Pick a type of cuisine from any country, and chances are there will be a restaurant somewhere in London that caters for it.  The gang here at The Capturist are more than partial to a good roti, especially the flaky buttery Malaysian Roti Canai variety but it’s not always easy to find.  Having often seen the queues outside Euston’s Roti King whilst passing at lunchtime it was time to see if the food matched the seemingly high demand.

Roti King is a pretty tiny place, so on entering, we start to wonder if the queues are actually just because they can’t fit inside and with the basic decor we ask ourselves if we will be leaving hungry and disappointed. But hold on, people don’t just queue up, even for the tiniest place if they aren’t expecting something pretty special inside. We hold our ground and we are glad we did.

There’s a real skill involved in making roti and every chef has their own technique, which includes any combination of folding, pressing, spinning, stretching and resting for just the right amount of time. Once the dough is prepared, it has to be cooked just right, and these chefs certainly hold the magic in their hands!

I ordered the roti canai and curry chicken along with the beef rendang. The portions on both these dishes are on the small side, so if you are very hungry or you generally have a big appetite, you may want to choose two dishes (which is what I did . The roti was everything I could have imagined, soft, buttery, flakey and full of ghee! Tearing the roti, using it to scoop up every last drop of my chicken and to mop up my curry was a delight and left me craving for more. The Roti Canai options also include mutton, fish and dahl. If you get one of the front tables you can see the mesmerising dance of chefs stretching and spinning dough behind a glass pane.

Of course it’s not all about the roti, The beef rendang was rich, flavoursome and delicious. By glancing around the restaurant however, you get the impression that most people come here for the roti canai and there is only one way to eat it, roll up your sleeves and prepare to get messy!

Address: Roti King, 40 Doric Way, NW1 1LH

Website: https://www.rotiking.co.uk

Written by Nyla S.