3 Malaysian Restaurant in Melbourne to try out!

Whenever people mention to me about the Nasi Lemak they tried out, it always reminds me of home. Going to a Malaysian restaurant in Melbourne to me is finding relief and peace to my homesickness. Study shows that plays an important role in culture and building a person's identity. Food also helps to connect friends and bring families together (Catherine, 2018). Here's 3 Malaysian restaurant that I've tried out in Melbourne which I would highly recommend you going! Whether you're Malaysian and is just craving for some food from home, or you're non-Malaysian who is curious about Malaysian cuisine, there's always something for you from this list. Check them out below!

1. Chinta Ria Soul

Photo credits: Online sources

Here at Chinta Ria Soul, you would be able to enjoy a flavourful traditional and modern Malaysian cuisine. I'm sure they are familiar among most people in Melbourne itself, as Chinta Ria Soul had been around for more than 25 years now. They have two locations, one located at Acland Street, St.Kilda and one in the city at Emporium's food court. I visited the one at St Kilda and I find the staff very friendly. They are very helpful in assisting my needs. If you have no idea what to order, you may seek recommendations from them. They will definitely be able to provide you suggestions in ordering dishes in favor of your appetite. A few of their signature dishes includes Seafood Laksa, Chilli Prawn and also Nasi Lemak Rendang. If you are in a mood for dessert, you can also order their Sago Pudding, one of Malaysia's traditional dessert. The franchise at the Emporium food court is more casual and it is a self-serve service stall.

Location:

1. 94 Acland St, St Kilda, 3182

Opening Hours:

Lunch Hour- 12pm-2.30pm (Saturday Closed)

Dinner time: 6pm-late (open 7 days)

2. Emporium Food Court: 275-321 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Opening Hours:

10.30am-6.30pm (open late until 8.30pm on Thursday and Friday)

*Chinta Ria Soul is open for bookings as well. Check out their website to make reservations. BYO is welcome at their restaurant with very reasonable charges.

2. Ayam Chef

Credits: Online sources

I came across Ayam Chef 2 months ago when I had a meet up with my Malaysian friends. It was strongly recommended by my friend, Dexter. He emphasized that the taste of the dishes there was very close to taste of home, so I thought we could all go and have our dinner there. Ayam Chef is located at South bank, not too far from the city. When I step in the restaurant, it gave me a very strong Malaysian restaurant ambience. The restaurant is spacious, I believe it's able to seat about 50-60 customers. Company dinner would be quite suitable as well. There were 3 of us at the dinner and we ordered 3 dishes to try out, which were all recommended by Dexter. We ordered eggplant sambal, chicken curry and Malaysian style fried chicken. I was looking forward to the curry itself as I've not encounter a place that serves good Malaysian curry as far that I've know of. And, it did not dissapoint me. The curry was flavorful with touch of Indian spices that was just right to my apetite. Not to mention the eggplant sambal! The taste of it really reminds me of home as it is one of my favourite Malaysian dish that I'll always order whether I'm in Malaysia or now here in Melbourne. Whereas for the Malaysian style fried chicken, to be frank, I'm not too impressed. The taste is alright, but nothing too special to mention about. The restaurant serves different types of Malaysian style dessert which I have not had the chance to try out yet. According to online reviews, they are pretty popular among customers. Make sure to try them out when you visit!

Location: 67-69 Coventry St, Southbank VIC 3006

Opening Hours:

Lunch hour- 11.30am- 2.45pm (Close on Saturday for lunch)

Dinner time- 5.00pm- 9.45pm (Opens until 10.30pm on Friday and Saturday)

3. Sarawak Kitchen

Sarawak Kitchen is one of the most common place that I'll go to when I'm craving for Malaysian cuisine. Most of their menu is Sarawakian style but also includes most casual Malaysian dishes. They are located on Elizabeth Street in the CBD with easy public transport access. The restaurant itself is all self-service ordering with friendly staff assistance. Their dishes are very common and traditional dishes that you can find in Malaysia itself, and it oftens reminds me of Malaysia's hawker stall. Their signature dish includes Sarawak noodle, Kampua mee, Mamak mee and Tomyam noodle. The prices ranges from about $10- $15 depending on your orders. If you want to have a taste of a casual Malaysian taste, I would recommend you to head over to Sarawak Kitchen. They also serve local Malaysian beverages such as Teh Tarik, Cham Bing, Bali drink and Milo ice.

Location: 469 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Opening Hours: 11am -10pm (Open until 10.30pm on Friday and Saturday)

All of these yummy food makes me miss home more and my tummy is rumbling now, craving for some home comforting Malaysian cuisine! I'm gonna head over to one of these restaurants as soon as I'm done here! Stay tuned for more food and other information updates about Malaysia!

#MalaysianCuisine #ChintaRiaSoul #AyamChef #SarawakKitchen