Tucked away in a corner in the back of The Market is a unique little restaurant owned by chef Azalina Eusope, a native of Malaysia. Called Azalina's, the counter-service-only lunch and dinner spot serves up Malaysian cuisine with a special twist. Sourcing materials from both Malaysia and California, Eusope has created her own style of cooking, and the result has been so popular that she's slowly spreading her skills—and her reach—through the whole city.
Eusope comes from a long line of street food vendors. Raised in the Panang district of Malaysia, she studied hard in school, with the aspiration of becoming a lawyer. When that didn't pan out, she went to culinary school, and in 2010, she launched Azalina's.
The first iteration was a stand, which she launched at Off the Grid and festivals like Outside Lands. In 2014, she landed her first permanent kiosk in The Market, the upscale grocery store and food hall in the Twitter building. There, she and her husband, chef Tim Benson, serve not only Twitter's workers, but also the many residents streaming into the area's new high-rises.
Roasted chicken rice with fermented sticky rice and coconut cream. (Photo: Cherylynn N./Yelp)
Malaysian food is truly a melting pot of different cultures. Thanks to migration and colonization, it boasts British, Portuguese, Dutch, Indian and Singaporean influences. For example, date sticky puddings are a classic Malaysian dish—but also closely resemble a traditional British dessert.
At Azalina's, Eusope has chosen the flavors she likes from Malaysian cooking, and added her own twist. "We don't call our food traditional Malaysian cooking," Benson explains. Aside from Eusope's interpretations of the dishes, there's also the issue of ingredients. While spices can be sourced directly from Malaysia, everything else is different: rice, cucumbers and even water. Since Eusope is committed to ordering most of her ingredients locally, that means shaking things up a bit.
Nasi lemak, hokkien me noodles and a chicken salad. (Photo: Earl G./Yelp)
But the Azalina's empire extends far beyond the Twitter building. Much of Eusope's food is made in a large commissary kitchen in the Bayview, allowing her to branch out into packaged food, namely a line of homemade sauces and jams that she sells in grocery stores throughout the Bay Area. And new Bayview brewery Laughing Monk will soon be featuring a menu designed by Eusope.
As for what's next: Benson and Eusope are going to see where things take them. The forthcoming changes to the kiosks in The Market don't worry them—"more people mean more customers," Benson pointed out. Perhaps there will be a sit-down restaurant in their future, or more collaborations with other breweries. In the meantime, we know where to find them.
Azalina's is open every day from 11am to 9pm inside The Market (1355 Market St.)
