Straits of Malacca Menu

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Visit below restaurant in Mason for healthy meals suggestion.

  • Andy K.

    After our disappointing trip to Emanu a few weeks ago, Jules and I were eager to find a fantastic new spot for our anniversary. However, after scouring the area, we didn't were having trouble finding somewhere new to try. However, when Jules stumbled across the reviews of Straits of Malacca, I was immediately hooked. Nestled in what must have surely been an old school building in downtown Mason, Straits of Malacca is absolutely unassuming. Upon entering? Ready yourself for a feast in every sense of the word. Honestly, I felt like a giant creeper while eating at Straits of Malacca. Every time a neighboring table's dishes arrived, I was constantly craning my neck to see what smelled so good! Now, I'd never had Malaysian food before. I knew from my man-crush on Anthony Bourdain (having read all of his books) that the ubiquitous dish in Singapore and Malaysia is "chicken rice"--poached chicken served over rice, with a variety of condiments and accouterments. What I was *not* expecting, however? The phenomenal barbecue that calls Malaysia home. Literally everything at Straits of Malacca was beyond delicious. We started with curry chicken puffs, which featured a savory blend of curried chicken, lentils, and potato in a flaky, buttery crust. Jules also ordered a mango salad which, rather than serving the standard green mango, featured fully ripe mango with greens, but served with a sesame oil dressing which turned the normally-sweet mango almost savory. Utterly brilliant. We decided to indulge in a communal barbecue plate, which may have been our best decision of the evening. Featuring three meats, we were served a beyond-tender poached chicken, two massive slices of crispy pork belly, and a massive serving of thinly sliced barbecued pork. With these, we also ordered garlic butter rice and a side of roti, which came served with a delectably spicy lentil curry sauce. The proteins were nothing short of life-changing. The chicken, which fell off the bone with ease, was buttery and delectable, made even better with just a dab of the bright red chili sauce served alongside it. The pork belly nearly dissolved on the tongue after two crunchy chews, leaving only its wonderful feel and flavor behind. And the barbecue pork? You'd figure that an Asian restaurant would be soy-heavy, but this barbecue sauce was an animal all its own, bringing the best of Indian, Chinese, and even Kansas City-style flavors. Upon finishing our meal, I was pleasantly stuffed, but absolutely ready to order more, simply to have another go at those delicious flavors. I wish I could give this place a 6th star--they're that good.

    (5)
  • Xiaoheng P.

    First I must apologize for the photo, the BBQ dish was too good, I late most of it before taking the picture xD This is easily one of the best asian restaurants in Cincinnati, I would leave a 10 star if I could. We went there for lunch with 5 people, and shared all the dishes that we ordered so we can sample them all. I must say, they were mostly AMAZing. Very high quality and prices were reasonable. The dishes that we ordered were 1) roasted BBQ pork & duck with soy sauced noodle 2) Mango with sticky rice 3) Beef in Nasi Lemak 4) Pork BBQ bun 5) Chicken Curry Puff 6) tofu puff with peanut sauce 7) Roti Canai Lets start from the top to the bottom, first is the roasted BBQ pork and duck with roasted soy sauced noodle. This is absolutely by far my favorite dish. Chewing the BBQ pork was like.... sex in the mouth. The pork they use is the fat belly pork, which has alternating layers of fat and meat, perfect for BBQing, with the outside smoked to crispy perfection and the inside remaining soft and tender. I been to a lot of asian places, even in asia, I dont think I ever came across any BBQ pork that was that good. The duck was awesomely cook as well, the skins are smoked to crispy perfection while the meat remained tender. Duck meat is actually very challenging to cook with, because duck has a very distinct flavor/smell to it, almost like a stench depending on whether you enjoy it or not. So when cooking duck meat, you have to find a way to tamper the duck flavor a little so its not so overwhelming, but not to the point where you lose the flavor; so there's that happy equilibrium that you have to try to achieve. which they did, again very impressed with the way they cook the proteins. The soy sauced noodle was good too, not too greasy or salty. The second dish was the mango with sticky rice. This is really more of a dessert than anything else. The dish is presented with almost a full mango, thinly sliced and layered over a small rice ball, both covered in sweet, creamy coconut water. Again very well made, the only thing I would improve on is probably making the rice a little softer. The third was beef in Nasi Lemak. We ordered this based off other yelp recommendations. It was indeed a solid choice. The meat was tender, and covered in sweet spicy sauce. Unfortunately my stomach couldn't tolerate spicy stuff (even though the dish was very mild), so i only had two bites. Nonetheless, i thoroughly enjoyed the sauce, especially mixing it with the jasmine rice. The remaining four items were mostly appetizers, the BBQ pork bun and chicken curry puff were okay. BBQ pork bun was .... not really what I expected, it wasn't bad... just not what I had in my mind. Likewise with the chicken curry puff. The tofu puff with peanut sauce was good. Kind of wish they had giving us some rice to go with that, i could have put some of that peanut sauce on top of the rice and turn it to a full meal :D. The last item is roti canai, very much similar to indian nann in my opinion. except it's little softer. Again very well made. Would order it again. All in all all, i was pleasantly surprise with the quality of the dishes. All the main dishes either hit or exceeded my expectation, especially the BBQ dishes. Those were mind blowing. What I like about their food is that its not too greasy or salty unlike many other asian places. Also, they post photos on the wall for most of the dishes so thats helpful you can see what each dish look like before ordering.

    (5)
  • Tessa X.

