A restaurant that literally means Let’s Eat with an address on Eat Street. No, this isn’t a work of fantasy from the pen of a children’s fiction writer, this is the second branch Jom Makan, the cheap and cheerful Malaysian restaurant at Westfield London.

The Venue
The street in question is, in fact, the pedestrianised walkway that provides a passage for shoppers into Westfield London. This space-age shopping mecca is the retail equivalent of a Centre Park in that once you have entered its canopy-covered atmosphere it feels like you are in a huge bubble, one which is completely cocooned from the outside world. Jom Makan is one of the first venues that you come across as you navigate your way through the human traffic of the restaurant quarter.

Fans of the original Jom Makan, located in a beautiful building just off Trafalgar Square, will be less impressed with the choice of bricks and mortar here. Glass-fronted and pretty perfunctory in its design, this isn’t a space that will win any awards for its looks. Images of the Petronas Towers and rural Malaysia give it a little edge and there’s a nice cartoony explosion effect, consistent with the restaurant’s branding, on the glass pane that welcomes you through the door but they’re the highlights visually.

The Atmosphere
The word on Jom Makan is already out – or maybe Westfield’s shoppers are the sort that are swayed by the new season’s arrivals, even in restaurant form. Whatever the reason, it’s already doing a roaring trade. To be fair, designer devotees do need somewhere to eat after buying the latest pair of killer Jimmy Choo heels, but judging by the empty seats at some of the other restaurants in the vicinity, this location is by no means a guarantee of success.

The Food
Food comes thick and fast at Jom Makan. You eat when it’s ready and this can sometimes lead to slight niggles as rotis are brought out way before your curry, or side dishes, which would work best as a starter, come out after your main course. Provided you’re happy dining in this rough and ready way, you can be sure that your food will come out of the kitchen in no time at all.

There are over 60 main courses on offer across several sub sections, which include salads, noodles, specials, roti canai and hidangan (to share) and, aside from that, you can order chicken satay and dishes from a list of sides or extras. The chicken satay (£4) comes with a dip that has a lovely, sweet, nutty taste but the chicken is the wrong shade of pink when you take it off the wooden skewer. A plate of chilli-garlic-salt chicken wings (£4) is another let down as the chicken wings are far too greasy and the flavour of the chilli, garlic or salt is nowhere to be found - the seasoning definitely needs to be ratcheted up a few notches here.

Mains make the trip more than worthwhile. The kari kambing (£8.20) is a thick, viscous bowl of lamb curry which boasts breathtaking flavours through the inclusion of black cardamom seeds, star anise and whole cinnamon sticks. You are left with a potent aniseed aftertaste that works wonderfully well with the fragrant rice and succulent chunks of lamb. There’s plenty of heat from the chilli rising out of the bowl, too. This is a dish that’s served on the bone, so expect the unctuous flavours from the marrow to seep through the dish. Like any self-respecting curry connoisseur, you should be prepared to pick up the bones and suck them dry of any marrow and meat still desperately clinging to the bone. A side order of roti (£2.40) is a good shout as you can mop up the remaining juices with a thumb and fingers’ worth of warm flat bread. Not all the mains are as successful, however. The king prawns (udang sambal tumis, £8.20) are a shells-on selection of king prawns in a sweet and sour sauce. It’s described as having a coconut milk base but it is more akin to a chilli-infused hot and sticky concoction.

Puddings are excellent, both in terms of value for money (£3.50 each) and their quality. The creme caramel has a beautifully fluffy consistency and is served on a flat plate with a healthy drizzle of treacle-flavoured sauce. The sago gula melaka may not be familiar to British tongues but anyone with knowledge of Asian desserts will know what to expect. Glassy-looking green-tinted tapioca pearls sit in a big ceramic bowl. Although the tapioca pearls resemble fish eggs, don’t let that put you off as they’re delicious with the coconut and caramel flavours that layer the rest of the dish.

The Drink
Smoothies and juices (£2.80 - £3.40) offer healthy alternatives for those not wanting to drink alcohol. The rest of the wine and beers menu is short and to the point. Both whites and reds start out at an exceedingly reasonable £12.50 a bottle. The house red, the El Muro Tinto, has a fresh and zesty flavour which almost fizzes on the tongue. A bottle of Piroplo Malbec is the most expensive red and it is priced at a more than reasonable £18.50.

The Last Word
Jom Makan strikes again. This time the surroundings are not quite as swanky as the West End branch but if you stick to the signature dishes and swerve past the erratic sides, you’ll get a great value meal at record speed.

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