Jalan Alor, Melbourne

Decent, big tasting Malaysian. Just don’t expect to eat at the same time as your dining partner unless you order the same thing. If you want to do that, go get a UZM and KFC2.

3 / 5 yums! 
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Where? 7/206-218 Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC
What? Around $10

Chef Lagenda, Flemington

So you can’t get into Laksa King, but don’t worry about the “If you’re not first you’re last” complex about going to Chef Lagenda. You’ll leave a winner.



Lobak is meaty, gentle on the five spice, but no mercy on the hot oil.



Roti roll with Chinese satay and julienne cucumber a substantial starter.



Assam Laksa.



Chicken Laksa – a much sweeter, less curry intense broth than next door.



Wat Dan Hor Fun – a nice eggy gravy.



Nasi Lemak with a good rendang.



Ice Kachang.

Chef Lagenda a very close second, or controversial first? A matter of preference really.

4 / 5 yums!
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Where? 16 Pin Oak Cres, Flemington, VIC
What? Most mains $12

Chillipadi Mamak Kopitiam, Kensington

Back in the day wanting to mess with the King could either have you beheaded or pronounced insane and exiled.



So the trusted brand for Malaysian has bought their A game and have situated themselves far enough from the sparring that takes place over on Pin Oak Crescent.



This Chillipadi branch might not have a headline act on the menu like the other two, but what it does is consistently high quality dishes with comforting flavours to tuck you in at meal time.

Good on them for standing toe to toe with the big boys. Especially if the King or Chef is hard to get into.

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Where? 295 Racecourse Rd, Kensington, VIC
What? Around $10-15

Laksa Me, Melbourne

I think the problem is that there’s such evenness to the quality of the typical Malaysian favourites in stock that you can’t distinguish the good from the really good.



Laksa has a good curry flavour without the excessive fatty coconut.



Hainanese Chicken Rice. Pretty. Messy.



Wan dan hor fun could have done with a little bit longer on the wok but otherwise a nice eggy gravy.



Standard char quay teow.

Fine for what it is. And being standard isn’t a bad thing.

3 / 5 yums!
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Where? 1/16 Liverpool Street, Melbourne, VIC
What? Most around $12

Pan Asian, Prahran

Pan Asian reminds me of the little kid who likes to tip toe out the door first to the letterbox… then with a bit more dare to the end of the street when their parents aren’t looking. Part of the exuberance straight away shows in extreme Manga portraits that immediately capture the eye, taking a rebellious stand to the otherwise classic feeling décor and feels like a lure sinker for the funky fresh crowd that makes up Prahran. And to feed the clientele, the flavours touch on most of the South East Asian major players but then pushes them just a tad by combination or technique.

Take for example the lavosh that holds pickled watermelon rind, a smear of duck liver pate and curled slices of tea smoked duck breast. That simultaneous gamey, savoury yet fruit sweet taste are paired beautifully. Scallops get a Mexican treatment though the smokiness of the black bean tends to dominate over the sweet corn puree and the overall dish. What they should do more of is lather the laksa bisque sauce that came on a battered piece cod, just begging to be mopped up.

Mains go sub-continent first via a spice crusted BBQ lamb fillets and a lentil dahl, then stopping off with honey and Chinese caramel pork spareribs fried for the crunchy caramelised bits then braised and finally beef cheek ragu cooked down in a sticky sweet red miso and blueberry reduction that’ll make you want to hit up a second serve.

So the dishes push the boundaries a little but generally steers close to home. With the interesting food on show, looks like the sinker won’t be the only attraction.

3.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? 267 Chapel Street, Prahran, VIC

Petaling Street, Glen Waverley

Just about every other Asian cuisine has been pimped out on the G-Wave strip, but not since Oriental has there been a proper hawker Malaysian joint on Glen Waverley’s Golden Mile. With a menu that’s littered with classics such as mee goreng, assam and curry laksa and teh tarik, it’s sure to invoke giddy daydreams for those living within the secondary school boundary zone.

But when the number of choices rivals that of a Hong Kong café, you’ve got to wonder if the talent gets too spread. The rendang lacked a bit of oomph, sar hor fun noodles could have benefited a bit longer in the wok. On the bright side, fried kuay teow spent enough time on the heat, and the lobak’s bean curd sheet is nice and crisp.

Petaling Street brings Malaysian street food to the streets of GW, and judging by the wait for a table, the other streetside vendors should be worried.

3 / 5 yums!
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Where? 111 Kingsway, Glen Waverley, VIC
What? Around $10

Ah’Loys Malaysian Restaurant, Brighton

To avoid any confusion with the Korova Milk Bar, this stylish, clean, white room in Brighton is smartly titled “Malaysian Restaurant”. So there might not be any milk laced with drugs, but judging by the lack of empty seats, the menu of typical hawker fare of kuay teow, nasi and mees with a few shared dishes is highly addictive.

Though having been spoilt by a few choice places in the east and south-east, it’s hard to look past the minor flaws of the otherwise reasonable renditions. Hor-Fun had a good wet egg sauce but lacked the char on the flat white noodles. Same with the mee goreng but it had the salty sweetness of kecap manis and chilli sauce heat. Laksa had more chilli bite than curry depth than one you’ll find in Kensington.

I can’t say that I share the enthusiasm of the Brightonites for Ah’Loys. I’ll get my Malaysian fix from another dealer.


2.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? 278 Bay St, Brighton, VIC
What? Individual mains around $12





Left to Right: Hor-Fun, Laksa, Mee-Goreng