PappaRich Northland

Northland Shopping Centre, 5-20 Murray Road, Preston 3072

Newly opened on the 26th December 2013. I actually went on the very first day and tried a variety of dishes and again in the new year for more. While some restaurants might take a while to work out the details, service and management, this place seems to have it all sorted out already. There also seems to be a constant flow of diners each time I have been there. As they would say in Malaysia, "Very auspicious start".

This is a halal chain and elsewhere in this blog, is another entry for the QV branch.

The Place
Unlike the city branch, this place is more kid friendly and has high chairs as well. Given its location, I suppose it has to account for large families. It is not a huge space and the clunky standard PappaRich chairs and tables makes it hard but they try to make it work well. Plenty of light during the day and very airy, which is important given that that diners are sharing space with part of the kitchen.

Compared to other branches of PappaRich, the decoration here is a bit more understated. What really amuses me is the soundtrack choice here which includes hits from the 50s to 70s (Doris Day and Olivia Newton John feature prominently).

The Food
The food here is pretty good with well balanced flavours. Although they do not offer the intensity of spices one would expect back in Malaysia, there is a still a good kick in the flavouring. If there is one complaint, the food is not presented as nicely as the very enticing pictures in the menu. However, don't let that fool you, the flavours are intact.

The star of the offerings is their Roti - made on premises, fresh and accompanied by a variety of curries. For the uninitiated, watch that sambal (that's the red chilli paste).

Char Kway Teow (CKT) - this perennial Malaysian favourite is also on offer here. The one offered here is not bad at all but doesn't have the sweetness or darkness of the KL style CKT. It uses finer flat rice noodles which is difficult to get right but ends up quite yummy. I would have liked mine with more of a kick but nevertheless, I was quite happy.

Combination Crispy Noodles (pictured above) - this was less stellar and rather plain. Don't get me wrong, it's ok but compared to the other dishes, it didn't shine. Might need more egg or perhaps even real fish slices to give it more star quality.

Nasi Goreng - Malaysian fried rice with it's smoky flavours laced with frozen mixed vegies. This is what you might get in parts of Malaysia but with less chillies. The fried chicken maryland that came with it could not be faulted though. Very yummy.

Fried Chicken Skin - I know this is bad for you but it is so good (mildly curried and served with Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce)... eat it while it is hot and deal with the consequences later.

The Service
The service here is really pretty good and fast! Perhaps because it was still relatively new, there was no queue and they accepted reservations. However, once we settled in and ordered (you have to write your own orders down and call them over), the food came very quickly.

They are very polite and hospitable though some of the wait staff had some difficulty understanding the range of accents. One thing that they do need to learn is that most diners might not have knowledge of Malaysian cuisine in the area and they need to be careful about the assumptions they make about their diners. Perhaps, take time to explain some of the items in the menu (even though diners are supposed to be self-managing).

Overall
This is probably going to be a regular haunt, so watch out for regular updates. I guess that is an endorsement as good as any. I am looking forward to my next visit already.

Cultural Moment
A good restaurant needs to assume that their diners might have a very different culinary experience and therefore a different expectation of what they are about to get. In a restaurant where diners make their own order with minimal interaction, it's important to check with them what they have ordered. This systems only works really well if diners are familiar with the dishes on offer.

Terms are are often used in many restaurants which might seem self-explanatory but convey a wrong picture to the reader based on the reader's experience. For example, fried crispy noodles - what picture does this conjure up for you? Is it the fried thin crispy egg noodles, or the ones that are thicker that come like a bird's nest, or the ones that are almost like crisps? They are all very different in texture and taste.

So, while some restaurants try to deal with this by showing pictures of what is on offer, others do not. Even when you have pictures, you do need to explain what the flavours are like PLUS when the food comes out, it should look like the pictures (many don't). So, I always believe that a good restaurant has wait staff who are able to explain their offerings to even their diners who have had the least experience with the particular cuisine. That's key to successful restaurants and also hey! It's an opportunity for multicultural education!

Chillipadi Mamak Kopitiam

295 Racecourse Rd, Kensington, VIC 3031

In a highly competitive area because there are four Malaysian restaurants of relatively good quality (including the icon that is Laksa King), this restaurant is usually the least full of the four, possibly because it is a larger restaurant. This doesn't mean that it is not a good restaurant... just that competition is pretty stiff in the area.

