Champor Champor

“Amazing“ Champor Champor delivers its creative take on Malaysian food against a “quirky” backdrop of incense-scented romance, with batik textiles and tribal artefacts adding exotic allure to the space – there’s even a table for two up in the mezzanine (“a good spot on date night”, notes a fan). Culinary ambition runs high here, with few classics left unmarked by the fusion brush – duck satay is served with almond-butter sauce and crispy lemongrass, spiced lamb fillet comes with sweet potato mascarpone and julienne of cucumber, while a king prawn curry is embellished with asparagus and butternut squash. You can still find beef rendang among the more innovative offerings on the “unusual but excellent menu” (along with a contingent of Thai dishes), although desserts return to crossover territory for the likes of tom yum brûlée or chocolate and chilli cheesecake. The eclectic list offers some interesting spice-friendly bottles at sympathetic prices.

Champor Champor is a Thai-Malay restaurant near London Bridge, where the food takes inspiration from Thai and Malaysian cuisine while the décor is influenced from cultures all over the world. In fact, the term ‘Champor Champor’ is Malay for ‘mix and match’, a fitting name that reflects the eclectic influences present throughout the menu and interiors.  

The dining room is boldly adorned with artefacts, artwork, table settings and finishings that reflect the vibrancy of the cultures they’re inspired by: imagine tribal masks fixed to the walls, tasseled lampshades and a giant mural of a cow acting as a focal point at one end of the room. Rich tones of purple and red dominate the decor while dark wooden furnishings add to the warm and romantic feel. Indeed, if you’re booking a table for two for date night, then make sure to request the mezzanine, which is a slightly raised table above the main restaurant. 

The food menu includes starters, mains, sides and desserts and offers a well-balanced selection of vegan, vegetarian and meat dishes. Whet your appetite with crispy calamari with five spice, salt and pepper ‘Champor Champor’ mayonnaise, lime and onion compote, or green papaya with crispy tofu, pomegranate somtam and roasted cashews. Mains are just as fragrant and exciting: think king river prawn yellow turmeric curry with egg cream and celery, pan fried red snapper with Malaysian sambal sauce and squid ink linguine and roasted squash laksa with crunchy chick peas, pak choi and pomegranate. Desserts offer Thai twists on classic ideas, with the likes of a chocolate and chilli cheesecake, Tom Yum brulee and green tea and pistachio parfait. 

The carefully chosen wine list offers a range of options that are well suited to the gutsy flavours on the food menu, along with a selection of beers, aperetifs, spirits, herbal infusions and other soft drinks.