Mamak

Way back in 2004 I decided that I loved Malaysian food when my cousins and aunt in Melaka took me out for a scrumptious dinner. My mouth was equally watering and on fire with every delicious, spice-laden dish that was presented to me; sambal prawns, chicken curry, nasi goreng, beef rendang… all washed down with tangy and sweet lime iced tea. Since returning to Australia I had searched for a meal which reminded me of that delicious experience.

Fast forward to 2010; I’m visiting Sydney and am taken to Mamak Roti and Satay near Chinatown. The queue is long; we have to wait for about half an hour to be seated; but all these people can’t be wrong.

They’re not. Mamak fulfils all of my Malaysian culinary wishes in one casual fell swoop. Begin with roti canai, the flaky, hand-rolled bread served with tantalisingly zesty dipping sauces. It’s perfect; flaky, warm, melt-in-the-mouth goodness.

Roti canai at Mamak

Roti canai at Mamak

Follow this with nasi lamak; a tasting plate with a mound of rice at the centre. Imposed by fiery sambal prawns, succulent chicken curry, nuts, dried fish, cool chopped cucumber and a boiled egg, this is no-fuss-just-dig-in style food. And it’s totally delicious. Being a tasting plate, nasi lemak can be served with accompaniments of your choosing; the soft, slow-cooked beef rendang is a perfect substitute for the prawns if you’re looking for something with less chilli.

Nasi Lemak at Mamak

These can also be ordered as ‘complete’ mains if you’ve got a favourite and don’t want to sample. Nasi goreng (fried rice), mee goreng (fried noodles) and a range of other Malaysian delights are on the menu.

Sambal prawns as a main dish at Mamak

And don’t forget to order at least one plate of chicken or beef satay skewers to share around the table.

You can wash it all down with that sweet lime iced tea, although there are also Malaysian beverages such as teh tarik (literally ‘pulled tea’ – the milky sweet brew is poured from a great height to create a comforting bubbly foam). And for dessert is a range of bread sweets, like the roti tisu, a giant cone of paper-thin bread drizzled with sweetened condensed milk and a raspberry jam-like syrup.

Roti tisu at Mamak (Image: Urban Spoon)

No, those people weren’t wrong; they were lining up with good reason. And since my first visit to Mamak, I have returned countless times to the Sydney Chinatown, as well as Chatswood and Melbourne branches.

Iced Lime Tea at Mamak

Details

Food: 10/10

Ambience: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Cost: Mains $10 – $18

15 Goulburn Street, Haymarket, Sydney; (02) 9211 1668

Shop P5, 1 – 5 Railway Street, Chatswood; (02) 9411 4411

366 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne; (03) 9670 3137

www.mamak.com.au

Lunch: 11:30am – 2:30pm daily

Dinner: 5:30pm – 9:30pm (Sydney Chinatown until 10pm)

Late nights Friday and Saturday: Sydney Chinatown open until 2am, Chatswood and Melbourne open until 10:30pm.