Our first introduction to Malaysian food came from our dear friend, Joel, at a place in Chicago's Chinatown.  Chris and I even traveled to Malaysia for a very brief stay in 2005, but we were in the 'burbs of Kuala Lumpur, and missed out on anything interesting (other than being attacked by monkeys). We finally had a fantastic Malaysian meal in Sydney, Australia's Darling Harbour, with our friend, Rakna.  Since then, I have to admit that I haven't found any place I would visit twice here in the States.  Until I found the New Malaysia Restaurant in NYC on Saturday.

Very close to the Manhattan Bridge and nestled in a tiny, dark passthrough in Chinatown is a magnificent restaurant that you could almost miss if you weren't paying attention.  We grabbed a menu from here years ago but never had the time to come back.  Since the Chinese New Year has rung in, and I had a day to myself on Saturday, I figured this would be the time to try it.

For me, curry and coconut milk have to be the most exquisite of comfort foods out there.  Saturday was a cold, grey NYC day that beckoned for a meal revolving around those.  I ordered the roti canai, an Indian pancake with a curry chicken sauce for dipping.  The roti has to be one of the most glorious things on a Malaysian restaurant's menu.  The roti at the New Malaysia Restaurant was the best I've ever had.

A huge bowl of chicken curry soup with skinny rice noodles followed, and by this time, I basked in full-on comfort.  I needed to get to an appointment at 3pm was late because I couldn't stop eating this broth.  And the best part:  this entire meal set me back $10.30.

I will definitely return.  Until then, I will dream curry coconut milk dreams.