Cinnamon girl

Review Dining by Capital Times on 14th Jan 2009

THERE’S no shortage of Malaysian restaurants on Cuba Street.But Kayu Manis is special. At 201 Cuba Street, the restaurant is pretty and inviting. The two-storey establishment looks pricey because it is nicely painted, and has a mix of ornate chandeliers and hanging dragonfly canvases with lights shining from behind. The silk tablecloths add a touch of class, too.I was very surprised to discover how affordable the meals are at such an attractive eatery – $10-$12 is a great price for the very good food.We began with a crisp bottle of Shingle Peak pinot gris before ordering the Nasi Lemak and Mee Goreng Kedah. The latter was divine. The homemade egg noodles were cooked with bean curd, egg, spring onion, fresh tomatoes and bean sprouts. The meal was mildly spicy and the perfect size for lunch. My friend raved about his Nasi Lemak – coconut rice served with anchovies, sambal, and crispy chicken – and promised he’d be going back for dinner very soon. For dessert we had a little of everything and ordered the Kayu Manis Tasting Plate, which I highly recommend.The Sagu Gula Melaka – steamed cassava pearls topped with coconut milk and brown sugar – satisfied my sweet tooth, while the Apam Balik – Malay crêpes filled with sweet corn, toasted peanuts and brown sugar – added a savory balance to the dessert. The tiny flower shaped pandan cakes (Kuih Cara Manis) served with palm sugar syrup, were a treat and beautifully presented. The double-layered glutenous pandan rice cake served with palm sugar (Seri Muka) is an acquired taste, but definitely worth a go if you call yourself a Malaysian food fan. All this was topped off with traditional Malay kumara cakes with gula melaka (Kuih Keria) – divine. At Kayu Manis, which means cinnamon in English, the meals are cooked to order, the spices directly imported from Malaysia, and every dish comes with a mild, medium or hot option. Next time I go I plan on booking a table on the upstairs balcony, which overlooks Cuba Street. It’s a romantic and atmospheric vantage point to enjoy Wellington’s cracker weather these Christmas holidays.

Malay Cuisine In Wellington

By Sempoi Sajer

Yesterday evening, I roam around Cuba St. and Vivien St., I bump with this restaurant call "Kayu Manis" then tell my self, emmm.... let see what is on the menu? Walk to the door and start reading from entree to deserts. It's 100% malay cuisine but, does the taste is 100% same as back home? Can't answer that.... must try! So, as I open the door I've been greet by nice looking lady.... and greet me "Selamat Datang" ... "Sorang jer ker?".... Waaaaahhh.....That will be in fact my first Malay word in Wellington. OMG! I felt very at home now. They very nice people, even the owner - she (the owner is a lady lahhh.... - iron lady.. hehehe) even chat with me, ask me standard questions as if you just meet somebody. Sorry though, I don't get their names. I can only remember the "Manager on Duty" was Ailing - coz it displayed on the counter. I really felt at home... hahahaha....

So the menu came, I already set my mind to have Nasi Lemak as the sambal tumis and ayam goreng berempah will have to be carefully prepared to get the good taste. 10 mins later, the food came and the first thing get into my mouth is the sambal. Emmm..... certified... 100% local taste. Then I saw the chef, I think 3-4 of them and all of them are Malays... she even told me that the ingredients they use are import back from Malaysia. this is true in the sense to bring the natural taste of Malay cooking. I really enjoy my food here and I'm pretty sure I'll be back again... only 1 major set back lah... the hotel that I stayed on was little bit far a distance from the place. Generally took 20-30 mins walk. But that will not be an issue... Just before I walked out, she invite me to come again. Yup, will do that!


So to all my readers, I do 150% recommend you this restaurant. I'm not bias though, since this is Malaysian own restaurant but simply because the food is great and tasty! It's easy to find, just walked up on Cuba St till you meet with a Vivien St intersection. You will see the sign clearly from the traffic light. They are still on a Cuba St. You won't miss it. They have a website too... They are on... www.kayumanis.co.nz
Well, there is a few so called Malaysian restaurant here in Wellington. As far as I know, Cinta, Satay Kajang and Kayu Manis is the only served halal meat. I tried Satay Kajang... taste great as well and recommended. Cinta and Satay Kajang run by Chinese - Malaysian chinese I should say.
As I walked back to the hotel, i saw this kebab house... Run by Middle Eastern and the name really an eyes catch...

