A Suka-cess

When Suka first opened last year, Observer critic Jay Rayner visted. The resulting piece was not so much criticism as public stoning: think Richard Littlejohn on illegal immigrants and you're part of the way there. If this happens, a restaurateur has two options. Either run away, change your name and become something less stressful like a bomb disposal expert. Or suck it up, acknowledge the problems and move on.

There is, I suppose, a third option – ignore the comments, plough on as before, go bankrupt – but, happily, the folk at Suka took it all on the chin and, over the last twelve months, have turned Suka from something achingly expensive and, yes, a little shambolic into something really rather good.

The focus is still on Malaysian food – it's the new Thai, don't you know – but, along the way, the occasional French twist has been dropped and the prices (which they could probably justify, giving the achingly trendy location/ the fact that it replaced the wallet-punishing Spoon) have morphed into quite exceptional value.

Lunch there last year was good, although the highpoint was probably being able to sit in the garden courtyard. A recent sneaky follow-up showed the courtyard is still as charming as ever while the food has got a little better and the value is much improved.

They now do something called the Nasi Lemak menu (midday to 7pm) which features two courses and a glass of wine for £24.50 (even Jay Rayner couldn't grumble with that, surely?) while the standard menu has switched to smaller portions at smaller prices, in line with the current fad for grazing.

You could probably call it Malaysian tapas – the idea being you order three or four dishes a head – but we're trying to stamp that sort of laziness out. We're not much for restaurant fads here, but the grazing idea is a cracker. Not only does it mean you don't have to make a decision – chicken? Beef? Oh I know. I'll have both – but its also easier to take chances.

It also means that those of larger appetite can dine with those who peck.