There's a Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine restaurant near Ares' place. Every time we pass by, we stop to check out the menu, but we always forget about it on cheat days. I finally set foot in the famous Mamak Corner. Owned by the third-generation heir of the Malaysian royal family's appointed chef, Mamak Corner uses the secret recipes passed down through generations to showcase the authentic Malaysian flavor, there are also some interesting fusion dishes.
The interior of Mamak Corner is designed to look like a traditional Malaysian outdoor snack booth, even the wallpapers are of Malaysia's street view. In front of the store, on the side of the road, is a small traditional rickshaw. On the right of the entrance, is an interactive mural of a swing set, all great photo ops.
Malaysian Food in Taipei: Mamak Corner Review—Free Henna
Mamak Corner also offers a fun henna experience. If you spend over NTD$500 and become a member online, you can do henna for free at the table near the entrance. Ever since my best friend in college moved back to Malaysia, I haven't had henna done. I have always found it beautiful, but unfortunately, I am only good at painting nails and become clumsy when it comes to henna.
The henna artist provides a selection of portfolios to choose from, and you could pick your preferred design to be drawn in single or multiple colors. I chose to use just one color, which looked more like traditional henna. For the design, I asked the henna artist to freely express herself however she liked. She chose to do a delicate pattern that extended from my wrist to the tip of my middle finger. The patterns on my wrist resembled bangles. I choose to have it drawn in the classic brown of henna.
The dye comes from the henna plant, commonly used in hair dyes. The dye forms a thick layer on the surface which later falls off, leaving color in the places where the pattern was drawn. The brown dye starts off as a light orange tone when the dye first falls off and gradually darkens, turning into a brown the next day, and lasts for about a week. It's perfect for people like me who love dressing up in all kinds of outrageous ways but get bored of a look quickly. I'd definitely regret getting a tattoo.
Since the design was quite complicated, it took about 30 minutes for the henna artist to finish it. Afterwards, I had to wait for the dye to dry, which restricted my movements, so I suggest waiting until you've finished eating before doing henna. But then again, you might have to wait for the henna artist to become available, so you should talk to the restaurant staff about when you would like to have your food served. In my case, the dishes have all long be served by the time I finished the henna. The laksa that was served first had already been there for 40 minutes and became completely cold, which tasted very different from when I first tasted it. Don't forget to plan out your food while having fun with the beauty of henna, otherwise it's such a waste.
Reminder: People with G6PD deficiency, hives, or sensitive skin should not do henna.
Malaysian Food in Taipei: Mamak Corner Review—Kraken Curry Laksa Noodles
Mamak Corner's Kraken Curry Laksa Noodles comes with a whole squid, which looks particularly impressive when served.
The laksa noodles didn't have a strong fishy taste when it was still hot, instead it was infused with the aroma of fragrant spices and curry. The coconut milk makes the broth rich and creamy. The dish includes regular noodles and rice noodles which creates a unique combination of texture that perfectly showcases the authentic Malaysian style.
Some of chili sauce was served on the spoon with the laksa. The chili sauce likely contained dried fish or fish sauce, which added a savory taste to it, the spicy flavor paired well with the laksa. I recommend not mixing all the chili sauce into the broth, instead, use it as a dip to fully appreciate its flavor. My favorite part of the dish was the fish balls, which were both fragrant and bouncy, though it was not heavily seasoned, they didn't taste fishy even after getting cold.
Personally, I've never had squid or anything else with eight legs before. Just poking them with my chopsticks usually lead me to conclude that they are way to tough. Even my parents, who love seafood, thinks that squid is usually too chewy. However, the squid at Mamak Corner didn't have the rubber-like texture I expected, but instead was crunchy with a nice chewiness. The only downside was that when I returned after getting my henna done, the laksa had gone cold, and the seafood became slightly fishy, so we ended up not finishing the squid and shrimp were a bit powdery.
Malaysian Food in Taipei: Mamak Corner Review—Duo-Cheese Salmon Flat Bread
The flat bread may look plain, but it is actually filled with smoked salmon and two types of cheese.
I thought it tasted a bit like hot pockets. If eaten hot, it would be delicious and the cheese would be stringy. After it went cold, the cheese still tasted great, but some parts where the smoked salmon had some skin on became a bit fishy. So it's best to eat it hot.