    So sad to hear that Straits of Malacca closed their doors! Every time I went there the food was always delicious and interesting, and the service was great. Downtown Mason just lost an amazing restaurant. :( I hope the family finds a new location soon - preferably closer to me!! facebook.com/StraitsOfMa…

    (5)
  • Elizabeth Y.

    The place is truly a hidden gem of Mason, Ohio. This authentic Malaysian restaurant occupies what used to be the Mason Municipal building! Inside you'll find 3 separate sections: a fine dining area, a bar room with live music, and a fast-casual room that features Malaysian street food. We chose the dining room. For starters, we ordered the mussels in a spicy basil sauce as well as the Popia (tangy peanut shrimp spring rolls). Both were excellent. For the main course, we opted for the BBQ sampler. This feeds 2 to 4 people--they aren't kidding, the portions are quite generous. One thing not noted on the menu: every extra bowl of rice is $2.50 extra. We also tried the Char Kueh Teow noodles which were mildly spicy and extremely flavorful. Overall service was wonderful. The owner of the restaurant constantly checked in with us, and his passion for the cuisine was obvious. I highly recommend this place to anyone who's looking to change it up! I will definitely be returning soon, and I look forward to experiencing the street food in Tiomen's Cafe!!

    (5)
  • Jane Y.

    Never thought I would find a great and authentic Malaysian restaurant in Ohio. I've traveled to Malaysia before and loved the food. I was honestly expecting Straits of Malacca to be "Americanized" or fusion style and I'm glad I was wrong. Walking in, I saw that there are two sections: a lunch side for quick meals and a dinner side with large tables and nice decor. There's also a bar area if you just want to grab tapas style food or drinks. I stopped by for dinner with a group of 8 people and we pretty much ordered a little of everything. Some of what we ordered included the Black Pepper Beef & Shrimp, Roast Duck, Fried Chicken, Calamari, Mango Rice, and Ondeh Ondeh. All the food was delicious, flavorful, and fresh. Great service + tasty food = I'll be back :)

    (5)
  • Lia V.

    Once upon a time there was a restaurant in Chicago (Sable) that served a crispy duck leg and I got it every time I went. Sadly, they got rid of it. I hadn't had duck (in a restaurant) since then, until I came to this charming restaurant in Mason. Really the only reason this doesn't get 5 stars is because the service is PAINFULLY slow. Why in the world would you only have one server for the whole dining room? That makes no sense. Anyway, the food was outstanding. We got a few dishes to share that were really tasty, but the winner winner was the BBQ CRISPY DUCK. I could not stop eating it. I went straight in for a leg before anyone else could claim it and it was to die for. SO FREAKING GOOD. If you like duck, you will LOVE this. The End.

    (4)
  • Peggy S.

    Great food, friendly service and nice atmosphere. It's a must experience! I went here for lunch with some friends. It came highly recommended and we weren't disappointed! I got the BBQ roast duck with soy noodles. The ducks and chicken they used hang in the diner style side of the restaurant. The duck was amazing. Crispy, flavorful and plentiful. The noodles were also tasty and came with a side of stir fried bok choy and hot dipping sauce. I have plenty left for lunch tomorrow ^-^ We also got a dessert to share. Shaved ice with cream, nuts, fruit and corn. It was crisp and refreshing, and plenty for 3 people! Bottom line: go and bring friends!

    (5)
  • Alexis D.

    I was very pleasantly surprised by this place - the food was excellent and generally authentic. I had one of the noodle dishes (I forget which) - it came with shrimp and a bit of a sauce, but not the one with the clear broth. I also had a lamb samosa which was delicious - some amazing flavor packed into the dough. I really, really hope people give it a try and keep coming back. It was pretty empty at the heart of lunchtime and the person I went with said it is normally empty. I would really like to see this restaurant make it - it will be part of my usual rotation.

    (5)
  • Scott K.

    One of our favorite hidden gems. Try something new. I've tried just about every appetizer and have yet to be disappointed. The half chicken and pepper steak are great. And I'm addicted to their flatbread. The curry sauce is delicious. The servers are extremely polite and the chef even came out to make sure one of the kids really just wanted white rice. He tried valiantly to get her to try something new. If there is one minor drawback, they're a tad slow, but it's worth it because everything is made so well.

    (5)
  • Julia M.

    My husband and I went here for our 5th wedding anniversary. We managed to walk in at 7 and get seated right away. It seems like it is a reservations only kind of place but we were lucky enough to get in that night. Everything that came from the kitchen looked and smelled amazing as it passed by. We decided on the mixed barbecue platter to try a little of everything and a curry chicken samosa to start. All of our food was absolutely amazing. The curry chicken samosa was flaky and so full of flavor. The various meats on the barbecue platter were the absolute star of the meal. We selected poached chicken, fried pork belly, and barbecue pork. At first poached chicken doesn't sound all that appetizing but whatever they do to it leaves the meat with all the juices locked in. The fried pork belly was the perfect combination of crunch and melting away. And the barbecue pork was dressed in this perfect sweet soy sauce based barbecue sauce. We also order sides of flat bread, buttered garlic rice, and lentils to complete the meal. I cannot wait to go back.

    (5)
  • Eric C.

    Food was good. I felt I was eating in my school cafeteria They need to work on ambiance.

    (3)
  • Derrick H.

    Awesome. Love the noodle soups here. The Hainanese chicken was okay too.

    (4)
  • Doug C.

