Straits Cafe

Glen Waverley has Nyonya Hut, Donny’s got Straits Café. People clamber into the small, converted fish and chip shop like they are scared of a big bad bear lurking outside.

Porridge isn’t their speciality, quality Malaysian cuisine is. It starts with popiah, the Malaysian rice paper roll except it’s made with a soft, crepe wrapping omelette and veggies with a bit of hoisin. I love this stuff and it’s good here. Lobak is chicken crack, the poultry is minced, wrapped in beancurd sheets then lightly fried to a golden crisp that’s highly addictive.

Nasi Lemak is a bit disappointing, coconut rice and accompaniments of achar, ikan belis, egg and cucumber are fine but the cubed beef rendang, very coconut creamy and could have been cooked longer breaking down the meat properly. Curry laksa much better, not enough coconut cream after the rendang but still leaves plenty of spice and flavour in the mouth after a mouthful. Sar Hor Fun the pick of the bunch, fried flat noodles are stir-fried with seafood, chicken and veggies with a lovely wet egg gravy lovely on its own but with pickled green chillies there’s an extra zing.

There’s enough good food here to tame the big bad hungry bears inside and out. Not even goldilocks can take that away.


3.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? 694 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster, VIC
What? Around $10