Sanuria
“The Roti Canai was perfect, it wasn't overly crispy or oily so you could properly dip it in the curry.”
“It's down some dingy stairs in a basement, but the restaurant itself is pretty clean if not so much modern.”
“Sanur in Chinatown is a great place to hit when you're craving authentic home cooked Malaysian/Indonesian food.”
Sanuria
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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I thought this place was better than West Malaysia and Nyona. It's such a hole in the wall and I never knew this fusion restaurant existed until my sister mentioned it to me. Their roti was at least $1.50 cheaper than many other places which is a steal and the pancake was such an interesting texture + taste which I enjoyed plenty. The chicken wings stuffed with sticky rice was also interesting, it was really crispy and tasty.
My sister had ordered a tofu + chicken and rice dish and the sauce they had smelled amazing and it was a good amount of serving and delicious. I had the hainese chicken and their chicken serving was generous. What really amazed me was that they served their hainese chicken with hainese flavored rice, every other Malaysian location I went to serves hainese chicken with basic white rice.
The steps are a bit steep so I wouldn't come here if you're drunk as you might roll down the stairs but do try this place as they have great service, are never busy and in my opinion serve up some delicious malaysian/indonesian food.
A gem on a curved block that already is overflowing with winners, Sanur/Sanuria is my favorite Malaysian restaurant in Chinatown.
Located down a steep flight of stairs (to keep anyone with second thoughts), the restaurant is a rather small room with a fresh coat of paint and a few pieces of discount art of the walls. There are two, sometimes three woman who work both behind the cash register and circulate between the tables. Food comes quickly – fresh from the wok.
Over three visits in the past year, I've wandered my way through several noodle dishes, multiple versions of the roti and the occasional vegetable dish. That final one was a disappointment, just a steamed place of baicai, while in general everything else has been a winner.
As is usual in this part of town, the plates are large the portions filling. But the stir fries and sour curries are a nice change of pace from the Cantonese and Fujianese that dominates the streets. A fiery, spicy soup – although a total mess if I'm still wearing a work shirt – is the perfect way to clear out the sinuses from a day indoors.
I've never ordered the hainan chicken rice, but based on reviews here and what I've seen at other tables, it's probably best avoided. That dish is so specialized that it makes sense to head out to Queens for a place that only features the entree. Otherwise, dive into the menu and be impressed.
I don't understand why the good review. It's very subpar Malaysian food. I came here with my friend -also from Malaysia- to get a taste of home after being abroad for so long.
Sanur offers very mediocre Malaysian food. We tried nasi lemak, which by no means should anyone think their version of nasi lemak to be anything close to the real deal. There is no coconut milk in their rice (that's a crime), the sambal doesn't taste right (sourish onion chutney, that's me being kind), and the chicken curry (just leave it alone).
We also ordered their Penang Hokkien Mee (shrimp broth noodles). Took a bite of the rice vermicelli and soup, looked at each other, put down our utensils and asked for the check.
Our server did not even asked why we left the food mostly untouched. I guess it wasn't the first time they encounter the same reaction from other Malaysian dining at their restaurant.
Save yourself the calories, money, and heartaches. Flushing has a couple Malay restaurants that offer way better tasting Malaysian food then Sanur, or for the best versions but double the price tags-head to Rasa in East Village. So worth it.
I ordered the curry laksa. Basically the flavor of the curry was the only good thing about it. The noodles were too soft and completely lacking in chewiness. The toppings were also a bit meager, consisting of fish balls, imitation crab (which was mushy), vegetable slices, and one shrimp. Tau pok and char siu pork were notably missing.
Nothing fancy and the decor kind of a turn off but the food is really good. The restaurant may look dirty and in need of updating. Never had an experience where I had to rush to the bathroom after a meal here.
When I'm here I usually get the curry combination noodle soup. You can pick your own toppings. I usually get a mix of eggplant, fish paste, tofu. The noodle is a mix of rice noodle and yellow noodle. The curry is spicy but not too point where it is not edible. One of the better curry I have tasted in the area.
This places may look a little shady and dirty but it should not stop you from trying it. The food will not disappoint.
The curry beef noodle is always my favorite here. This place is a gem and it's hidden in a basement. For some reason, it's always empty for dinner – but I am not complaining, I can enjoy good food in good company. Quick service, quick amazing bite. Always get the roti.
Almost every time I visit Chinatown NYC I make it a point to goto this small, downstairs restaurant. Don't let the exterior fool you because the food is phenomenal and prices are cheap! Upstate NY Chinese food is much more expensive and portions are usually smaller. The entrance upstairs (ground level) is a quick sit down area hosting only a few two person tables and a tiny storefront selling Chinese, Malay, and Indo snacks. The staff speak fluent Chinese and decent English so there isn't difficulty asking about the food.
I take the staircase to the right of the mini store area down to the full service restaurant area and immediately be seated anywhere to my liking. Service is friendly and efficient, hot tea and water is brought to the table and kept full during the course of the meal. The Hainan Chicken which is a refreshing, bone in chicken that is cool to eat. By cool, I mean after the chicken is cooked, it takes a plunge into ice cold water so that it's skin is crunchy and meat is springy. This is definitely one of my favorite eats here and is always served at room temperature. This dish comes with two complementing dips: chili sauce and spring onion ginger oil. More importantly, you must order the special rice to accompany the Hainan Chicken. The rice is steamed with chicken oil and broth so it is very fragrant and completes the dining experience.
Occasionally I'll get curry noodle soup, lemongrass pork chops, Singapore mee fun, young chow fried rice, dried curry beef, salted fish casserole, roti, and some others. I definitely don't mind trying the other stuff but I am totally a sucker for the Hainan Chicken. I've never had a poor experience here before but I can see room for improvement especially since it appears to be a little run down.
Maybe I'll stop in for their "Economical Breakfast" when I'm in town….. cool eats for less than $3 from 8-11am!
After what felt like months and months of waiting, Sanuria has reopened after having done some renovation to their basement dining area. Although the walls are newly painted and the place is overall cleaner than what it once was, the food remained just as good as it was before. The cosmetic change to the dining area brings out more light and the new chairs are very comfy, probably because they're new chairs. The curry chicken still tastes just as good as before. The hainan chicken and rice is another classic dish that is done so well here. The chicken is smooth and succulent, not over cooked or dry.
They also have moon cake for sale on their upstairs (street level) shop. Flavors range from the classic fillings to things like durian paste. with about 2 dozen or so flavors, you have many options to try.