The Place
This is a pleasant enough space and large enough so that you don't have to share tables and be forced to listen to the conversations of strangers with their backs against yours. It's certainly the most spacious of the Malaysian restaurants within the 400m radius. There is some attempt to create an ambiance with various objects that might remind one of Malaysia. It's definitely a child friendly place, including having clean high chairs should you need them. When it gets busy, there's usually a buzz here without overwhelming noisiness.

Things to do Nearby: The shops of Racecourse Road in Kensington during the day but that's about it.

The Food
The food is not bad but nor is it a stand out. Admittedly, I have not tried its main differentiator from the other Malaysian offerings in the area - the Crab dishes. Partly, this is because I can't be bothered and I just haven't got round to it. I might be wrong but one of the things that clearly stands out here is their portion sizes. I think it's the biggest compared to the other Malaysian places in the area. I could barely finish my lunch. The Nasi Lemak (pictured right) itself was pretty good and I loved that they had generous portions of achar (pickled vegetables), and peanuts with fried anchovies. The let-down for me, was the Chicken Curry which was basically overpowered by the star anise they used too liberally in a very Chinese curry.

The Wat Dan Hor (below) on the other hand was really tasty though they definitely have a more Kuala Lumpur style with darker soya sauce in this dish, rather than the lighter style of Ipoh and even Penang. For some, this is not authentic - for me - I was very full and happy at the end.

The Service
They do have very friendly service and highly obliging. Probably the second best service amongst the 4 Malaysian places in the area. It is pretty good though the only thing that sets them back slightly is probably their food knowledge of Malaysian dishes is slightly below par, unlike the confidence of the wait staff at Grand Tofu.

Overall
I think I would go there occasionally when the other places are really full. The thing about the 4 Malaysian places here is this - you really just need to know your own taste and preferences. All 4 have some very similar dishes but cook them somewhat differently. For example, they all do Hainanese Chicken Rice... but who has the best one? The jury is still out on that one but I like Chef Lagenda because they have the Roast Chicken option. That's just one of the dishes - we could have a debate around it till the chickens are cooked... One day I might compare the various dishes across each of the 4 Malaysian restaurants.

Cultural Moment
Some people ask "How can one place sustain so many Malaysian restaurants?" Ummmm... "How can a tiny suburb sustain 3 pubs?". They might be alluding to the idea that such an exotic cuisine might not attract enough customers to sustain 4 'similar' restaurants but a pub? Everybody here drinks!

However, that's just the point, I think that Malaysian cuisine is no longer considered "exotic" especially when you are looking at a city like Melbourne. Dare I say, most people must have tried some Malaysian food in the past and might be able to name at least a couple of Malaysian dishes. Perhaps, Malaysian food hasn't quite reached the status of Italian food or Vietnamese food yet, here in Melbourne (where you can have a whole street of Italian or Vietnamese restaurants and have them all do quite well). However, I think it must be getting close in places like Flemington, Springvale, Glen Waverly and Clayton.

This is the joy of Melbourne - that you can have enough choice amongst the various cuisines, even the 'exotic ones', and have them all do well so they can all challenge each other to do better. How lucky are Melbournians!

Killiney Kopitiam (Carlton)

114 Lygon Street, Carlton, VIC 3053

http://www.killiney-kopitiam.com.au/
Not all franchises are created the same. I think there's a lot to be said about trying different branches and figuring out if they are the same. In this case, it is certainly true that the CBD and Carlton branches of Killiney are quite different. The Carlton Killiney is miles ahead of its CBD sister in terms of set up, service and food. Unsurprisingly, it has a higher score on Urbanspoon than the CBD branch. This is also a certified Halal restaurant.

The Place

This is a tiny restaurant and well set up with movable chairs and tables for different configurations. It also has a lot more character and is quite a charming space. Although it's a small space, it can get very buzzy but that's part of the atmosphere. It also has limited outside seating on Lygon Street itself. Parking around tis part of Lygon is always a pain but you might get lucky around Queensberry or Pelham Streets.

Things to do Nearby: The Museum, IMAX, Trades Hall and the shops of Lygon Street itself are all within walking distance.

The Food
The food here is more consistent and more tasty than the Killiney in the CBD. The Hainanese Chicken Rice here was served with succulent pieces of chicken. It lives up to the reputation of Chicken Rice from Singapore primarily on the freshness of the chicken and the tasty hot side broth.

