Kawan, the first UK restaurant from Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng, better known as his YouTube alter ego Uncle Roger, opened six weeks ago in London's Chinatown. Despite Ng's 10 million subscribers, the restaurant is largely empty on a Thursday lunchtime, with few customers and a menu that fails to deliver.
Empty Seats and Poor Execution
At Kawan, located on Macclesfield Street, the staff are pleasant but the atmosphere is desolate. There are no queues of Gen Z fans or families with Uncle Roger-addicted children. Instead, a few mid-40s couples try dishes like the choco-orange ribs, inspired by Uncle Guga, one of Roger's collaborators. The problem: the restaurant relies on in-jokes that leave diners bewildered.
The bathroom is a small, 1970s-style single loo with a Tesco Value toilet duck, hardly preparing for 10 million hungry subscribers. The stairs are wallpapered with comic book pages that already feel dated. The design is cold and stark, encouraging quick meals.
Menu Mishaps
The menu is divided into four sections: small plates, Uncle Roger's Takes on British Classics, rice/noodles, and desserts. The British classics section includes a £28.90 Chinese wellington and fish and chips not inspired by Jamie. The choco-orange ribs, at £15.90, are described as "hideous," with a weird brown sludge that is neither chocolate nor orange. The wellington is pastry-wrapped chicken with cheap iceberg lettuce and coleslaw, served with pale-brown gravy.
The "golden parcel" wontons reminded one diner of Marks & Spencer party food, served on a salad of red onion. A woman across the room poked her electric blue pudding dumplings with a face resembling Edvard Munch's scream.
Fried Rice and Service
The fried rice from the village, a spicy balachan egg fried rice with seafood and vegetables for £15.90, is nice but not exceptional. London's Chinatown already offers plenty of great fried rice. A server repeatedly warned diners not to grab the bowl by the handle, as it might come off and spill the food.
Prices are around £40 a head, plus drinks and service. Despite the hype, Kawan fails to attract the crowds or deliver memorable dishes.
