In our quest to find new and interesting restaurants, we discovered Laut. Actually, I had noticed it back a couple of years ago, but then forgot about it. When I was alerted to it recently, and realized it was Malaysian, along with Singaporean and Thai, I immediately wanted to try it. It’s been some time since we’d had Malaysian food here in the city, since our favorite, Fatty Crab, closed several years ago.
Tucked away on a quiet block of 17th St., the unassuming storefront is easy to miss. It’s well worth seeking out. Apparently it’s attracted quite a following, as it was very busy on a recent weeknight.
The menu is quite extensive, and I hope to return to try more of their dishes.
We started with crispy wontons, which were a bit disappointing, but the fried calamari more than made up for it. In a light batter and interestingly spiced, they hit the spot. For the main course, we had the Singapore crispy soft-shell chili crab, delicious in a spicy tomato sauce, served with fried bao which was irresistible. The other main dish was Nasi Lemak, a dish we used to love at Fatty Crab. This version did not disappoint. Combining chicken, shrimp, pickled vegetables and coconut rice, it was a real treat.
To drink, we got a carafe of 3 Pals Punch, which is made with rum and Campari, and reminiscent of Sangria. Very good.
Robert Rems' Open House 