Laksa - The laksa here is rich in coconut milk and has just enough spice and chilli for me. I also love the rich red colour of the laksa here.

Char Kway Teow (pictured above) - Moist thin noodles, generous amount of egg and really quite tasty and smokey without being too greasy. I think this is quite good CKT. However, it doesn't have enough bean shoots, and they don't include Chinese sausage for those who like that. You can also ask for more chilli. All things considered, it's much better than some of the CKT I have had around town.

The Service

As I indicated in the other blog entry for the CBD branch, "Ordering at the counter and having the dishes brought to you is very much a kopitiam style of delivery. That's what you'd expect at a kopitiam in Singapore. It might not be what people are used to." The service here is really friendly and smiles all round and they really do make an effort. They ocassionally also come out to talk to diners and take photos for them. So, it's all very obliging service which earns a lot of points from me.

Overall

A good go to place at this end of Lygon if you are after cheap and good Southeast Asian fare. It continues to be one of the busiest restaurants at the Queensberry end for very good reasons - nice setting, good food, friendly service and cheap!

Cultural Moment

I recently went to Singapore and decided to check out Killiney Kopitiam in Singapore. There's usually a real buzz in the ones back in Singapore but they make much of the Kaya Toast and also has won various awards in Singapore. The challenge of course is the question of maintaining the standards now that they are operating across different countries - Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia and now, Australia. What I find really interesting is that they have chosen Melbourne to kick off their Australian operations.

Why not Perth, I wonder... Perth hosts one of the largest number of Singaporeans outside of Singapore. Did you know that? It's in the same time zone as Singapore and has lots of land. Singaporean love that (especially since the mothership has so little land).

Lazzat on Lygon

112 Lygon St, Carlton, VIC 3053

With an increasing number of low cost Asian eateries in this part of Lygon, it's important to differentiate itself from others, particularly when visitors to Lygon have come to expect relatively good service and food over the years. This is a small place that is very informal and has not necessarily stood out for anything other than the style of food and its halal status (though it's not the only halal restaurant in the area either).

The Place

Lazzat has the potential to be a nice set up but is essentially a basic eatery with quite nice decoration, set up by previous management. It's not a huge space and when it is full, you would end up sitting very close to other diners. Ocassionally, when it is at its peak, the buzz from other diners create a great atmosphere but when it is quiet, it is very quiet and the silence is almost deafening (without any background music). Now, I am not a believer in loud background music being imposed on diners, but something in the background can actually help.

Things to do Nearby: This is on Lygon Street and also a short walk to the Museum and IMAX Theatre.

The Food
Having been here when it was under the previous management when they served great food from the bain-marie, I thought I'd give it a go since new management has taken over the reigns. The food was different and the bain-marie is gone (well, it's still there, but just covered up). On the day I visited with my friend, Catherine, half the items on the menu were not available (no Nasi Lemak and no Roti at lunch time. I tried ordering the oxtail soup and that was not available as well). Some day, I might get to try it. The food here reminds me of what you would get in a cafeteria in a Malay Kampung back in Malaysia where they cook a range of dishes (including Chinese dishes) with a Malay twist and taste. That's not to say it's not authentic but one knows that Cantonese fried noodles done by the Cantonese will be different to those done to suit Malay tastes - nice, but different.

Steaming hot fresh fried seafood kway teow

The Seafood Char Kway Teow (fried flat rice noodles) is really quite tasty though it's not as spicy as I expected. They use really fresh seafood and the noodles are well done overall, with the right level of smokiness and moistness.

The Fish Ball Soup (as pictured above) is a basic soup that serves well as a side but it is a basic soup for $5.00 and not a main on its own.

The Biryani Rice was a big disappointment to me. I think I was expecting too much for $9.50, but I have had Nasi Biryani here previously and it had been good. In the Cultural Moment section, I am going to discuss Biryani as it should be done. In this case, this was a disappointment because it was a very dry offering with not real flavour. The lamb curry was basic and not spicy but to top it all off, it was served with a basic dhal and pickles on a plastic thali style plate. I was clearly expecting too much! However, the main problem was not just the way the food was served but it's really about the quality of the dry rice.