Posted by the.flyingtoyol.inc
Labels: Food n Beverages, Global Citizen

Into The Malay

Review by David Burton from The Dominion Post on 20th Sept 2008

At last, New Zealand's capital of Malaysian cuisine get an eatery specialising in native Malay flavours. ....more

http://www.kayumanis.co.nz/Selamat_Datang_files/David%20Burton%20Review.pdf

Malaysian Recipes

Masak- Masak

Masak-masak is a cottage game played by young girls whereby they pretend to cook delicious dishes from imaginary ingredients and plastic utensils. more

http://masak-masak.blogspot.com/

Review on 17th Nov. 2008

Review by Albert Saw

Must admit when I first saw the pricing, but have been there twice. Considering it’s a fine dining restaurant set up, it’s value for money. Have not had anything in Wellington (or even Auckland!) that even comes close to authentic Malay cuisine as you can get, and I’m a Malaysian You get to choose from an array of traditional Malay food, like Roti Jala, Nasi Lemak (with fried anchovies!), Ikan Bakar (although it would have been better if it was a whole fish instead of fillet) and the fish in Assam (tamarind) Curry. And the desserts were very good (go for the mixed dessert plate - 2 of everything) Highly recommended. The service was impeccable and ambiance not too garish..the overhanging batik pieces a nice touch. ... more reviews

http://www.menumania.co.nz/restaurants/kayu-manis-wellington

Review by customers

Review by Buckers on 16th January 2009

Visited this restaurant with a couple of friends late on a Thursday evening at last minute. We assumed it was BYO (as most Malaysian restaurants are in Wellington) but this wasn't the case when we arrived with wine in hand. The front of house lady was very polite and allowed us to have our BYO wine anyway which was very gracious. Now, the food, we decided to try three entree's; anchovy fritter (mostly tasteless), curry puff (delicious and spicy) and beef murtabak served with a lentil dip - to die for!! all good so far. for mains, between us, we have a fish curry (just ok, fish a little overcooked), grilled fish, Nasi Goreng and a spicy beef dish. all were received with greater praise and good service. will be sure to return to same the other offerings on the large menu. .......more..... and more reviews

http://www.dineout.co.nz

This is an genuine review

Review by Allesandrea, France on Dec 28, 2008

My husband and I had our dinner at kayu manis and guess what?.... Just when we were to enter Kayu manis restautant at cuba street, a couple had just came out from the restaurant. They looked very happy and they told us "oh the food was excellent, very delicious. Dont mind the price but everything is worth it. give it a try". So in we go and ordered mee goreng, satay and a few dishes. Yeap! the couple was right! It is worth dining at Kayu Manis. I have heard alot of complaints abt Kayu manis food before over internet and such, i.e some claimed that the meat is too dry and ingredients are not fresh ect. Well [--] to that! The rendang was nice and as a french citizen where food taste and cusine is very important in our culture, i think Kayu manis has suceeded in every espect. I wish they chef could share the recipe for mee goreng seafood. It is tremendously delicious.

Cheers Kayu Manis

Review by Danielle Allesandria Perrione
allesandreab@gmail.com
http://www.tripadvisor.com

Authentic Malaysian Food

Review by Zorro, Wellington, New Zealand on Oct 9, 2008

Wellington is full of Malaysian restaurants and this is a new one we tried tonight. It was nice and warm inside on a cool night, Wooden tables with crisp white clothes and traditional silks on the menus... a nice feel. Not crowded either. We ordered 2 roti breds and mains and the roti was lovely and came first, a bit before the mains so we started on it! The Chef works in the main dining room so you can almost see what's going on. He makes the Roti fresh (or cooks the dough). Then we had a vermercelli noodle dish with prawns, chicken, bean sprouts, lime flavours too I think - very nice. I would like to try their Mee Goreng dish! Also saw a fantastic lookinf nasi goring or nasi lemak go past looked yum! Our second main was a fish curry with tamarind and tomato. It was delicious - very spicy and came with boiled rice... the roti was nice to dip into this.

