Sambal Shiok teams up with Kiln's wine expert ahead of laksa bar launch

The Holloway Road restaurant aims to launch on 12 June, and will serve founder Mandy Yin’s signature Malaysian laksa, alongside a selection of small plates. 

Wilson, the wine expert that has consulted for the likes of Smoking Goat and Kiln, has chosen the wines to match with the coconut and spice flavours found in Malaysian dishes. 

“Riesling goes well with laksa because it is a very aromatic grape,” says Wilson. “It has a high natural acidity which helps cut through the rich creaminess of the coconut soup, and a bit of sugar helps to dampen the chilli heat.” 

Wilson’s wine list will comprise a sparkling Riesling; a white Rioja; a Sicilian Grillo; three different dry Rieslings; and one Sicilian Nero d’Avola. 

The food menu is yet to be confirmed, but is likely to include fish curry, beef rendang, and gado-gado (aka lotek) salad dishes.

Founded in 2013, Sambal Shiok started out as a street food stall, serving satay and rendang burgers, rice boxes and salads. Customer demand led her to focus on laksa, however, which Yin served at a series of pop ups at venues including the Newman Arms in Fitzrovia; Salvation in Noodles in Finsbury Park; the Sun and 13 Cantons in Soho; and Green Lanes. 

Yin’s laksa has earned her glowing reviews from the likes of Jay Rayner at her previous residencies.  

"I take inspiration from everything I ate in my childhood growing up in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia,” says Yin on her style of cooking. “Then I mix it up and put a new slant on it." 

2018 has seen a number of new openings in the Highbury area, including Zia Lucia pizzeria, which will neighbour the site Sambal Shiok has acquired.