    We ate on the side of the restaurant that offers table service. The food at the Straits of Malacca is very, very good. I typically order the day's special as the path of least resistance. Here, the heirloom tomato appetizer sourced from a local farm was incredible. The Malaysian version of the Caprese salad, made here, exceeds the original. We also had the lamb, which was incredibly good, too. Interestingly, the City of Mason now offers the best Chinese, Korean, and Malaysian food in the region. Maybe Thai, too, depending on one's opinion of Banana Leaf.

    (4)
  • Ian H.

    These restaurants are delightful, particularly the café which offers some fine examples of Malaysian street fare. It's well worth a visit to Mason, OH to give this gem a try!

    (4)
  • Nathan V.

    I'm not sure how Mason, Ohio became the suburban hub for ethnic cuisine, but I'll take it! I'd never had Malaysian food before, so I went in not knowing what to expect. I guess it makes sense given it's location, but this is true fusion cuisine. A mix of Indian, Thai, Chinese, and Hawaiin influences makes up a pretty diverse menu. I'm sure I'm even leaving a few out. The tapas menu allowed us to try a bunch of different things relatively inexpensively. They are $1 off during happy hour, and they offer drink specials as well. We tried a wide variety: roti canai, satays, spring rolls - all really good. What didn't make sense to me was how empty the place was. I hope it's not like that every night, cause I could see this in our normal rotation. Definitely worth a shot if you're looking for something different.

    (5)
  • Kelly K.

    I went here the other night with my husband and it was excellent! I don't remember everything we had because we did dinner tapas style. I know we had these wonderful pork belly mini hot buns with a crunchy salad on top. They were so delicious and mouth watering. We also had these lobster and veg dumplings that were served in a clear but fragrant broth. One of the sides was a spicy pineapple kimchee. My husband couldn't stop talking about this kimchee all night long. I was really surprised to find such good Malaysian food in Mason, Ohio but trust me this place is a must. The service was exemplary. The mood and ambiance was classic but cool. The restaurant is housed in an old Art Deco movie theatre which just adds another level of cool to this place. I definitely suggest you check this place out. Enjoy!

    (5)
  • Melissa P.

    Best restaurant in Cincinnati! It is our "go to place" for a wonderful meal. The roasted duck is the best I have ever tried. The rack of lamb is fabulous and the lemongrass sauce is out of this world. Great staff and the chef and owner are great. Smaller portion sizes which is fine by me and really great wine and beer list. Love this place.

    (5)
  • Yang W.

    This is a surprising find for Mason. I've tried several dishes and everything is delicious. This is one of my top 5 favorite asian restaurants in cincinnati. For lunch - I've tried several noodle dishes and they're all good. The portions are more than enough to make you full. My favorite - is the roast duck. It's made fresh so it's juicy and tender. I've even a whole duck to take home for Thanksgiving. For catering - They've catered once for my office. The food was much better than any Asian restaurant that we've catered from. Plus, the owners are really nice, and the restaurant's in a really nice art deco building.

    (5)
  • Heather T.

    Amazing food... Too bad we didn't get more than half of our order. We were the first people in the restaurant and waited forever for food. We had plans so eventually had to leave. Only two people in our party of 6 got to eat. Server charged us for the meal after the manager said that we only needed to pay for what we ate. I don't know about you but, I probably would have just made the entire thing on the house. Don't eat here unless you have several hours to stay.

    (1)
  • Nashville T.

    I would have preferred to give the Straits of Malacca a 2 1/2 star rating but Mason gets so few interesting restaurants, I gave them three stars for the following. The nicely renovated Art Deco (1939) building is just great. Lots of parking with an umbrella patio in the front. When you walk in, there is a bar to the right, a lunch cafe to the left and in the back is the dining room. Just a very elegant setting. The wine list is nice and there are some interesting Asian beers. The menu is called simple and exotic but the prices are high with entrees over $20. Your choices are lamb, a whitefish, duck, beef, lobster soup, lamb soup, a few appetizers and salads. It would be great if the menu included some noodle dishes or rice because the portions are not very big. I had an appetizer pork BBQ bun which was stale. Nicely presented but the waiter didn't really know enough about Malaysian cuisine to make it exciting to order. It would be great if the menu explained more, added another fish dish. It is also very loud. Perhaps if you get a table along the wall but everyone's voice carries and there were quite a few kids on a Saturday evening and the noise was bad. Perhaps next time, we will just eat appetizers in the bar which looked cozy. There was a group of Asian high school kids eating on the cafe side which closes at 3pm. The lunch menu would be great offered in the main dining room. For example, the lunch cafe offers roast duck BBQ, Roast chicken BBQ, Pork BBQ and Crispy Pork Belly. Yum. Something called Nasi Lemak with choice of Beef Rendang, Chicken Curry, served with coconut rice, peanuts, cucumber in spicy tamarind sauce. Sounds like a winner. Maybe the lunch chef could manage to cook evening as well.

    (3)
  • Ben C.

    It's a lovely restaurant with a very friendly staff. I enjoy authentic ethnic foods - and this really is authentic! They use local sources for their food (whenever possible). I had the noodles with shrimp and bean sprouts - I'll be returning soon!

    (5)
  • Pat S.

    Straits has become my new regional favorite .the food was exceptional last week. The flat bread and mango coconut was to die for. My scallops were very good and the presentation exceptional. I thought the normal drink prices were a little high, but the food was very reasonable. I'm amazed that such a good restaurant is hidden away in downtown Mason! It's worth the drive from anywhere.

    (4)
  • Richard R.

    Malaysian Fusion at its best. Don't miss this gem located in Mason.

    (4)
  • Mary B.