Wine list had many choices.

It's expensive compared to the rash of cheap malaysian restaurants in town BUT the meals are VERY freshly made in taste, and large, so we felt it was good value and still less than other types of cuisines. $52 for 2 mains (1 came with rice), 2 rotis, a water and a juice.

http://www.tripadvisor.com

Manis a plus

Sarah Bennett's Food Reviews

While the concept of ‘upmarket Malaysian' might seem foreign to fans of the ten-dollar laksa served all over town, I am delighted to inform them that it has indeed arrived and holds delicious surprises for those already keen on Malay cuisine.

Kayu Manis (translating to ‘cinnamon') has been open for six months at 201 Cuba Street. Built in 1901 as a doctor's surgery, this peachy little building has long been the home of hospitality - Orsini's restaurant lived here; most recently Our Bar. Its new tenants have given it a thorough makeover in fine fashion, worn very well by this attractive old dear.
A spicy aroma makes for a warm welcome into a space that reminds me of the Raffles Hotel I have yet to visit. The dining room is defined by the classic lines of its arched windows, lending light and air to what is a fairly intimate space. Luxuriously upholstered high-back chairs attend to tables clothed in white linen with a runner of batik, while more beautiful batik hang on the walls. In the aft above the shiny new stainless steel servery a display of ship's decanters is suggestive of a journey.
The menu looks like an optometrist's chart. Harder to read the more you look, it bamboozles with its dyslexic collection of letters that makes sense in neither direction and ties our tongues around dubious pronouncements: Cucur Ikan Bilis, Ayam Percik Panggang... Translations are given, of course, but this barely helps - there are so many unfamiliar dishes, made with unusual (or at least unusually named) ingredients. Exotic and tantallising, it is Malaysian anew.
Our very first dish is a stranger. Roti jala ($10), the ‘lacy pancake,' is a delightfully textured bird's nest that comes with a light chicken curry ($10). It is a lunchtime-sized serve, happily split between three. Our other ten-dollar starter, the anchovy fritters, are doughy and distinctly lacking in anchovy. This proves to be our only disappointment.
The beef rendang ($18.90) is markedly different to those I've come to expect. Maybe this is because of the ‘kerasik' (coconut paste) it's made with - it is certainly a saucier rendition than usual - but it also has a more delicate, fragrant spiciness. An exciting lime twang is supplied by slivers of leaf which garnish the dish. The house chicken curry, Kari Ayam ($18.90) is equally finessed, with meat tender on the bone and a garnish, this time, of curry leaves. Oh yum, Ayam! I'd go back for this dish alone. Nasi Goreng ($17), often an oily old boredom, is a revelation. A perfectly moulded mound, it was speckled with spice and shot through with diced vegetables and nicely shredded chicken. Served on the side are a couple of sticks of succulent, char-grilled chicken with an excellent satay sauce, as well as a handful of prawn crackers. The roti ($3) boasts a crispy outer and fluffy inner, and left a non-oily, clean palate. Exemplary.
So, who knew that Malaysian food went beyond the egg-bobbing laksa and sugary satay sticks? Owner Norulhuda Basri, for one. Living eleven years in Wellington, she knew there was a market for traditional Malay food. What we've come to know, she says, is influenced by Indian and Chinese cuisine - think noodles and curry. With its chef fresh off the boat, and a restauranteur determined to show us breadth and depth of her native cuisine, Kayu Manis opens the door to a whole new culinary world.
- © Sarah Bennett, 2 February 2009

Kayu Manis Restaurant, Wellington

Kayu Manis is offering traditional Malay cuisine and bringing new flavour to Wellington, New Zealand. Kayu Manis has come up with a unique style of halal Malay cooking using only fresh herbs and authentic Malay spices imported personally from Malaysia by the owner. The food at Kayu Manis is guaranteed to have that great traditional Malay flavour, be strong, simple and honest. They have culinary only Halal certification from FIANZ.

Website: http://www.kayumanis.co.nz/