Zheng

Chelsea

Cosseting lighting, velvet sofas and dark walls combine to give this unusual restaurant
an air of refined sophistication, although the diminutive size and Malaysian staff lend it an authenticity only found in really good neighbourhood joints. The food is generally Malay, although has a magpie quality to it with ingredients gleaned from across Asia. To start, salt and pepper aubergine is a deceptively simple name for saline, crispy fragments with a subtly sweet flavour that become the first in a string of must-order dishes. Sizzling green beans electric with chilli and chicken crumbs come next, while satay skewers – savoury lollipops doused in velvety sauce – are among the best we’ve tried. However, the real surprise is the sago cooked in coconut milk and served in palm sugar caramel infused with pandan leaves. It’s a masterful version of the classic gula melaka dessert and one which we imagine the great admiral Zheng He (the restaurant’s namesake) would have approved of. While it isn’t cheap, it would be easy to spend twice as much on a meal far less memorable in SW3.