    We arrived at this attractive art deco building on a Saturday night with a 91 yr old relative who can't eat spicy food and can't hear with loud background noise or music ---- and the Straits of Malacca accommodated us quite well. The engaging waiter made sure all her choices were made "without heat," while the rest of us indulged in delicious, spicy Malaysia fare. The live combo in the bar was enjoyable background music, but did not inhibit our conversation in the dining room. We started with popiah (spring rolls, the Taste of Cincinnati winner, a must try!), cucar undang (fritters), and tom yam har kow (dumpling soup) which were all very delectable. As stated, they removed the spice for the dumpling soup for one diner, but both spicy and non were tasty. For entrees, we had Scallops of Swing (one full, one half portion --- jalapeno salsa, eggplant & veggies, pandan infused red rice), and Ikan Panggang (grilled salmon w/ veggies & roasted eggplant sambal). The presentations were well done and aside from a complaint about the salmon being on the dry side, we all had high praise for the quality and taste of our entrees. One complaint is that our table was in the corner of the restaurant next to where audio equipment is stored, which seemed strange. A simple decorative screen which space allowed. would have helped the aesthetics. A minor complaint, but worth mentioning.

    (4)
  • Rory B.

    the first dish i had was pretty boring and nothing special. but the place smelled so good i knew that i must have just ordered the wrong dish. upon my return i was delighted with the result. the pork belly is the way to go here. just delicious. next i will have the roast duck. man i want some of it right now!

    (4)
  • E Y.

    I've been to Tioman Cafe about half a dozen times only a couple of months.Very authentic (I grew up in Malaysia). Beware that dishes like Kari Mee and Hainan Chicken will have meat on the bone, which is how it is supposed to be prepared. Fried and barbecued items also especially good. My only complaint is that sometimes they are out of dishes or ingredients.

    (5)
  • Amy C.

    Not sure how to rate this - the hainan chicken rice was not like what I had in Singapore but I am in Ohio, so can only expect so much. The dish didn't come with soup or soy sauce, the chicken was a little dry and the rice tasted off. Maybe this is a Malay version so I could give benefit of doubt. It wasn't so bad that I wouldn't return to try something else, but I wouldn't have the chicken rice again. Staff was really nice and service was fast. Atmosphere and setup is more like a Panera setup (order and then they call your name to get the food)

    (2)
  • Shelley H.

    Yum! We love it. We have been four times. We have sat inside in the bar area and outside on their patio. There is a fine dining room and a cafe as well. We have tried almost everything on the menu as we go with another couple and sample each other's dishes. The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable. The wine tasting on Wednesdays is a bonus.

    (5)
  • Carolyn Q.

    So surprised at how GREAT the food was at this restaurant! And the staff was lovely. We will definitely be back to try more of the delicious dishes. I would give it a 5 star rating but the "cafe" atmosphere was a little lacking. Food was fabulous!

    (4)
  • Jill R.

    I was in Mason for work and decided to check this place out. I just ordered from the main dinner menu while sitting at the bar because I was dining alone. Fantastic food! Good quality ingredients and nice spice level. They had half price craft beers on Thursdays too - cant beat that. The staff was super friendly and I talked with the owner about vacation destinations in Malaysia and SE Asia for quite a while. The building used to be an old government administration building, so it's easy to pass by since it doesn't look like a typical restaurant. If you want a break from the endless chain restaurants in town - come here! I know the menu changes seasonally, but I had the scallop dish and it was awesome! This place wasn't crowded when I went, so I really hope more people discover it so that it will be around for a long time.

    (5)
  • LoongYi T.

    Went here for the lunch at the cafe. Reasonable priced at 7-8 dollars a plate. Ordered the Char Kuey Teow, Curry Mee, and Beef Rendang Nasi Lemak, and Roti Canai. The roti was pretty good and fresh. The Char Kuey Teow was pretty taste and it had the correct aroma. The Curry Mee was ok but the soup was a little bland. The beef rendang Nasi Lemak had a great spicing. In conclusion, I'd highly recommend the Char Kuey Teow if you come here.

    (4)
  • Quan D.

    Quick Summary: Excellent food, excellent value, with a quick and awesome staff. how much more could you ask for?! The lady has been doing some consulting on OH for the past 6 mos and this is her go to place. At least once a week she says... sometimes 2x. And after visiting here I can see why! The restaurant has two sides to it, a lunch side where you can grab a quick malay meal, kind of like a deli/panda express style place... but with much better quality food. And then there's their nicer side, much more elegant, perfect for date night or something a little more fancy. The food is in a word awesome... just straight awesome. Delicious and flavorful, yet light... though I ate so much I was stuffed... it wasn't a heavy stuffed like when I eat half a large pizza. I couldn't tell you the dishes we had since it was all ordered for me... but let me assure you that it is amazing food! The staff was very friendly and the chef even came out to greet us. I'm definitely jealous that the lady will be back here much sooner than I will :)

    (5)
  • Feier C.

    Delicious and surprisingly not as expensive as would have expected for the quality and presentation!

    (4)
  • Doug W.

    Wonderful new find in Mason. I unfortunately don't get this way too often, but that might need to change! The food was perfectly prepared, with complex and rich flavors. The mango salad paired nicely -- we shared the entree that was featured, a filet, which melted in your mouth. For those that might be leery of trying Malaysian, ask the servers for suggestions. They won't steer you wrong.

    (5)
  • Kim W.

