An intriguing storefront with Southeast Asian colonial vibes, Malaya 19th is a modern Malaysian bistro – modern in that it’s taken a more contemporary approach to traditional Malay dishes. The restaurant’s name refers to British Malaya, and the 19th is a reference to the 19th century, a time when there was the first big migration of Chinese workers to Malaysia. Malaya 19th serve up classic Malay dishes like laksa, nasi lemak and rendang, that will likely satisfy most of the Malaysian and Singaporean expat community in Shanghai, especially those that aren’t culinary purists about food from back home.