Best Malaysian Food in Melbourne 2023
The World Loves Melbourne loves Malaysian food from hawker style to more upmarket offerings. Here are our top Malaysian restaurants in Melbourne.
Straits Cafe - Wantirna South
Straits Cafe Malaysian restaurant in Wantirna South serves up arguably the best Malaysian food in Melbourne. We were drawn to the attention of Straits Cafe on reading that Ben Shewry from Attica has been known to visit.
Those in the know in Melbourne's east recognise Straits Cafe as a local gem, with lines out the door at lunchtime. Prices are reasonable and the quality is excellent. One of the best Char Kway Teow we have ever eaten.
Beef Rendang was melt in your mouth. Lobak was a surprise packet, so mooreish. Famous is the Sar Hor Fun, creamy gravy bliss. Nasi Lemak also delights, as does the chicken ribs and the Salted Fish fried rice. This may become your new favourite Malaysian restaurant.
JAMU - Richmond
JAMU Malaysian restaurant in Richmond excites with a fusion of Malaysian and Australian flavours. Located at the bottom of a fashionable apartment building JAMU is designed for shared dining and the word JAMU means "feasting" in Malaysian.The fit out is modern in line with the trendy precinct with both high and low ceiling sections, modern light fittings, use of copper and mesh, as well as a compelling outside area.
The Cheeseburger Spring Rolls are a must order with all the flavours of a cheeseburger in the spring roll.
Pulled Pork Bao featured large soft pillow like bao and a generous serving of pulled pork with hoisin and soy sauce, and a welcome surprise of a decent amount of crackling with pickled cucumber to complement.
House made Baked Roti was a top notch dish with texture of a baked roti rather than the soft and fluffy I was used to but a wonderful base for the generous amount of Asian mushrooms and perfectly cooked panko egg.
The Bumbu Rendang Steak was a hit and showcased the best of Malaysian flavours. The flavours of a traditional beef rendang dish were there but not presented as a curry with meat covered in sauce but hanger steak resting on a bed of rendang sauce. Excellent steak cut with flavoursome rendang sauce. Sometimes with rendang you could argue cheap steak cuts are masked by the curry but here the steak is able to shine on its own and then is set off once you dip it into the sauce. For a touch of theatre and complementing the dish is turmeric-battered beans.
We ramped up the meat choices (although we were tempted by the Garfish Fish of the Day) in also ordering the Pork Hock with Tamarind Caramel sauce. A showstopper dish the Pork Hock was fabulous, with crispy exterior lathered with delicious sticky Tamarind caramel sauce and tender meat inside, complemented by refreshing cos and apple salad.
Dessert also hit the high notes with refined and rewarding options. Milk Donuts were comfort food heaven served with orange and caramelised chocolate mousse and exceptional black sesame ice-cream. Coconut and Lime Ice-Cream Sandwich was a smart dessert and I was impressed by the brownie slices holding the ice-cream and the pineapples soaked in rum and the candied almonds on the side.
Blue Chillies - Fitzroy
Blue Chillies has celebrated sixteen years of livening up Fitzroy with their simple yet sophisticated Malaysian cuisine, friendly staff and cosy atmosphere. As a community of bloggers and their friends gathered in this restaurant (including Jessica from The World Loves Melbourne), there was anticipation for a unique take on Malaysian food. We weren’t disappointed!
Maybe it’s because you’re so hungry, but the first thing you sink your teeth into at a restaurant is always so satisfying, and the Black Pepper Soft-Shell Crab was very moreish. I asked the table in general if I was allowed to just swallow all of it but didn’t wait for an answer before I’d already downed the crab. No regrets.
The Whitebait and Sweet Potato Fritters with a chilli lime dipping sauce had a great crunch, perfect to offset the soft crab.
A red and white wine were served to us as well as a gin cocktail mix that we all commented tasted like childhood . . . with gin. The small, crowded restaurant had that awesome feeling like, “this is where the good stuff is” so they tried to fit as many chairs in as possible. A small window through to the kitchen is quaint, giving you a glimpse of the flurried activity inside.
