Aux Epices

*Must Try: Seafood Udon. Comes with an abundance of different seafood in a very tasty soup broth. (Note: Not spicy.)
*Appetizers: Crispy duck rolls, and Pork Belly buns. Both were good, but if I had to choose one, I’d pick the pork belly buns.
*Skip dessert. The chocolate cake was bland, rice pudding tasted more like oatmeal, and there was nothing special about the flan.
*The bathroom was a bit interesting. Think: airplane bathrooms.
**Upping one a star because the business owner actually takes time to read and respond to all the reviews here. That makes me believe they are really trying to find out what the customers like and don’t like and how to make things even better. Good Job!**

Aux Epices has been on my Unilocal bookmarks list for a while. I had never heard anything like French/​Malaysian fusion. So for a recent GNO, we decided to give this place a try. They don’t take online ressos for anything more than 2 people, which is weird. So if you have a party bigger than 2, you deffo want to call ahead because the place is pretty small.
To start, we ordered a bunch of appetizers to share. Here is what we went with:
Satay tofu (crispy tofu/​bean sprouts/​cucumber/​peanut sauce) — this isn’t the same satay tofu you would expect from a Malaysian restaurant. It’s basically a hard, fried piece of tofu skin. Not my cup of tea.
Mango avocado roll (mango/​avocado/​green/​jicama/​rice paper) — this wasn’t bad but it was just very plain. It seems as though they took it upon themselves to replace the mango with arugula, because mango was nowhere to be found in any of the rolls.
Crab cakes (with onion/​parsley/​salad) — this I liked. It’s hard to find crab cakes at restaurants without them tasting like frozen Costco ones. These tasted like they were freshly made.
BBQ spare ribs (paprika/​cumin/​shallot/​palm sugar) — I liked the flavor of this but the meat tasted a little dry.
For my main dish, I decided on the Mee Siam (shrimp/​tofu/​garlic chive/​egg/​bean sprouts/​paprika sauce). I was very surprised when the dish showed up as a broth, even though it mentioned nothing about a broth on the menu. It was an interesting variation but I think I still like the original better. One good thing is that they didn’t skimp on the shrimp!
I didn’t see a lot of fusion going on. It was almost like they had two restaurants housed under one roof. My friends and I seemed to lean more towards the Malaysian flavors that night. If you’re looking for good Malaysian food, Aux Epices is definitely not it. You’re in Chinatown — walk down a random block and you’ll find one better. Maybe they’re French dishes are better? Not sure I’ll want to be back to test out those waters though.

I wanted to give this place 5 stars so bad, but I’m hoping that the one empty star spot can push the owners further to keep making certain dishes better.
The prologue: This is right on the edge of Chinatown and within the past 6 months I kept my eyes out on the Unilocal page, and the reviews kept getting better. It didn’t look like my wallet would explode here so I gave it a shot.
The 1^st dishes: Appetizers of pork belly buns, calamari a la plancha, bbq ribs. The drinks were thai iced tea and hot lychee tea. I think they forgot my tea at first but it wasn’t important as the dishes came out faster than expected.
Main courses: My wife had sardines with bok choy and I had the lemongrass fish; they both came with a side of rice.
Dessert: Pear tart, made in house with fresh ingredients. (You have to order dessert with your appetizers because it takes 30 minutes to make and serve, and it was worth the wait).
Quick verdict: BBQ Ribs and the pear tart came out superb, they were eaten in what seemed like 25 seconds each. But the two main courses just didn’t strike me as that great compared to the ribs or dessert. One issue was the lemongrass fish had the fish served inside the broth with the bits of, maybe lemongrass I presume? … And you had to make sure not to eat any lemongrass or it would be too sour. The bits of lemongrass were surrounding all the tasty fish and you had to, ahem, fish out the best parts.
The soft pork buns were well made and very tasty, as they should be seeing as this was near Chinatown, I’m glad they didn’t mess those up. The price at the end wasn’t bad either, it seemed fair.
Epilogue: I’ll come back, probably to try other dishes or just get bbq ribs and another dessert. It also seemed that all the other diners just wanted to just keep idle sitting there, nursing wine glasses 20 minutes at a time. They were avoiding leaving the nice atmosphere. With the attentive two owners bending backwards to make sure everyone was happy I can’t blame them.
Keep up the good work Aux Epices.

Monsieur Marc is the host of hosts. We had an amazing meal mixed between French and Asian. Definitely get the shrimp mango curry! The atmosphere was tre-​bon-​mazing!

