Not everything at Soos will taste like traditional Malaysian
food. But then, they’re not trying to feed you typical dishes. Instead, Soos
aims to use Malaysian flavours and ingredients in a modern manner, bringing
street food to a restaurant environment.
Malaysians are known for their curries, which tends to be
eaten as a snack rather than a main course. It’s thinner but still filled with
tons of spices and flavours, milder than Indian curries and contains less
coconut than Thai.
The curry accompanying Soos roti ($9) uses a base of dhal (a yellow lentil curry) and tops it
with crispy fried curry leaf for some extra zing. But, what makes this starter
incredible is the hot, fluffy and flakey roti that arrives with it. The lovely
toasted airiness makes it so good I could eat it plain and these are truthfully
the best roti I’ve ever had. If you’re sharing, one is not enough… get an extra
roti for $2.
Meanwhile, the pork belly pancakes ($13) is so rich and decadent
that an order can even be shared amongst four people. A thick slab of pork
belly, covered in a thick sticky sweet and vinegary soy, is well rendered so
the layers of lard aren’t too dense. Yet, it doesn’t just melt-in-your-mouth
either – as you bite into it there’s still a chewiness that allows you to
savour the flavours.
The crispy taro root pancake the pork belly sits on is
fairly delicate, the root vegetable made into a batter rather than the slivers
used in “bird’s nest” type dishes. So while the pancake is crispy, there’s
still a soft chewiness in the centre. Although enjoyable, the dish could really
use something fresh on the side, the small bit of scallions on top isn’t
enough.
Something like the prosperity tossed slaw ($16) could work. I
don’t generally love salad, but their slaw has some serious flavours and
textures. Made with over 20 ingredients there’s refreshing, crunchy, savoury,
sweet, and spicy elements all melded into one. There’s also a restraint to
their yuzu plum dressing, which adds
acidity but doesn’t render the slaw too tangy. Instead, it leaves a savoury
taste to the salad.
The dish I’ve ordered on multiple occasions is their laksa ($18). While it normally contains
chicken and prawn, Soos can transform it into a vegetarian version by adding
extra tofu puffs (great for soaking up the hot and spicy curry broth) and more
vegetables - the crunchy leafy gai lan and
meaty oyster mushrooms are a great combination in lieu of meat. And really, the
laksa is really all about the
aromatic spicy coconut broth. Don’t let a drop go to waste … in hindsight, it
would be perfect for dipping. Reminder to
self: get an order of roti with the laska.
As an aside for vegetarians: while Soos already has a
selection of meatless items, if you visit on Tuesday and Wednesday (previously
Monday), their sister restaurant Fat Choi offers an entirely plant-based menu.
In general, their noodles are tasty. The char kway teow ($17) spends plenty of
time in the wok, the flat rice noodles tossed with soy and their house-made sambal chili sauce so it develops tons
of flavour and emits a heavenly smell. The dish is finished with egg, chives,
and crunchy bean sprouts all topped with four massive tiger prawns. Even though
the noodles are spicy already, Soos provides more of the sambal on the side for those who can really handle the spice. If you
don’t use this on the char kway teow save
it for the other dishes. Love the sauce? You can even get a jar to go ($11).
A bit of sambal works
really well with the rendang beef
short ribs ($28) since the heat helps to cut through the richness of the meat.
While the rendang curry is blended with
spices and Asian aromatics (ginger and garlic), it’s not a spicy sauce. The
short rib, like the pork belly, is tender but not braised to the point that it’s
melting away, there’s a slightly chewy consistency that allows you to taste the
beef.
I just wish the dish had more curry to go with all the jasmine
rice and roti. Oh, and of course, you’ll want an extra order of roti to wrap
around the beefy short ribs so order it at the beginning or wait the eight
minutes (you’ll need the breather).
After all of Soos flavourful and filling dishes, if you’re
still hungry, the pisang goreng ($10)
is a decent dessert. After all, what’s more Malaysian than deep fried bananas? It’s
a surprisingly sweet dessert for an Asian restaurant – the combination of burnt
toffee ice cream and candied nuts may be too much. With the ice cream being so
sweet, the nuts could simply be toasted. Better yet, a more neutral flavour ice
cream (like coconut) would be an ideal choice and leave more of the banana
flavours intact.
But then, you don’t come to Soos if you want tepid tasting
dishes. Their menu is designed to bombard your taste buds with flavour! And
through all the dips, broths, and sauces, the most important side kick is… of
course … an extra order of roti. Just get it.
Overall mark - 8 out of 10
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 94 Ossington Avenue
Address: 94 Ossington Avenue
Website: http://www.soostoronto.com/
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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
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