Malay Chinese Takeaway

Believe the bib. When there are this many business workers prepared to wear a plastic bib at lunchtime, you know this is a laksa worth investigating. Weekday lunchtimes are always chaotic, with a queue of laksa lovers often trailing out the door. There are 11 laksa variations on the menu at Malay Chinese, but most punters stick with the standard chicken laksa ($8.70) or prawn ($9.60). You can also mix it up with beef ($8.70), bean curd ($8.70) and king prawns ($11.50). The coconut broth is thick, spicy and flecked with orange chilli oil. Only the brave (or foolish) attempt to slurp a bowl of these fat slippery rice noodles without bib protection. There’s a regular menu of Malaysian and Chinese dishes, but it’s the daily specials that you want to keep an eye on. Har mee ($9.50) is not for the faint-hearted: rice vermicelli and Hokkien noodles nestle with fish cake, prawns, pork and water spinach in a murky broth made from prawn shells and pork bones. Assam laksa ($9.50) is another highlight. It’s a clear hot and sour noodle soup made with mackerel, pineapple and mint and free from coconut milk. Check the website to find out the daily specials for the upcoming fortnight.