All reader reviews by Chickenronnie

Jom Makan (Westfield)

The soulless restaurant was far quieter than its neighbours – and it soon became apparent why. I had been to the Jom Makan in Trafalgar Square soon after it had opened, and had been underwhelmed by the experience. How I longed for this visit to touch the giddy heights of ‘underwhelming’. Alarm bells started to ring as soon as we sat down, when the waiter informed us that three dishes were unavailable.

When the food arrived, the quality of the ingredients was abysmal. Jom Makan is not even on nodding terms with chicken breast – the ‘boneless chicken pieces’ in the ayam pandan was thigh meat, complete with gristle and bone. The kari ayam kentang – ‘Malay style chicken curry with potato’ – comprised two manky pieces of chicken and two tiny potatoes in a sauce that that tasted as if it had come out of a supermarket jar (and the ‘value’ range, at that).

The biggest disappointment was the kentang goring, which was described as ‘deep-fried potato chunks flavoured with curry leaf and served with garlic mayonnaise’. Perhaps foolishly expecting a Malay version of Bombay aloo, we were served a bowl full of rock-hard fried potatoes that would have been more at home on a Little Chef Olympic breakfast. Rather than being cooked in curry leaves, a couple of tiny slithers of something green were placed on top. And the ‘garlic mayonnaise’ was tomato ketchup.

What’s more, every dish was no warmer than tepid.

I only wish that I’d read the previous reviews before ‘dining’ in this establishment. If you eat in Jom Makan, it will be one of the most memorable meals of your life – for all the wrong reasons. Don’t be intrigued by the menu, as we were. Stick to Busaba Eathai or Wagamama.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0