The Malaysian chili sauce on the side adds a touch of freshness with its sour-sweet flavor, which pairs well with the rich flat brea. Crispy fried cauliflower and chicken are served on the side. The fried chicken is made from small chicken legs (from the wings) and was very juicy, making it a great complement to the main dish.
Malaysian Food in Taipei: Mamak Corner Review—King Satay Skewers
You can't have Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine without satay, right? Mamak Corner is not stingy with their portions, the King Satay Skewers are 100 grams each. The high-temperature cooking method locks in the juices, resulting in incredibly tender chicken skewers.
As for the beef skewers, based on my experience with beef cuts, it's likely a cut from the rib area with a bit of marbling and tendon. The onions and bell peppers are incredibly aromatic, and there's even a hint of smokiness in the meat.
The chef's special satay sauce on the side plays an important role, with a strong peanut scent and a touch of sweetness. When paired with the satay skewers, it's a perfect combination of sweet and salty that's incredibly satisfying.
Malaysian Food in Taipei: Mamak Corner Review—Malaysian White Pepper Buns
This dish is quite unique. The Taiwanese employees working at Mamak Corner gave the chef a Taiwanese pepper bun, after which he created his own Malaysian version inspired by it. It's quite an interesting fusion.
It looks a bit like a Mexican tortilla wrap, with a filling of both pork and chicken. The white parts of the green onions are used in the filling as well, which is the more pungent part of green onions and adds a spicy aroma to the dish.
The most special thing about this dish is the use of white pepper from Sarawak, which has a unique flavor and is less penetrating than regular white pepper. The mint sauce on the side is refreshing with a sweet and sour taste.
Malaysian Food in Taipei: Mamak Corner Review—Over-Ripen Apple Pancakes
I regret the timing of this dish so much! The ice cream in the middle almost completely melted by the time I was back from my henna session, and the crispy pastry became soggy, which made me really upset.
However, the tartness of the over-ripen apples and the spice of the cinnamon powder still made it delicious. The ice-cold sensation of the vanilla ice cream balanced the sweetness of the dish so that it was not cloying. It is one of the signature desserts from Mamak Corner's new 2023 menu.
Once the ice cream melted completely, although the combination of the apple pancake and vanilla ice cream was still nice, it was too sweet without the icy texture.
Malaysian Food in Taipei: Mamak Corner Review—Kaya Toast with Butter
Ares has been craving kaya toast for about 2-3 years now. Every time we talk about desserts, he mentions how much he wants it and ask if they sell it in Taiwan. This time, I didn't take him with me to Mamak Corner, but I am a good friend and got him a serving of kaya toast with butter to go.
He said he thinks the ones he had in Singapore tasted better and this was just "meh" but as a first-timer, I thought it was delicious and enjoyed it more than any other dish I had at Mamak Corner. The sweet flavor of the kaya, the fragrance of the coconut milk, together with the savory butter, and aroma from pandan, all on top of crustless toast that is crispy on the outside yet soft in the center. It was really addictive.
Malaysian Food in Taipei: Mamak Corner Review—Drinks
One of the drinks I had was the Ipoh white coffee. I was a bit hesitant to try it at first because I mentioned it to my brother-in-law who literally said that the intense sweetness would kill me. But Mamak Corner's white coffee was actually very smooth and not sickeningly sweet. The combination of condensed milk and full-fat milk made it an ultra silky smooth latte. I especially liked the beautiful cup and saucer, which were specially imported from Malaysia. Using the traditional Malaysian coffee cup fully allows us to enjoy the local flavor even more.
I had no idea that Milo was this popular in Malaysia, but it is. The Dinosaur Milo Slushy is covered with a thick layer of Milo powder on top which resembled the back of a stegosaurus, hence the name. The icy chill of the shake made it perfect for quenching thirst on a hot day and also countered the sweetness so that it wasn't overwhelming.
Instagrammable Malaysian Restaurant in Taipei—Store Info
Store name: Mamak Corner Malaysian Restaurant
Address: No. 72, Lane 187, Dunhua South Road Section 1, Da'An District, Taipei City (3-minute walk from exit 2 of MRT Zhongxiao Dunhua station)
Opening hours: Mon–Sun 11:30–22:00
Phone: (02)2731-6086
Official website: mamak.com.tw
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