Malay Chinese Takeaway: Sydney CBD

Score: 9/10

Last Eaten: August 2011

OK, so we walk in and at least 90% of the packed out restaurant are eating laksa. What a good sight to see (!) and they do their fair share of takeaway as well - which we opt for instead of having to eat standing up.

As mentioned last time, this really is the Sydney benchmark for laksa for a lot of people and today certainly proved why. I know the takeaway serve is a bit smaller than eat-in and it's usually best to eat things fresh, but I enjoyed it so much that I came extremely close to going back for a second bowl! Overall, an awesome laksa - I don't know how I managed to stay away for so long.

Soup: It is as spicy and tasty as ever- with a smooth texture from having the right mix of coconut milk& stock

Chilli: Excellent level of chilli (with extra chilli and sambal)

Crappy picture which did not do this delicious laksa justice. Forgive me.

Laksa King Malaysian & Thai Cuisine: Sydney CBD

Score: 8/10

Last Eaten: September

Yay! I've been keen to get back here (see the previous review) and to my pleasant surprise it seems they are just as good as ever and in fact I enjoyed it even more than the last time. This is also coming off the back of eating at the Malay-Chinese Takeaway just one day before, which would make most bowls look pretty tame in comparison (yes, laksa two days in a row).

I should really get a photo updated, but I was so in the zone of eating, enjoying and not splashing chilli oil on myself that I forgot. Again. 

Soup: Definitely a different taste to Malay-Chinese Takeaway. Laksa King has a nice salty chicken heavy broth- lighter on the coconut milk.

Chilli: Always spicy enough, although I think you can ask for it mild or less spicy (I hope you don't). Keep that in mind if you have a toddler or wussy lunch companions that you want to get hooked on laksa!

Sambal: North Ryde

Score: 7/10

Last Eaten: August 2011

So back to Sambal and I had my fingers crossed that we would be looking at upping the ranking to an 8+ this visit after the last time. Unfortunately for both me & them, that was not the case. This time the laksa seemed a bit more average, it was presented on the whole pretty much the same but in a more mild, less tasty way. I will point out that this was a busy weekend, last visit was a quiet weekday.

Soup: Seemed a bit too coconut milky, definite drop in spice & flavour

Chilli: Still a good amount

Still a good Laksa

Hopefully they will return to glory with my next visit

Cafe 167: Sydney CBD

Score: 4/10

Last Eaten: August 2011

Where do I start with this one? This place is a small little shop on Kent Street near the harbour bridge turn-off, where the old RJ’s Cafe was. When they were open, RJ claimed to have the best laksa in Sydney...hmmm. I can assure that it was not. So I thought I will give the new owners & recipe a try, even though my spidey senses were going off and I could hear alarm bells ringing.

Soup: Lacking in overall flavour, what was OK was that it was neither too heavy or light in coconut.

Chilli: It had chilli in it, yes. 

That is about where the positive ends...

When I opened up the take-away container, I noticed a few things which made me giggle and then cringe because I remembered it was my lunch and I was about to eat it. Carrots. Bok Choi. Cabbage. WTF?

Interesting...

Aargh! Not a good sign.

Malacca Straits Broadway: Chippendale

Score: 6.5/10
Last Eaten: August 2011

This is a tiny, hole-in-the-wall type place just off Broadway near Central. They have several chefs, including one from Seremban(!) and one Thai. Overall, an enjoyable Laksa, but there is still room for improvement. The taste was OK but I thought it lacked some of the more complex spices & flavours of an ‘A’ grade bowl.

Soup: The soup is fairly saucy - one of the thickest broths around and they served a slightly over-generous portion of vermicelli noodles.
Chilli: It could use more chilli
Sambal: Note to belachan lovers - their sambal is pretty strong.

Saucy soup with a BIG serve of sambal that packs a BIG shrimpy punch