Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
Wherever you hail from in the world, it’s hard not to love Malaysian food. Who can deny the pleasures of a fluffy mound of roti bread, even tastier when soaked in a rich beef rendang or chicken curry? Or the steamy comforts of a good bowl of laksa on a winter’s night?
As a local, I’ve been going to Malaymas for nearly eight years now. It’s the healing gingery Hainanese chicken rice that draws me in (the version here is nice and clean-tasting), while the creamy fried egg noodles with beef tempt me on nights where I’m feeling like something a bit richer. And for dessert, I can never say no to the wobbly mango pudding with condensed milk, only available during the warmer months. Malaymas even has the tick of approval from my partner’s Singaporean-born father, a great cook and foodie well-acquainted with Malay cuisine.
Since we already know the aforementioned dishes hit the spot and that Malaymas’ nasi lemak – the official national dish – will always be a firm favourite of ours, we decide to branch out one night and try something different. We select the fried kuey teow and Hokkien mee, alongside a very traditional Malaysian dish of belacan (fermented shrimp paste) water spinach. We’re originally going to order another noodle dish, but our server is kind enough to let us know that a more contrasting one might better balance out our meal.
But first we dig into our favourite Malaymas starter – the housemade curry puffs, of course. These glassy-bubbled pastry parcels are served so hot that you’ll burn your tongue if you’re not careful. Best to split one open to cool it down (and inhale those incredible spiced potato aromas before you eat!). “Very tasty, that was,” I murmur to my partner. You know when you start adopting Yoda’s benevolent syntax that things are going well.
The mains come next, the smoky Hokkien mee dish boasting wonderfully thick and chewy egg noodles, with dark, glossy gravy clinging to each strand. Perfectly velveted pork strips, tender and juicy, are one of many fun treasures to be found amongst the bouncy stir-fried prawns, fish cakes and crispy pork skin croutons hiding amongst the noodles. Equally wonderful is the fried kuey teow. Its stir fried ribbons kissed by fiery wok are not too wet, not too dry and not greasy. Slices of sweet lap cheong sausage melt across the tongue.
The water spinach zings with chilli and the pungency of the belacan it’s drenched in. It’s exactly the kind of dish my partner grew up with, and he gobbles the lion’s share.
Like most casual suburban eateries, Malaymas isn’t a particularly glamorous affair and so it won’t be for everyone. The lardy character of some of the heavier hawker-style noodle dishes can be a lot for unfamiliar palates. A paper sign advertises Corona beer but the waiter tells me they have none. Our bottles of Tsingtao, which we therefore order instead, are brought to our table without accompanying drinking glasses. If we really wanted to nitpick, we’d say it’d be nice to at least have the option.
But on the whole, this cheap and cheerful restaurant is just too easy to forgive. From the affable young service staff who know their menu and bring considerate suggestions to our experience, to the hearty portions of what could easily be some of the most authentic Malaysian fare in Melbourne, the dinnertime appeal at Malaymas is real. The fact that it’s often hard to get a table at peak times is testimony.