Halia Restaurant London

It was a complete random discovery on Google Maps when we came about Halia Restaurant. We saw that it’s got a five-star rating there and halal so we decided to check them out when in the area. The restaurant is located inside the Grand Plaza Serviced Apartment Hotel. You’ll find a big sign as soon as you enter the hotel building and simply cross the courtyard to reach the restaurant. It is housed inside a glasshouse, with an abundance of natural light coming in to get it a bright and airy look. Once we’ve sat down, I’ve also very quickly realised that Halia Restaurant is actually run by Noor Amy Ismail, who also runs Putera Puteri in the area!

Halia Restaurant: Home-style Malaysian Cuisine

What you can find at Putera Puteri, you can find at Halia Restaurant. Its menu features a range of classic home-style Malaysian dishes, including the likes of Nasi Lemak, Laksa, Roti Canai, Prawn Mee, Hokkien Mee, etc. Halia is a fully halal restaurant. Prayer space is also available.

The Food: What We Ordered

Date of dining: June 2022

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Roti Canai (£7.95)

We really liked the Roti Canai at Putera Puteri when we visited so we’re excited to order it here at Halia Restaurant too. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as good as we remembered. Whilst the roti was still perfectly fresh and flakey, it was a tad underseasoned. It could use a pinch of salt to perk up the flavours and elevate the buttery sensation of the roti. Also, the curry was a bit too thick for our liking and it tasted rather heavy on the coconut. Though I’d like to give it the benefit of the doubt and we’re probably just unlucky to receive a mediocre batch.

Chicken Satay (£7.95)

We also got some chicken satay as starters but, unfortunately, the portion was rather small. The flavours didn’t deliver much either and lacked robustness. It’s not bad per se but it’s just not up to par. For nearly £8 a plate, we sort of expected more chicken satay skewers and better-than-mediocre flavours. That is just our honest thoughts.

Char Kuey Teow (£10.95)

I’ve heard great things about the Char Kuey Teow from Putera Puteri, which I didn’t get to try last time but was eager to try out this time here. True to what people have said, the Char Kuey Teow featured robust “wok-hei”, which is key to any good noodle stir-fry dish. The spice was relatively mild, but it gives you a little kick here and there to tease the palate. I personally still prefer the Char Kuey Teow from Hawker’s Kitchen more but this definitely deserves a top spot as well.

Curry Laksa (£10.95)

Very similar to that at Putera Puteri’s, the curry laksa came in a massive bowl and was loaded with egg noodles, chicken, prawns, beansprouts, fried beancurd puffs, and a boiled egg. The broth got a nice subtle kick to it and was flavoursome to taste. It definitely somewhat hit the spot but could be better with a bit more robustness. All in all, the laksa’s solid and can’t complain with the generous toppings!

Sirap Bandung (£3.55)

For drinks, we had the sirap bandung, which was incredibly rosy fragrant and delicious to taste. It definitely tasted a lot better than when we tried it at Putera Puteri. The floral fragrance really got the spotlight and was very refreshing as a drink.

Teh Tarik (£3.55)

Last but not least, I couldn’t leave without trying out the Teh Tarik when at a Malaysian restaurant. The tea strength of this Teh Tarik was quite strong and the texture was wonderfully smooth. It could be more foamy but as long as the flavours are not affected, it’s all good.

Restaurant Review Summary