The Service
The service is really friendly and casual. I think they have a great kampung style hospitality that is understated but friendly. It's not fine dining service but works for me. Some might not be used to the relaxed casual manner of the service, but it's almost like visiting friends for a meal together.

Overall
I would go again to try the other dishes because I do like this style of food and think that they do some dishes well enough to try the range (if they were available).

Cultural Moment
Biryani rice originates from Indian and Persian cuisine and the best biryani would have been great one dish meal wonders where the spices, rice and meat are brought together and the flavours are infused throughout the dish. The meat and the rice are usually cooked separate initially and then brought together, layered and baked in the oven to finish up the cooking process. As a result, there are layers of flavour and texture throughout this dish. However, it is very easy to get it all wrong and have really dry rice.
It is clearly not a dish that one can take short cuts with. In many parts, it is served with raita or pickles as well. Of course, there are many different regional differences all over the South Asia and Southeast Asia, with different combinations of ingredients. Ah! I miss good Nasi Biryani.

Minang Nasi Padang (Indonesian Restaurant)

Pelham St And Swanston St, Carlton,VIC 3053

This is a tiny Indonesian cafe that serves Nasi Padang, which is basically rice and a variety of Indonesian dishes from the bain-marie. This is the traditional way for serving nasi padang (which will be discussed in detail in the cultural moment section). However, Minang's offerings are relatively humble in that there's usually only about 8 - 10 choices of dishes whereas some places in Southeast Asia can have up to 25 choices. Not surprising as it's likely more popular in that region than in Melbourne. This restaurant started operations on Swanston Street (across from Nelayan, which was their main competitor) but never attracted much of a crowd. This seems to have changed since they moved to their current location, even though they now have Norsiah's Kitchen as their competitor around the corner. Admittedly, Norsiah serves quite a different style of food to Nelayan, which was more similar to Minang's - perhaps, that's why they have both successfully carved out their own territory and clientale.

The Place
This place is tiny and really squishy. It's an eat and run space or many choose the takeaway option. It's also not particularly comfortable here and other than keeping the place clean, there's not much further effort in maintaining an atmosphere for diners. Sometimes, small groups of students would dine here and have a chat but most people just leave as quickly as they come.

Things to do Nearby: This is very close to Lygon Street.

The Food
The food here is relatively yummy depending on what you choose. One thing I have to say. The food is authentic and it's what you would expect from good nasi padang cafes. However, that doesn't mean that the dishes would suit everyone. They always rotate their dishes unlike some of the other places that serve food from the bainmarie in the CBD. There's always variety and some days, you might find there are a number of dishes you want to try while other days, you might not be so sure.

The meals are usually $6.50 for three choices from the bainmarie on top of rice. It's pretty simple and basic. Yes, the serves are not big but it's $6.50. Very few places charge that sort of price.

On this day - none of the vegetables appealed to me

They will always have a range of curries, proteins, stirfry vegetables, something deep dried, and nuts! I love their roasted peanuts.

The Service
The service is unfailingly friendly and basic. They serve you food from the bain-marie, you pay and that's it. However, it is always very pleasing as they are always very friendly, and happy to explain what the dishes are. Also, given the limited seating, they are very good at clearing up very quickly after diners have left, so it's usually pretty clean.

Overall
If I am looking for a quick meal by myself, this is the perfect place. The servings are usually a bit small  but enough if I am not looking for too heavy a meal in the middle of the day.
Cultural Moment
Nasi Padang refers to the West Sumatran Indonesian cuisine. In fact, Padang is the capital of West Sumatra. This traces to the cuisine of the Minangkabau people of the region, influenced by Indian and Middle Eastern elements. Interestingly, even though they have come under Dutch administration for a number of years, this does not seem to have had a huge impact on their cuisine.

In terms of the food itself, there's quite a bit of coconut milk. Stur fries, and deep fried dishes are common. One of my impressions of this cuisine is that a lot of the dishes come in hues of orange, yellow and red - representing chillies and spices like tumeric, but also ginger and galangal.

Bali Bagus

85 Franklin St, Melbourne, VIC 3000

http://www.facebook.com/balibagus.onfranklin
This is cheaper Balinese food compared to the famous Warung Agus and Wantilan Bali. However, it's not just Balinese food despite the name - there's a fare whack of other Indonesian offerings on the menu. So, to begin with, this is a cafe - not a restaurant, and a bit of a student hangout. It's really good value for money and there's a good variety of dishes, so there's likely to be something for everyone. You basically order your food at the counter, and they bring it out to you. Grab your utensils and water and then wait for the food to come to you. It's also listed as a Halal restaurant though it does serve Bintang Beer.