What a gem. I had a lovely dinner at Aux Epices recently. It’s a quaint spot tucked away on Baxter, right by Kam Hing.
The inside is narrow and dimly lit. The atmosphere is perfect for a date or low key dinner with girlfriends, which was the occasion when I went. It’s cash only btw.
We started with the escargot and calamari, both excellent dishes. Escargot was plump and buttery. We had to request more bread to sop up the sauce. The calamari was simply sauteed but tasted so fresh. Fragrant from garlic too.
The best entrée of the evening was the rendang chicken. It was so ridiculously moist and the curry was subtly coconuty while rich in spices. I couldn’t get enough. The seafood laksa was also a winner. Thick, chewy noodles, generous seafood and a flavorful curry base. I’d recommend ordering either or both of these as your main.
Service was excellent. Wish they weren’t cash only but I’ll definitely be back.

Do you like Malaysian food? Check. How about delicious homemade french tarts? (Hell everything is homemade and authentic here) Check. Well-​balanced, but naturally aromatic lychee tea? Check again. This is one of my hands down favorite restaurants in downtown manhattan (and Chinatown). This best kept secret is a perfect place to take a date — it has a great romantic vibe, replete with French trobodour jazz music — or just a great spot for the family, but be sure to call to see if they can accomodate you (there aren’t too many tables).
My top pics are the Seafood Laksa noodle soup, a true bargain for 12.95. Also they have the best pork buns I have ever tasted in all of NYC! Sorry Momofuku! If you have a friend who can’t eat crustaceans, hence they wouldn’t be able to enjoy the Laksa, the Turmeric Salmon is always delicious and made fresh to order like every other dish! Some vege choices too. If you are more adventurous try the unique dish Rojak, which is definitely an acquired taste, but super interesting nonetheless. Thank you Aux Epices! I hope you stay open forever! Many happy nights are spent here.

I liked the dish that my companion ordered, better.
It’s the soupy seafood in Malaysian sauce with salmon, shrimp and other seafood innit and thick noodles. It’s a big bowl.
I had their traditional signature dish which was fish in special sauce. I liked the sauce but not the fish. I think the fish was a little bit overcooked. It’s okay but perhaps the fish has to be cooked a little less?
The grilled quail was good. It’s grilled and still juicy served on lettuce.
We’ll be back to try other things on the menu.
The mustard green with garlic sauce was very good as well.
It’s really 3−½ stars for me. I just could not find a way to add half of a star to make it half a point more. This restaurant was good enough for us to go back.

Came here for an early Christmas lunch with a couple of co-​workers and had a great time. Probably the best Malaysian/​French fusion food I’ve ever had. Reasonably priced ($ 10 – 13 for lunch) and great service! Everyone working there is super sweet and friendly. I had the seafood laksa (very flavorful and fragrant broth with coconut milk, rice or udon noodles, eggplant, shrimp, muscles, salmon)… soo good! Really hit the spot, especially in this rainy weather. A friend had seafood bouillabaisse. looked and smelled delicious, filled to the brim with some beautiful seafood.
Highly recommend!

Aux Epices didn’t disappoint. They provided a very spectacular interior appearance, as well as cozy seating and lighting. The service was prompt and friendly — you could tell they care about their customers. For example, they refilled our water without us having to ask, which is a deal breaker for me. The fried tofu itself was interesting despite it not satisfying my cravings to the extent that I expected. The satay chicken which consisted of skewers and curry spices was pretty good, especially when dipped in that peanut butter sauce or whatever it was. The pineapple salmon option that consisted of [red pepper/mushroom/H&S spicy tamarind broth] was decent. I initially thought they meant to combine the pineapple and the salmon together — guess not… The rice that was included with these two plates was so interestingly tasting; my friend and I thought the rice was very original and unlike the rice we usually eat. And I can’t forget to mention the BATHROOM. It is literally inside a closet. You have to definitely go and check it out, it was mind-​blowing. Overall, I would recommend trying Aux Epices out. In terms of how good the meal was to me, I would give it a 3.5 (rounding up to 4). Maybe next time I’ll try out some other menu options.

We had a group of 12 people and they were able to accommodating us, taking photos for us and laughing with us together.
Laksa was good (The moment I write this comment, which is a week later, I can still recall the taste of it, that’s how good it goes)

This quaint Malaysian French resto is also set on the quiet Baxter side street off of Canal. It’s a narrow, charming, old wooden tables set up. First thing I noticed was that it’s only cash. They had a very interesting menu divided into laskas (broth) ~16 which I got and their favorite dishes for entrees. The confit canard was also tempting. I also got the vegetarian mango, avocado spring roll, which was amazing altho I’m not vegetarian. It wasn’t crowded. Service is good. I’d definitely go again!

Spicy Shrimp Udon! Talk about it hurts so good. The flavor profile of this dish is on point. Only annoying thing is peeling the hot shells off the shrimp but who cares it’s delicious.