    My new favorite restaurant!! I'm officially obsessed with Malaysian food and now must plan a trip to Malaysia!! I had delicious Hainanese chicken rice on a recent trip to a faraway night market and returned to Cincinnati determined to find the same dish here. I'm so glad I discovered this place. Came here for lunch to the Tioman Cafe section of Straits of Malacca. Was greeted by a super friendly guy, Peter, who gave us the run down and talked us through the photo menu on the wall. I knew I wanted the Hainanese chicken rice but we also ordered a few more dishes based on his recommendations. The beef in the Nasi Lemak was mind blowingly flavorful and paired perfectly with the fragrant coconut rice. The Char Kueh Teow was a delicious noodle dish, not swimming in grease like most other Asian restaurants serve. The noodles were perfectly cooked and flavorful, shrimp were huge, and every bite was light and delicious. It reminded me of Thai Pad SeeEw but this was better! The Hainanese chicken rice also hit the spot. I got the Roti canai and it was probably the best thing I ever ate!! I can put away many shares of Indian naan but something about the Roti here was so fresh, flavorful, and heavenly that I'm craving it nonstop. You must order this! For dessert I had the mango sago which was the perfect finish to this meal. It had mango chunks, tapioca sago, and a sweet icy base. I was mind blown by how much I enjoyed every dish, so light and fresh! The service was top notch and I enjoyed looking at the brochure photos of Malaysia and it's beautiful beaches and scuba diving. I will most certainly be back, and often. I can't wait to come here for dinner, and also to return for lunch and stuff lots more roti into my salivating mouth! You don't know what you've been missing until you come here and give Malaysian food a try. Ask for recommendations if you're not sure what to order. Everything I ate was 5-star worthy!! Even the leftovers cold out of the fridge were fantastic!

    (5)
  • Elaine W.

    Exceptional service. No question this is as good as Asian food gets in Cincinnati (I love Tioman cafe--the less fancy, street food restaurant in front is my fave). But have I mentioned the service??! Family who owns the restaurant is phenomenal at catering to their customers' needs. They accommodate birthday requests and can seat large parties. At my last birthday, my friends special-ordered the prosperity salad. You have to call ahead of time so that Chef Paul can secure the necessary fresh ingredients (it's normally eaten around the lunar new year). Honestly, I would host every surprise birthday here, but then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore. They can even cater for business events and are easy to work with. In fact, they will take that extra step to make your event special, treating it as if it were their own. Oh and did I mention that they have a foodie club? Chef Paul even had Alaskan crab flown in for one of the food club meals because that was the only way to get the real deal. That's the passion in this kitchen.

    (5)
  • Kelsey H.

    this place has AAAAMAZING food!! I've lived in California for a year and I'm always impressed when Ohioans can push out better Asian food than the westcoasters. MY top 2 dishes: -Mango salad: more mango than salad, but the mango is juicy and sweet! A great light appetizer before a huge meal -Steamed tilapia: they serve it as a whole fish but never fear, if you don't like staring down the mouth of a fish they can take the "more animal-looking" parts off. We got the black bean sauce which was too sweet for me, but super flavorful. My family's top 2 dishes: -we got a WHOLE duck and the thing was MASSIVE!! Super juicy and delicious, roasted, so the natural meaty gamey flavor of the duck was up front and center, complimented by a great sauce on the side. -Crispy pork belly: super flavorful and fatty, with a crispy fried skin! One of those "stomach ache on a plate" dishes if you eat too much, but such a must-try. We also tried the bok choy, roast chicken, the lamb curry, some flat rice noodle dish with shrimp and a fried rice dish with shrimp and all of them were delicious! This is definitely somewhere to go back to in the near future.

    (5)
  • Celeste W.

    Pretty decent restaurant! As a Malaysian, I recommend this place, of course it won't taste exactly like home but the food is good! I took one star off is because dinner is a little bit pricey. Do go during lunch hour where they have the cheaper version available. Get their dessert, it's awesome!

    (4)
  • Steve A.

    This is a hidden gem in Mason! Alvin is a great bartender/host! The food is great and he explains all of the details of it! Would recommend to anyone wanting a quiet, great meal at a good price!

    (5)
  • Richard P.

    (This review is for Cafe Tioman) Last winter, while eating at Merlion in Columbus, we ran into a couple of Malaysian-Chinese from Cincinnati who tipped us off to Straits of Malacca. Like any good Ohioans, they insisted the Malaysian restaurant in their city was the better one. So of course we had to go check it out. Mason seems to me an unlikely place to find a Malaysian restaurant. But the choice of building is inspired - an old art deco building from the 30s that has the feel of the kind of place you would run across in Malacca or Penang. Cafe Tioman has that feel - a casual dining room with a order counter with glass display cases full of Malaysian desserts, Chinese roast duck, curry puffs, and other delicacies. We ordered the roti canai, char kway teow, and nasi lemak. Roti canai are Indian-influence flat bread, thin, flaky, and puffy, accompanied by a curry dipping sauce. The roti were nice and tender, pulling apart easily for dipping in the sauce. The dipping sauce was lentil-based; frankly, I missed the classic chicken-potato curry dipping sauce you get in Singapore, but the lentil curry had a good flavor and was a nice variation to find here in Ohio. Char kway teow is a Chinese-influenced dish of stir-fried noodles with shrimp, bean sprouts, and scallions; what distinguishes char kway teow is the mix of two kinds of noodles - thin yellow egg noodles and flat, wide rice noodles. There are many variations across SE Asia, and I confess I again favor the Singaporean version, which uses a lot of dark, heavy soy sauce. Cafe Tioman's version is clearer and lighter, but nicely cooked with lots of plump shrimp and crisp bean sprouts. The nasi lemak was the star of the meal - coconut-flavored rice with a hearty serving of rendang (a stew of beef and coconut milk), achar (Malaysian-style pickled carrots and cucumbers), raw cucumber, half a boiled egg, and sambal (chili sauce with onion and anchovy). This was a beautifully put together dish and that tasted as good as it looked, and of a quality that made no concessions for being in suburban Cincinnati instead of Malaysia. In the end, like any good Ohioan I still think my city's Malaysian restaurant (Merlion, in Columbus, in case you're wondering) is better. But Cafe Tioman puts out great food, and I'll be back whenever I'm in the vicinity.