The Place

This is a cafe with some nods of Balinese art work but it really is still just an eating hall with not a lot of atmosphere unless at lunch time, when there are lots of students around creating the buzz. It is relatively clean but there's nothing to write ome about. What I do like about it is that they don't try to squish the diners together and there's plenty of space here, even for big prams. Parking really depends on the day of the week but it can be a bit of a challenge on Franklin Street with shoppers and visitors to Queen Vic Market.

Things to do Nearby: Queen Vic Market is pretty close by (5 minute walk) and Melbourne Central is 7 minutes in the other direction.

The Food

There's a range of dishes here that's very appealing for those who like Indonesian spices. It's not a place that serves really hot chilli dishes but rely on a balance of spices and sauces. Like many Indonesian places, they do like their food to be a bit on the sweet side. So, even the spiced dishes have a level of sweetness to it.

The highlights for me have included the Iga Konro Bakar (Grilled Beef Ribs with Peanut Sauce, pictured above) is just beautiful (even though it comes with absolutely no veges). If you are into ribs, you need to try this but it's strictly and unapologetically carnivorous. The really basic but aromatic beef soup is also really tasty if you like that style of plain soups. Some people might like the satay sauce to be a bit crunchier but in this case, the smooth sauce works very well.



Fried Bakso as a side - 'surimi' meat balls - not pretty - and not that great

They also do good Stewed Sweet Beef Rendang, not as savoury and spicy like what I am used to but is certainly yummy to have as well with rice. I have also had the Mie Goreng Bali here which is pretty nice and reminds me of the ones served on the beaches of Legian in Bali (only twice the size).

Sambal Goreng Udang (Stirfried Prawns with Chilli Sauce)

Ayam Goreng Bumbu Bali (Fried Chicken with Balinese Sauce - a bit sweet for me)

So, in short, they do serve a range of Javanese and Balinese dishes including various 'Penyet' dishes. Penyet basically refers to 'flattened' and grilled proteins, very popular in parts of Indonesia.

The Service

Friendly counter service, supported by a quick efficient kitchen, that just gets the orders right. They keep the place clean and serve the food but don't really engage with diners. So, don't expect too much conversation. They tend to leave you to it.

Overall

What a great place for a quick value meal with a difference. Many of the dishes are under $10. There's really not a lot to complain about. Don't expect the restaurant quality food of the upmarket Balinese restaurants but expect hawker style Indonesian food and you will be fine. Finally and seriously - people complain about the lack of engaged service, sides, presentation and perfection. I don't know, for $10, I am happy that they are polite and smile at you when you order, I don't expect much more than that - maybe I have low standards.

Cultural Moment

Halal food is not easy to find in Melbourne but is actually more common that you think. The easiest way of course is to check out one of the two websites that list the places that do sell Halal food. The best thing though is also to verify with the outlets directly.

The two sites are;

Halal Melbourne (not an easy to navigate interface)

Halal Square (that covers all cities of Austalia)

Halal Square also includes bakeries, butchers, catering and a whole range of cuisines. I hope that that's a good resource for some of you out there.

Norsiah's Kitchen (Singaporean Malay Cafe)

604, Swanston St, Carlton, VIC 3053

https://www.facebook.com/groups/289877955326/10151402035600327/?notif_t=like
Norsiah's Kitchen started out more than a decade ago on Chapel Street as a restaurant but this is a true home cooking family run restaurant that struggled to keep up with the speed and sleek operations of that area. You used to have to call ahead to order if you wanted to eat in a timely manner. Then, they moved to Swanston Street in Carlton, and transformed itself into a fastfood cafe. This has worked wonders for them, serving mainly from the bain-marie, with the option for ala carte dishes too. This is basically student haven with its large portions and very affordable prices.

The Place
This is a small space with a cafeteria style setting that is very informal and basic. There are some tables outside as well. All the tables and chairs are moveable to suit different numbers of diners eating together, but remember, this is a small cafe - so don't go crazy with large groups. There is parking round the side on Pelham Street.

Things to do Nearby: Lygon Street is not too far away and Melbourne Central is a good 15 minute walk.

