The signature dish—thin layers of flaky pastry fried until golden and crispy on the outside, still soft within. Served with a choice of curry sauce: dahl (mild), chicken, fish, mutton, or beef rendang (rich and spiced). The rendang is the popular choice, though each sauce has fans. The roti itself is impressive—handmade and perfect every time.
Tips from diners
Order roti with beef rendang. The richness of the rendang against the crispy roti is the ideal combination.
Tear the roti into pieces and scoop up the sauce. That's the traditional way to eat it.
Get roti with dahl sauce. It's mild, comforting and vegetarian. The dahl is made fresh.
Rice cooked in coconut milk until fragrant and creamy, served with a selection of sides: salted anchovies, peanuts, cucumber slices, and spicy sambal (chilli paste). It's a complete meal in itself—carbs, protein, acid, spice and fat all balanced. The nasi lemak is the soul of Malaysian cuisine.
Tips from diners
Mix everything together before eating. The sambal brings heat, the peanuts bring texture, the rice brings creaminess.
This is a breakfast or lunch dish in Malaysia. At Roti King, it's one of the best lunches in London.
Beef braised slowly in a rendang paste—a blend of chillies, garlic, ginger, turmeric and coconut. The beef becomes so tender it falls apart, and the sauce is rich, complex and deeply flavored. This is the sauce that comes with roti, but you can also order it as a standalone curry served with rice. The sauce itself is a masterpiece.
Tips from diners
The rendang paste is made in-house. You can taste the freshness of the spices and the care in the preparation.
Order roti with rendang and share it across the table. Everyone gets a piece.
A Malaysian tea drink made by 'pulling' (stretching) a stream of hot tea and condensed milk between two cups to aerate and cool it slightly. The result is a creamy, sweet tea with a slight froth on top. It's a ritual as much as a drink—watching the tea being pulled is part of the experience. Perfect with roti or curry.
Tips from diners
Watch the chef pull the tea—it's a beautiful technique. The drink is sweet and creamy and cooling.
After eating spicy curry, teh tarik is soothing and sweet. It's the perfect pairing.
Yellow egg noodles stir-fried fast and hot with vegetables, a fried egg stirred through, and a spicy tomato-based sauce. The noodles have char and texture from the hot wok, the egg brings richness, and the sauce brings heat and acid. It's quick, cheap and absolutely delicious.
Tips from diners
Watch the chef cook this—the wok work is beautiful. The noodles should have char and the egg should be incorporated throughout.
This is faster than roti. If you're in a hurry, this is the dish.
Roti King is a basement Malaysian and Singaporean street food spot near Euston station, referenced by The Times as one of the 100 best places to eat in the UK. There's no decor to speak of, sharing tables are the rule, and a queue is inevitable. But the handmade soft flaky roti canai, beef rendang, nasi lemak and curries are authentic, delicious and cheap. It's genuine Malaysian street food served with warmth.
There is ALWAYS a queue. Come during off-peak times (after 2pm, after 8pm) if you want to avoid waiting 30-45 minutes. Lunch and dinner rushes are busy.
You will share tables with strangers. It's part of the charm. The basement dining room is cramped but warm and lively.
This is one of London's cheapest meals—roti and curry for £5.50 each. You can eat here for £12-15 total and it will be memorable.
This is genuine Malaysian street food. No pretense, no fancy plating. Just good food, made fresh, served fast. The Times called it one of the 100 best places to eat in the UK.
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