Kofi C.
Yelp
In town from a far away state and chose to eat at Aman after surfing yelp reviews for this area of Oakland, CA. Meter parking was readily available right out front so we could keep an eye out for the smash and grab desperados that everyone has warned us about here in the Bay multiple times a day, every day.
It was opening time, 10:30 am so the well designed restaurant was empty and welcoming us in to sample what we hoped would be a tasty brunch of Malay food. However, it ended up being more Malay-lite and lacking the flavors that typically make you smile and give that feeling of warmth with every bite.
Younger woman/older teen working the counter was indifferent to us as her first customers of the day. I normally do not care about the mood of the server as long as the food is slamming and they don't make the experience negative, but my wife called this inattentiveness out almost immediately which ended up being a premonition of the so, so experience with the food. She was nice but seemed to be either shy or just a quiet person. Nothing for me to complain about there. It was just interesting that the food was underwhelming like our greeting.
Headed to the restroom to wash hands and sanitize before ordering and to my surprise, it had not been cleaned before opening the restaurant. We were the first customers of the day and the bathroom was dirty. Not filthy with unflushed toilets or paper on the floor, but clearly no surfaces (including sink, floor, or toilette has seen a rag, mop or bleach that morning. No fresh and clean smell to be found.
Mango Lassies were delicious. Kinda hard to get mango puree and yogurt wrong, but the 'Garlic Chicken Noodles' ... Where was the garlic? The bigger question was WHERE WAS THE CHICKEN? The dish didn't have much garlic flavor to them and the amount of protein offered in this dish would only be acceptable to a vegetarian ( who could've easily avoided the 8 chicken pieces hidden amongst the noodles and stick to their abstinence from flesh without guilt). Flavor was unimpressive, as well. Had to be less than 2 g of chicken in that bowl.
My wife had a tasty, yet basic crispy rice bowl with extra stringbeans, broccoli + coconut milk, something she has made at home on a whim and it easily matched the flavor of this dish without a doubt (and she's not Malaysian). The rice and veggies actually needed a little salt to give it some taste, so not sure who's afraid of a little flavor here, but she said that her rice bowl was decent after she requested soy sauce.
West Coast prices are clearly more expensive than east cost prices down south, so no surprise there. I know flavor when I taste it and for the price, the lack of spices and taste made this brunch a disappointment.
All's not lost, though. The Roti may be a better option since many of the reviews seem to reflect a better experience from our own at Aman's, but don't expect to be WOWed! If you're just looking for something quick for take out that isn't fried rice, broccoli in garlic sauce, and General Tso's, Aman Cafe will give you just that for take out dining. I need more effort in my Malay dishes.