This Rockling fillet dusted with potato flour and wok swirled in curry leaves, chilli, spices and buttered egg floss was probably my favourite dish of the night, mostly because of the egg floss, which was unlike anything I’ve tasted. I scraped the plate clean trying to pin down the exact flavour combination, but it was so well balanced that I couldn’t pick out one particular aspect.
If you like something refreshing with your meal, the Yee Sang Salad is a good option. A traditional salad of sashimi salmon with a variety of shredded crunchy vegetables in apricot plum sauce topped with roasted peanuts, it had an exciting textural variety and was served cold in contrast to most other dishes of the night.
The Duck Rendang was slow cooked with roasted coconut and Malaysian spices, fresh ginger-root garlic and chillies. As you would expect with something slow cooked, it was unbelievably tender.
Another standout was the King Prawns wrapped in fine strands of rice noodles, snap fried on a bed of tomato puree with pineapple and coconut milk. The pineapple added a fresh sweetness, while the tomato gave it acidity. Whoever thought of wrapping the prawns in fried noodles was a genius because that extra crunch really made the dish.
Blue Chillies’ Pork Ribs are wok roasted and marinated, then caramelised in chilli jam to give them amazing flavour. The chef pairs them with simple root vegetables to balance the flavour.
Thrice Cooked Duck in a blend of wild ginger flower, lemongrass, chillies and lime juice is a superb way to finish off a main meal at Blue Chillies, with rice on the side, of course. Crunchy outer layer, tender on the inside, this dish is filled with various oriental flavours to enjoy.
Mamak - CBD
There was plenty of action when we visited, probably like the streets of KL. Business people, students, couples, and a mix of nationalities were here enjoying Mamak. Very Melbourne. It was the kind of place you wanted to be - with an attractive ambience. The warmth of the conversation was nearly matched by the restaurant fit out - with large food and street scene photos mounted on the warm coloured walls. An open kitchen added to the action - in fact there seemed to be two preparation areas. Busy wait staff were run off their feet but showed good poise under pressure.
Mamak are famous in Sydney, now Melbourne, for their Roti dishes (masters of Roti), great Satay, Malaysian style fried chicken, classics like Mee Goreng and Nasi Lemak, and killer curries. This is a comprehensive menu with street food hawker kind of cuisine.
Images Mamak Facebook.
Asking the waitress what to order we were recommended the Kari Ayam Chicken curry. Sounded simple. But we were delighted with the dish that followed. So glad it had a fair amount of kick from the freshly ground spices. Spicy bold flavours (so cool because some places water it down for Aussie palates). To us it seemed like a rendang syle and there were decent portions of tasty perfectly cooked and marinated chicken in the curry sauce, as well as rewarding chunks of potato. This baby had some heat... Which is why Mamak is authentic - staying true to how it should be.
Roti Canai (Mamak Facebook).
Full marks also for the decent portion of quality rice to accompany. Mamak have lunch specials which is a great thing value wise, but also they are geared for quick service even in a packed restaurant.
We noticed the authentic Malaysian drinks available and will try one next time.
Mamak is an enjoyable Malaysian experience in the Melbourne CBD.
Laksa King - Flemington
Laksa King is a superb dining experience and one of the most popular and best value establishments in Melbourne. It's high popularity says it all. Voted as the best cheap eat in Melbourne. Aussies seem to love laksa, and you can imbibe in the Melbourne weather no matter if it's hot or cold. You feel like you've had something slightly exotic and it's large and full of flavour. It took us about 20 minutes to eat a laksa - it really is a hearty meal.
Images Laksa King Facebook
Laksa King is a welcoming place, right from when the friendly staff welcome you when you arrive. The fit out is smart and modern with grungy concrete floor, large naked frosty globe lighting, a row of bamboo and cool art work on the walls. The roof is a kind of red ochre colour and there are smart timber tables and chairs. Laksa King prides itself on being a well run operation and there are few obvious weaknesses.
