This week, the Boston Globe's Ellen Bhang spills a secret in the area's dining scene: There's a growing and wonderful section of Royal East's menu devoted to Malaysian dishes. With more than 150 dishes on its menu, with many being American-Chinese, Sichuan, and Cantonese favorites, it may be hard to know where to begin with the Mayalsian offerings. Bhang recommends roti canai, a fried pancake with a red curry dipping sauce, and poh piah, Malaysian-style fresh rolls. She finds "delightfully rustic" dishes, like a scallop special that serves the shellfish with gills and organs intact, which "[rewards] with true-to-the-ocean flavor." Other dishes, like char kueh teow, a stir-fried noodle dish with soy sauce, are "straightforward and satisfying." Owner Karen Yee's mother's beef rendang curry recipe is "filling and fragrant" and "excellent" coupled with a side dish of rice flavored with chicken stock.
[Photo: YELP]