    (4)
  • Tabitha M.

    So the hubby and I have been on a Thai kick lately, but after scanning through reviews of places nearby I asked if he had ever had Malaysian food. Neither of us had tried it before and decided to go on a bit of a culinary adventure. We've never been wrong sticking with Asian food...Thai, Indian, Japanese, etc...so we figured we would be "safe". And I am sooo glad we decided to branch out. We entered the restaurant through the Tioman Cafe space, which is open for lunch, and I met my husband's gaze when the scent of spice and meat hit and smiled. So far so good. We were there before the major Friday dinner crowd hit so we were seated immediately at Langkawi Spice, no reservation needed. Though by the time we left the dining room was getting crowded. He stuck with water, and since we had been talking about them earlier in the week causing a craving and they had them on the menu, I ordered a mojito. I know, kind of an odd choice, but it had to be a sign! And it was gooood. We ordered the Calamari Goreng for an appetizer and I ordered the spicy Malaysian fried chicken and when he saw the option of picking a meat sampler platter, there was no question what my husband would be opting for...his 3 chosen options were the duck, the pork belly & the roasted chicken. He also put in for a side order of garlic rice since his dish only came with the meat. The calamari was delicious, tender rings in a spicy batter. The remoulade dipping sauce tasty vaguely of curry and was a nice counterpart to the spicy/sweet pineapple kimchi. The spices used in the batter on the calamari were definitely again present in the spicy fried chicken...it reminded me of cinnamon/allspice/cloves...delicious. And I think the spicy part of the name meant more full of spices versus hot, ala jalapenos. Both this and the hubby's dish were on the family style menu, so there were enough leftovers to take home (note, it was yummy cold for breakfast the next day). The husband's meat platter was chocka full, so we shared and brought some home of it as well. A mound of small pieces of crusted pork belly, yummy dipped in a spicy hot condiment that was included on the plate. The duck...OMG...I think they put some addictive substance in the sauce/gravy, sweet to offset the spices on the skin of the duck. The roast chicken was good, but a tiny bit dry...we probably would sub it for another option next time. It just couldn't compete with the other 2 items. The garlic rice was nice and I am glad he didn't order the soy sauce noodles that is another side option...I think the flavor of the soy would contrast too much with the predominant flavors of the meat. Only hiccup was that my order was supposed to come with rice and it was missed, but the husband's side was generous enough we had plenty. We will definitely be back, I think probably for the lunch side, since the street food/small plate menu looked wonderful. Since Langkawi can be a bit pricey, it might be a better option if you are being mindful of your wallet.

    (4)
  • Chris C.

    A group of 12 friends ate here, with a reservation, on Tuesday night. The owner and bartenders were very friendly and helpful. The restaurant was very clean, including the bathroom. The waitress was nice but seemed a bit overwhelmed trying to serve 12 people who each ordered 2 or 3 food items. She seemed to have a long walk from the kitchen, only being able to carry a few items at a time - no tray? The kitchen put out the food, or it was picked up, in a random order. I had placed my order probably in the middle of the group, but I was the last to get any of my food (even though I ordered some of the same items as those next to me). My friend across the table had received and eaten both of her items before I was ever served my first food item! My friends did offer to share with me, so I wasn't starving, but it seemed odd that those who ordered last at the table had gotten their food before I did. The food was interesting and plated in a very attractive way. All the four different items that I tried were good, especially the coconut flavored sauce and the peanut sauce. I tried the Popiah, Vadai, Stuffed Tofu Puffs and Roti Canai, with the Popiah being my favorite.

    (4)
  • John C.

    We came in for drinks to support our local merchants and discovered the Eppa White Sangria. It takes a while to prepare, but it's totally worth it. Mango goodness that makes your mouth want to smile.

    (4)
  • L K.

    Authentic malaysian food. Malaysian inspired salad geniusly made with locally available fruits like mangoes and avacados. If u know.a specific malaysian dish, they might make it for u. Will definitely come her again if I am in town.

    (5)
  • Anna L.

    Anything is better than food inside King's Island and Straits of Malacca is worth the 8 minute drive from the park. You walk in and it's like a very casual cafe with semi-self service. Dishes of the day with their photos are pinned onto the corkboard. While many of the dishes are Malaysian-based, it seems to be a mish-mash of Asian influences. I was a little confused on the process at first, but the waitress explained to us that you go up to the counter to order, pay, and she will bring out the food. Seating is at your leisure - either on the patio or inside. Each table is suitable for 2 people so for a table of 4+1 highchair, we ended up pulling over the table next to us. You grab your silverware and napkins upfront to set yourself. We got 2 mini BBQ buns for $1.50 each as an appetizer - probably not the best I've had considering they were sitting under a heating lamp for quite some time. The dough was quite dry, filling cold, and the glaze on top was incredibly sugary & sticky. I had the Nasi Lemak w/ beef - spicy and a little on the sweet side. I thought the tamarind sauce would've balanced it out, but I must've missed something sour? The cucumber slices were a bit dry as if they've been sitting out and the coconut rice sure didn't smell or taste very fragrant. My boyfriend had the Hainanese chicken. The chicken seemed to be cooked perfectly, but by Western-standards if someone saw red bone marrow, they'd shriek. The rice appeared a little dry? Taste - I can't judge because he gobbled it down so fast, but the presentation was nice. Mason is very lucky to have an ethnic eatery. Service can be a bit better as they brought out 2 wrong orders to us, but it's a good place to get a quick, affordable meal close to King's Island. Saves you some time to jump on some extra rides.

