy milk Shuri reported as decent but nothing special. Other options include grass jelly drink, luohan guo drink, and Milo. All of these are apparently available hot or iced, which was welcome on the day we went as it was 27 degrees outside. Tap water is available on request, and standard carbonated soft drinks can be had too.

Shuri and Robbie visited at opening time on a Thursday and it was almost empty when we arrived. The only tables which weren't reserved were for 2 people though so if you want to bring a group I would call ahead to book. After about 20 minutes the place was pretty full and by the time we left there was a queue waiting both for tables and takeaway. I think it's been a victim of its own success following the Guardian review and service was getting very slow by the time we left as there's only one man making the roti which limits the speed somewhat.

Overall very tasty food in a fairly downmarket location, and two people can eat well for £20 if they don't mind it taking an hour or so.

See also:

Last visited by Robbie and Shuri, 24 July 2014. Opening hours taken from the Time Out page.

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