Restaurants

To access Suka, located on the ground floor of the voguish Sanderson hotel, you must shoulder past the loud glam pack thronging the Long Bar. Not the best approach. Then, seated at one of the stylish refectory tables, you discover that the din from the drinkers spills into the restaurant. Not a promising start. You order a selection of dishes from the ‘modern’ Malaysian menu, and just one minute later, the heaviest main dish arrives. Not a good sign. The remainder of our meal confirmed initial misgivings: Suka gives the feel of being more about style than substance; speed over service. Beef rendang, typically a rich Malaysian stew, appeared as a lonely, braised shank barely veiled in a spiced coconut-milk sauce. Crispy pork belly and papaya salad was more like slabs of fatty meat on slivers of slimy fruit. Some dishes, such as a crispy chicken salad, deserved praise. But accompanied by the woefully incompetent service – we were rushed through our meal despite being practically the only customers in the restaurant – and the fearfully high prices, they still left a bitter taste.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009