    (3)
  • Dihlin W.

    This place is straight fire. The barbeque meats are absolutely savage. Ethnic food can't ever be more authentic in the 513. Come educate your taste buds and satisfy your cravings for the delicious, decadent delicacies here at Straits of Malaka..

    (5)
  • lisa w.

    Truly exceptional service. Ambiance was lovely fine dining. Delicious original and fresh fruit-infused martinis. My favorite was Summer Dream. We had Nasi Goreng Kampung and the Mixed Grill Platter with Roast Duck, Crispy Pork Belly and Hainanese Chicken. Everything tasted delectable, but truthfully, we both wanted a little more heat/spice. (We wondered if this was just our particular selections or the attempt to cater to a suburban fine dining crowd. But as you can see I did not take off any stars because given the exceptional preparation and service, I assume that the next time we go it will be perfect!

    (5)
  • Dale H.

    My hubby and I ventured to Straits of Malacca upon a reco from a friend. Apparently the owner is the chef from Sichuan Bistro. It was lunchtime, and we ate at Tioman Cafe, described as serving Malaysian street food. It is only open during lunch hours. (Believe that the dinner restaurant is right next door.) Delicious Malaysian food! Loved the roast duck, roast pork belly and bbq pork hanging behind glass at the counter! Just like Chinatown back home! It is cafeteria-style, where you order, pay, and are given a number on a stick to place on your table. Then the food is brought to you. It seemed to be a two-man show this Sunday at lunch time, and the food came out as it was prepared. The table of three nearby was served in an untimely fashion- one guy was served fairly quickly. The other two waited quite a while to receive their food. We ordered one side dish, the crispy pork belly, and two mains - the Char Kway Teow and Wonton Mee. Luckily we were sharing all, since the CKT came out first and the others followeed quite a bit later. The CKT was delicious! Fresh wide rice noodles in a delightful brown sauce (they described it as dark soy) with bean sprouts and shrimp. The bbq pork had a wonderfully crispy skin and we both enjoyed the wonton mee as well. It had egg noodles in a yummy broth, about four chicken wontons, and a nice amount of bbq pork. Yummo! I docked one star because of the timing of the food service, and the tables could have been cleaner. There were crumbs on ours. We will be back!!!

    (4)
  • Michelle P.

    This was very disappointing! The food was okay, the service terrible... And we were there post lunch crowd at 2:40! Don't think we'll go back.

    (1)
  • Sherry T.

    Comfortable atmosphere and friendly service but the food is all over the place. Our samosas and lamb curry were tasty, but the curry came to the table lukewarm. The mango salad was kind of blah and the steamed oysters were downright nasty. Dessert was a disaster with creme brûlée that looked like scrambled eggs and tapioca that was the consistency of soup.

    (2)
  • joe n.

    Run, don't walk, to Straits of Malacca if you're within 100 miles of Mason - it's that good! I don't give out 5 stars easily, but Straits deserves it hands down. Everything we had was top rate delicious - chicken, beef, veggies, dessert all 5 stars. My son-in-law, who is not adventurous at all when it comes to food, loves it and will be back. DO NOT be put off by Malaysian menu names - look at the descriptions and you will see there is nothing exotically absurd. We had the Roast Chicken, Bok Choy, Sarawak Black Pepper Beef Steak, Pumpkin Scallops and Vegan Delight for four adults - every dish was superb. The chicken was so tender and tasty it almost defies description - just superb. My wife must eat gluten free and the menu highlights GF items - she also avoids spicy foods which was not an issue here. On top of this the service was friendly, prompt and super courteous - the owner came out and spent a good amount of time talking to us - just a superb dining experience. The space is well done and a delight to see. Miss this and you will miss a truly superb dining experience. Foodies - do not miss this one!

    (5)
  • Nina S.

    My favorite place in Cincinnati area for a large authentic asian soup for lunch. I have only eaten off their Tioman Café (Lunch) menu. My usual is the Wonton Mee with BBQ pork. Whole roast duck(s) hang in their grill window, and you buy them for $30 a piece! Highly recommend if you love asian noodles and soup!

    (5)
  • Caroline C.

    Tioman Cafe is the fast-casual section of the triad of restaurants that is Straits of Malacca. The hours are listed as Monday through Saturday 11-3 but I wish they were open for dinner because I would definitely like to come back here at different times of the day and perhaps get takeout. Anyway, in an attempt to clear up some confusion, at Tioman Cafe you order at the counter and then they bring your order to you at your table. Right, so the food. Malaysian in Cincinnati! I'm not even sure if this existed before other than a few wayward dishes on a Pan-Asian menu. I got the Nasi Lemak which I very much enjoyed with the beef rendang. The manager described it as the National Dish of Malaysia, so of course it's worth trying. He also called out the Char Keuh Teow which basically sounded like a rice noodle dish (not unlike a Pad Thai just without the peanut sauce). They also recently added Laksa to the menu, which I love (coconut curry broth... kind of a no-brainer). I'll be heading back for that one when a craving strikes. My best advice is to do some experimenting. I love Char Siu and had that as well (which isn't a traditional Malaysian dish) but it's really hard to find around these parts. Especially presented in the traditional Cantonese BBQ fashion. I also had the Malaysian tea (not unlike a Thai iced tea) which comes with optional boba. It's also worth noting that they serve regular teas, smoothies and coffee drinks. All in all, it's worth enduring some confusion to give Tioman Cafe a try. Perhaps if we can create some Yelp demand they'll keep it open for dinnertime hours as well.

