Mamak Dang Fusion Malaysian Cuisine

Combine Malaysian street foods such as satay skewers, laksa soups and beef rendang with influences from China and Thailand, plus throw in a bit of Asian pop culture, and you have Mamak Dang Malaysian Fusion Cuisine. Malaysian restaurants are a rarity in Calgary, so sampling the spicy food at Mamak Dang requires a trip to an unassuming northeast location to taste its spicy south Asian fare.

The name is an Asian pop music reference. “In Malaysia there is a singer who has a song called ‘Mamak Dang.' It means the mum’s store,” co-owner Alvin Ng explains as he talks about opening the restaurant in July, 2014. He interprets the song as a story of a working class family starting an extra business to augment their income. Decorative stars and LED lights hang from the ceiling of the dining room and Asian pop music wafts through the restaurant's speakers. One might hear a Malaysian rendition of Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry.” Its youthful and somewhat quirky atmosphere as well as Alvin's gregarious nature give the place its own unique charm.