If it looks like Wagamama, and it smells like Wagamama, and they draw on your menu like its Wagamama, is it Wagamama? It seems that Jom Makan, a new entry to the London and Malaysian food scene in 2008, is trying to capitalise on the popularity of Wagamama style of cooking which ensures a quick turnover of patrons yet delivering decent quality food. In this case the restaurant, apparently backed by the Malaysian government in a bid to promote Malaysian cuisine, unfortunately does not deliver.

The menu is promising offering a wide variety of typical Malaysian dishes. We were very excited when we placed our order. Just like Wagamama they don’t guarantee that food will come out in any sort of order. And it didn’t. What I would call our mains (Beef Rendang, Mee Goreng and some Tofu curry dish) came out well before our satay sticks which, admittedly not being called starters, I still would have expected to come out first – not least because it should have been quick to cook.

Food is cooked fresh and to order (though really I hope that every restaurant does that) hence the no guarantee about food coming out in the right timing. Given this we expected that food would be piping hot when we received it. To our dismay no dish was hot – in fact no dish was even close to hot and, to make matters worse, I think the hottest thing on our table was my “iced” tea!! It was even fast. Taste wise the Beef Rendang was actually pretty good but the Mee Goreng (tasteless), Tofu Curry dish (way too watery) and chicken satay sticks (tasty but dry dry dry) were extremely disappointing.

The one redeeming factor at this restaurant. The service. It was superb and though wait staff are distinctly not Malaysian that didn’t really matter – service was present without being intrusive, very responsive and super friendly. Oh thinking about it our desserts of Pandan Cream Caramel and Sago Gula Melaka (Tapioca pearls topped with palm sugar and coconut cream) were actually pretty good (if a little over-sweet) and cheap (£2.85) though small in serve.

Would I go back? Well I love Malaysian food enough to maybe give it a second chance but the jury is still out.