    (4)
  • Naz B.

    (This review is about the more cafetaria style Tioman Cafe part of Straits of Malacca) This was (somewhat shockingly) the best Malaysian food I have had in the US. The Hainanese chicken rice was delicious (ask for the ginger garlic sauce), the nasi lemak was coconut-y and the kari mee spicy and warming. The curry puffs were good but I would have preferred to have the more traditionally used pastry instead of puff pastry. Also, they need to have more filling than pastry. The teh tarik (spiced black tea with milk - pulled so that it has a frothy top) and kopi (strong coffee with condensed milk) took me back home. The owner was very dedicated to making sure we loved the food. He checked on us often. He shared the story of how they came to open a Malaysian restaurant in Mason, OH. His brother is the chef. They are both from Kuala Lumpur. I was on their site and saw that the chef used to work at a place called Table in Cincinnati...that explains some of the more modern/French-Malaysian fusion entrees I saw. They looked delicious as well but I was there for the more homey meals. They have 2 other spaces in the building for a more formal sit down/tapas dinner/lunch. He mentioned they also do wine tastings and other drink specials during the week. We were here on a Sat afternoon so we stuck to the more casual Tioman Cafe. If you are new to Malaysian food, I recommend ordering the satay, chicken curry, roti canai, beef rendang (beef braised slowly in spices + coconut milk) and ending with one of their pandan based desserts. When you are ready to move on to the "advanced level", check out the nasi lemak and chicken rice! Be warned that they seem to use bone in chicken/duck/pork - this is how we do in Singapore/Malaysia. The bones add so much more flavour to the meat. I am still upset that I missed out on their homemade kaya (slow cooked coconut jam). I suggested they make crepes with kaya...and apparently they already do. Sigh. I know this reads like I got paid for it (I totally didn't!) but it really is a culinary gem in what seems like a town with fairly limited ethnic restaurants. It made my visit to Cincinnati seem like a visit back home to Singapore. Damn it, Straits of Malacca. Why you so far away!

    (4)
  • Shannon J.

    Really enjoyed my visit. We got there just after 11am and I kind of regret that as it seemed that they weren't quite ready? The doors were still locked and I had to call to make sure they were opened today. But anyway they let us in and it was a nice experience and very welcoming. The chicken curry puffs were really tasty. I had the Hainanese Chicken and it was great. I can't wait to go back and try some other things!

    (4)
  • Reshmi N.

    Excellent food .. Slightly expensive ... But worth a visit ... Good staff especially the top chef/owner mr Paul ....so humble n a stature of perfect hospitality ... Less quantity but quality food ...

    (4)
  • Amanda C.

    Yum! The dinner menu might not be "authentic" Malaysian food, but it is authentically tasty! The food showed an attention to detail and genuine care in preparation, evident in beautifully seared scallops, interesting sauces and some deliciously unusual offerings like pork belly puffs. I would describe the food as a mix of Asian styles, being able to trace Thai, Chinese and Indian influences in different dishes. There's some definite spice here, which was a bit surprising to me (I am a bona-fide "spice weenie," but I ate everything anyway, since it was yummy). This is a great date restaurant. The ambiance is only disturbed by the less-than-romantic view of a side street and blank brick wall out the large windows. But content yourself with looking at your date and the food in front of you, I suppose. Why four stars? My husband felt his pork was a tad on the dry side, and the service, while good, wasn't exemplary. When I asked for her opinion, the waitress demurred from recommending anything on the menu, only telling me what was popular.

    (4)
  • Chris G.

    We have eaten in the main dining area, Straights, and in Tioman Cafe, the casual restaurant, but we have not yet eaten in the Tapas bar area. Straights, the evening section, is good food with a hint of Asian, but mainly typical fancy "new American" food. Everything looked and tasted delicious, but was a bit expensive. The Tioman Cafe is casual and open for lunch. You do order at the counter and they bring the food to you. They are very helpful and we have tried almost everything on this menu and have yet to try something we didn't like. It's great to have another ethnic option close to home and Malaysian food is full of flavor.

    (4)
  • Steve H.

    This is our first time here and we got it for carry out. We will definitely be back. The food was very good. We order Beef & Chicken Satay, Mix Duck Sampler, Char Kueh Teow and Keong Choong Ngow. They were all very tasty and delicious. This Tioman Cafe is now open for dinner but you have to order in the main dining room. It's a little confusing but simple to understand when they explain it to you. They will open the BBQ on the deck in the summer. The had Rivertown Brewery there tonight for a beer tasting but we missed it because we ordered for carry out. Rivertown Brewery, 5 for $15!! You can't beat that. The service and family was very nice. That is a big deal for me. He chatted with me for 10 minutes about the restaurant and events in Mason. I recommend you try it!

    (4)

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Opening Hours

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Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : Yes
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Street, Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Straits of Malacca

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