Super cute spot by Chinatown that could be a great date or intimate dinner spot. I took my family and grandma here for her birthday and everyone enjoyed the food and had a good time! We had ordered the duck confit (so good! and I love the pear that came with it), chicken satay (they were ok); rending chicken (a little salty for my taste but my cousin loved it); peanut noodle (a refreshing contrast from all the flavors but a little one-​note); the bouillabaisse (I also found this a bit salty but my mom and aunt loved this with coconut rice); and the pork belly ramen (i love the flavor of the tea broth)! The owner was nice enough to come around to converse and greet every table while the kitchen staff worked hard to produce our delicious meal. It was a bummer they ran out of thai iced tea but would be back!

I often get 2 orders of the chicken rendang. You should too!
The ambience is also great. Feels like a tucked away French café!

Newbie for Chinatown as I just moved to here recently and on my way discovering the neighborhood. This little hidden gem is the best find so far. Regardless the pricey items on the menu compared to Chinatown «basement kitchen» food. I find this place rather reasonable priced compared to many places around LES, No MSG!
I had seafood lasak for my first visit and it was amazing! Perfect for a cold weather! Or cure a cold.
I saw other tables eating the lamb and bouillabaisse, I think I will go back to have that!
The wait staff is very friendly, very informative on the items.

Hidden between the cross-​sections of Chinatown and Nolita is a quaint little Malaysian bistro that offers an intimate ambiance and French-​inspired dishes. The narrow, railroad-​like set up has a row of tables that are meant for small parties for 4 or less. Aux Epices has a number of loyal customers who lavish praise on the flavors and service. The standard offerings of laksa, rendang, and other traditional Malaysian dishes are complemented by a hidden treasury in the Seafood Bouillabaisse that is an amazing dine-​in special served with a one-​of-​a-​kind broth. The general menu is very much seafood oriented, and that is a good thing. Now, if only they can start accepting credit cards again.

An unexpected find in Chinatown. Very French décor with some nice French tunes that will take you from the city that never sleeps to midnight in Paris. Now where’s Owen Wilson?!
The waiter was very nice and patient with us. We were still waiting for a friend and let us take our time. As the evening progressed, the restaurant became more and more packed. It was a very pleasant feeling to go from calmness to seeing the hustle and bustle of the city life.
I had wine cooked mussels with coconut rice. I liked it and thought it was cooked really well. The only thing I wished was for the mussels were to be bigger so I could eat more mussel meat at once. My friends were generally pleased with their dishes as well. I look forward to coming here again.
One thing that I will point out is… cash only!!!

This place is really special, and the atmosphere renders it an ideal date spot: soothing French music in the background, delicious food, and attentive (but not intrusive) service.
The seafood laksa (pictured a million times already) is worth coming back for. The seafood broth was amazing and the noodles were cooked perfectly. I don’t think I’ll be ordering any other entrée here from now on, it was that good. The crispy duck rolls as an appetizer were delicious too. The mango/​avocado rolls were on the small side, so I would probably pass on this next time. They also have a variety of Malaysian drinks and teas.
It’s small and cozy, so you should probably make reservations.

Prior to coming to this place me. My girlfriend and I was looking at the menu (reading the menu looked delicious) and a couple whom just dined there said the food was delicious. Boy their tastebuds were way off.
Ok down to the nitty gritty. Place is adorable and when I say adorable it is. Walking in the restaurant is railroad style, small but roomy.
The menu. Small Plates:
–Crispy Anise Duck Roll — They were crunchy but kind of bland even with the sauce that was provided.
–Crispy Quail — seemed chewy but okay
–Crab Cake — was ehh
–A La Plancha Mussels — good.
–BBQ Spare Ribs by far the BEST out of all the items we’ve order. (Super tender and soft)
Entrees:
–Duck Confit — Outside skin was crispy and the inside was kind of dry.
–Peanut Noodle — It was good, I have to say but after awhile it just gets overwhelming
Dessert:
— Caramel Crème if I remember correctly in which was flan. Let’s say I’ve had better flan.
It seems like I am bashing the food but in all honestly, the food was okay but I felt like every time I took a bite into something it was just ok but at the same time something was missing.
Service was good.
I would probably give it another shot and then do an updated review.

A little overpriced. My sister ordered the seafood laksa, which was a bit spicy, while I tried their pork belly tea noodle soup. I liked how my noodles were soft and the soup was flavorful. My sister enjoyed her meal, especially the clams. We both agreed that we would’ve liked the laksa to have thicker noodles.
On a random note, this place has the dimmest-​lit bathroom I’ve ever encountered in a restaurant; they should really fix this. The service was good, but I wouldn’t come back again; you can find a lot cheaper places to eat in this area.