Laksa King is obviously known for its laksa. We've been wanting to try the laksa since when working in Moonee Ponds where Laksa King was the talk of the town. The menu features Curry Laksa as the house specialty although there are many other menu options if you so desire. The waitress recommended the Combination Curry Laksa to me so that is what we ordered.
Some people compare the laksa here to what they have experienced in Asia. We've been to Asia many times but never had laksa there. I (David) lived with a Malaysian family earlier and life and can never remember having laksa. The only laksa I can compare it with is from the restaurants I've experienced in Australia.
Images Laksa King Facebook.
For The World Loves Melbourne, the laksa at Laksa King is superb. It gets a tick for flavour with so many fresh ingredients in one large bowl of laksa. I'm not sure how they can make a profit - it would cost us twice this much to try and make it at home. A large bowl of quality laksa for around $10 is amazing. But full marks for tasty juicy chicken chunks, large quality prawns, bits of fish, tofu, a large piece of eggplant, two kinds of noodles and a sublime coconut sauce.
Image Laksa King Facebook.
Laksa needs to have a bit of kick and Laksa King delivers with just the right amount of chilli in the sauce. With cutlery at your table you can use the chopsticks for noodles and other ingredients and then scoop the sauce in the deep spoon.
Overall we were extremely happy with the laksa at Laksa King. Presentation is superb and the laksa was delicious.
Next time we're in Asia we must eat some laksa and compare it to Laksa King. But right now we're going with the masses who love this place.
Malaysian Kitchen - Doncaster East
Located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne is a Malaysian restaurant gem aptly named Malaysian Kitchen. Locals love it here and the prices and Malaysian dishes are top notch. The Beef Rendang is excellent, as is the Nasi Lamek, crispy Sarawak noodles, Prawn Har Mee, the Bak Kut Teh, with famous Deep Fried Fish Head Soup being the star of the show and most popular dish (we are told). I love to tuck into this comfort food dish but mind the bones. You are given a choice of soup so I went with the call of the waitress - the broth with fish intensity is delicious.Laksa here is also outstanding and I prefer the curry style broth. Hainanese chicken is also a winner and this restaurants does a first class job with traditional Malaysian favourites. Try Ice Kachang for dessert.
Generous size laksa bowls and you can dine in or sit outside and take in the Doncaster East precinct.
Deep Fried Fish Head Soup is a winner dish.
PappaRich - various locations
PappaRich is a satisfying group of restaurants that brings quality Malaysian cuisine to our city. We have visited the CBD, Doncaster and our local is Nunawading (family enjoy the experience). Having lived with a foodie Malaysian family for a season in my life I am crazy about Malaysian food. The matriach in this family was kind of like a Mamma Rich as she was a great mamma cook and a rich Malaysian property investor. In any case this kind of cuisine is like comfort food to me...
Come here for satisfying Roti, Satay skewers, and delicious Laksa...
PappaRich restaurants are busy and attract diners for their service, ambience and consistent quality cuisine. This is not 3 hat dining nor is it supposed to be. It's great to be greeted at the door and shown to a table. From there you record your order on the form. The options include rice dishes, soups, roti, noodles, vegetarian dishes and the like...
I ordered the popular Chicken rice - sounds innocuous enough - but comes impressively presented with soft chicken pieces, large portion of tasty rice and salad on the side. Not to mention a thin chicken broth in a bowl. The chicken was superb and so tender, and I loved the flavoured rice and the decent quantity. The little bowls of chilli and soy were also excellent. Fresh, flavoursome, well cooked and presented, and above all IT CAME OUT FAST... A winner.
PappaRich loves to steam things up in the open kitchen...
Here is another view at PappaRich - well presented meal with waiters in uniform, modern fit out, open kitchen and well set out spacious restaurant. The addition of booths is also great for small groups.
