Conveniently located next to Franca Manca is Ekachai, a south-east Asian restaurant chain of 3 or 4 that seems to really specialise in Malaysian with some added Thai. The service isn't overly attentive and so it is fitting that they don't charge service automatically.
- Soft shell crab £6.95 - a relatively big soft shell crab fried with a thick coat until crisp with very juicy meat;
- Seafood curry laksa £9.95 - it isn't very spicy but the curry flavour is the Malaysian style and not the Thai one that most people would probably expect. They are unexpectedly generous with the amount of seafood including green-lip mussels, prawns and calamari. I would prefer thick egg noodles rather than the thin rice ones but that will be the request for next time;
- Char kway teow prawn £9.95 - a fancier serving style but again a good serve of prawns. It was mildly smokey and probably could have used more of it but still good. Lime isn't really standard either but creates some contrast if you like.
Not bad at all and happy that it is closeby. Will definitely come back.
Add-on 11-2018
I've been back a few times and still enjoy the laksa.
However the rendang was a waste of time. It was a generic curry and not cooked down to the thick flavoursome coconut mass that it should be. The roti was alright though.