Chalawan Asian Eatery

It was empty when we went at dinner opening (5 PM) on a Sunday. The inside has a huge mural that looks great in photos and really adds to the ambiance. We ordered five dishes to share amongst three people. I liked the roasted duck salad and red braised baby back ribs the most. Both were very flavorful. The laksa lemak was a letdown; would not recommend. The aceh chicken gulai kurma had a nice coconut flavor, and the singapore chili beef was okay and not that spicy. We also had to pay extra for rice since none of the dishes came with rice. My friends also got the honey and lime and virgin watermelon mojito drinks. The mojito looked nothing like the pictures we saw, and we ended up discarding the drink after a few sips because it was not good. Even with five dishes, we were still a bit hungry afterward, which was disappointing for the price. Probably wouldn't come here again.

Was happy to see that they're now open for lunch each day. The lunch specials were all reasonably priced. I chose the Mongolian fry noodles. I've always preferred rice noodles and the thinner the better. My bowl was chock full tasty ingredients including chicken, prawns, carrot, cabbage, scallion, onion, wood ear mushroom, baby corn, and red pepper for a hearty bowl. Friendly service and easy parking. The dining room is light, airy, and tastefully appointed.

The food is okey(ish), but not outstanding. Practically zero vegetarian options. The lunch menu is reasonably varied, but the dishes come awkward (dried anchovies which are too hard to chew, etc). Service is ok and relatively quick. Pricing is higher than in nearby places with subjectively better tasting meals, so I'm not coming back, but it is not a place I'd necessarily warn against - go and check yourself.

Unsure how long this place has been open, but we absolutely loved it! It offers cuisine from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and surrounding countries, which I think is rare to find. Came here with a friend to try the place out, and were immediately able to get seating. They have a Happy hour where they offer food dishes, mostly appetizers at discount prices, in addition to their entrées. Get the Betal Leaf with chicken or tofu -- it is amazing. For appetizers, the fish dumplings were also very yummy. The tamarind prawn and fish curry main courses were highlights and could easily be shared amongst small groups. The side dishes also made it easy for us to order for kids, which helped us think about if/when we can come again as a family. Get the Kerala roti, as it is flaky and a good accompanying dish with the main courses. The dishes are not overly spicy, which make it even more kid friendly, but are full of great flavors and herbs. There are a few vegetarian dishes, but I would not recommend this for those who are strict vegetarian as variety is low. Service was quick and the team was ready to answer any questions we had. In terms of the price, it was on the cheaper end considering we were between Harvard and Porter squares. Thoroughly enjoyed our time here and hope to come by again soon !