Salil Mehta, who owns Union Square's Michelin-approved Malaysian eatery Laut, has expanded his operation across the East River into Williamsburg, where he's opened Pasar Malam with his wife Stacey. The restaurant, which means "night market" in Malaysian, serves traditional Malaysian and other Southeast Asian specialties in an open and vibrant railroad-style space on Grand Street, reflective of the street vendors and their accoutrement that inspired the restaurant.
You'll find lots of funky flavors on the menu, including dishes made with shrimp paste, sambal and even durian, the nearly-Hallucinogenic fruit that can bowl over a grown adult with its smell. The menu is extensive, ranging from a simple serving of edamame ($4) or chicken satay ($6.5) to more complex dishes like the Baba Fish Head Curry ($19) with okra, string beans, jalapeno and a spicy coconut milk curry and the fiery Singapore Chili Crab ($20) made with soft shell crabs, eggs, garlic, ginger and a chili tomato sauce.
More approachable noodle dishes like the Char Kway Teow ($10)—flat noodles with chives, bean sprouts, eggs and chili sauce—are good for first timers, likewise the Sambal Fried Rice ($10) with a fried egg or their version of Beef Rendang ($18). They're also doing Roti right, with quite a few ways to enjoy the flaky and tender flat bread synonymous with Southeast Asian street food. Try to as Roti Canai ($6), served with a spicy curry dip; as meal with more sustenance in the Murtabak ($9), a pancake with curried ground beef, egg, onion and hot pepper; or the fusion Roti Elvis ($9) with peanut butter and banana.
208 Grand Street, 718-487-4576; website. Open seven days a week, 3 p.m. to midnight