The Food

Basic Halal Singaporean Malay home cooking. This is good for a quick meal and they do serve a basic range of dishes that are not pretentious, traditional, and not necessarily inspiring.  Some people would prefer more intense and richer dishes. They don't do that here and all the tastes here are pretty uncomplicated. You either like that style of food or you don't. Some of the highlights here include their Fried Chicken and Tahu Telur - that is of Indonesian origin, essentially a dish that has yummy beancurd deep fried in eggs, with peanut sauce and shrimp paste. Personally, I tend to find their style of curry too soupy, whereas I tend to prefer dryer curries.

The Service
The service here is always friendly, welcoming, and informal. It's almost like visiting a friend's cafe and you do feel that way. This is a great plus for the cafe.

Overall
This is a place I go to when I want a really quick meal with no fuss.

Cultural Moment
So, is there a difference between Malaysian Malay and Singaporean Malay cuisine? Essentially, the answer is no, though regional variation can occur because of slightly different tastes and preferences. The range of dishes and style of cooking are essentially the same. However, regional variations are due to different combinations of spices in quantity and balance, and also dependent on how much influence there is from sister cuisines in the area. For example, it is arguable that Northern Malaysian Malay cuisine have Thai influences, while East Coast Malaysian Malay cuisine is characterised by their access to seafood, and seafood products such as sauces and condiments. On the other hand, some would argue that Malay cuisine in Singapore has stronger Chinese influences.

Dare I say that the Malay dishes in Singapore are less spicy and intense compared to the West Malaysian cousins? I am not sure but it does feel that way. This is not to say that they have less chillies, just that it's not as rich or heavy handed in the spices used. Of course, I can easily be challenged in that opinion and hope to continue this research through actual food tasting action research ... ah! What a wonderful World!

Es Teler 77 (Indonesian Cafe)

164, Cardigan St, Carlton, VIC 3053

http://www.esteler77.com
Es Teler is a Halal restaurant and has been around for a long time, starting in Indonesia and now in Malaysia, Singapore and Melbourne. They must be doing something right. They started as a simple no frills Warung and have pretty much maintained the no-frills down to earth eatery feel. Being in Cardigan St., it attracts a healthy number of students from the Uni of Melbourne and RMIT University. A large number of the diners are from Indonesia attesting to the authenticity, taste and price of the place. However, this is no fine dining space... so, please don't expect any posh service.

The Place
This is a very bright cafeteria style eating hall is a just a big space with tables that are moveable. There are big mirrors that make the place look bigger than it really is. There is not a lot of deco other than big pictures of some of the dishes in one section of the wall, and some murals above the mirrors. Sometimes, when they are understaffed - clearing of tables fall a bit behind making the place look a bit messy. The seats are also getting tired and its showing clear wear and tear (to put it mildly).

Parking varies here as it is on Cardigan Street and sometimes, if you are lucky, there's plenty of spots unless if it's the weekend evenings.

Things to do Nearby: This is near Lygon Street.

The Food

Bihun Goreng

This is basic street side Indonesian hawker food. You can expect Nasi Goreng, Mee Goreng, Bihun Goreng, Soto, Nasi Uduk. They do spiciness to the max if you like it that way. You just have to request it but be careful what you wish for. The flavours are authentic with one modification, they are not as greasy as your average eatery in Indonesia. While that is a good thing, sometimes, the various fried noodles and rice can get dry if you don't eat it quick enough. Most of the dishes are really quite nice and they do good Oxtail (Buntut) too!

For me, I always like to order their Bihun Goreng Kambing (Fried Rice Vermicelli with Goat). It's not something you can get everywhere and it's really quite tasty. However, it's a dish you have to eat quickly because it's not that nice cold and dry. it looks like a basic dish but it's really tasty for lunch.

Mee Goreng

The Service
Basically, you order at the counter, pay and wait for them to bring the food out to you. It's as basic as that. You can help yourself to the water or tea (if there's any left). It's one step short of a self-service restaurant. They are never rude but neither are actually quite friendly when it's not crazy busy. It's a basic transaction. When it gets really busy, they get really harried and the place gets a bit chaotic. Also, don't expect the dishes to come out at the same time though they are getting better at having most of the dishes come out around the same time. The best news is, they are never rude.

Overall
I prefer to go during the non-peak hours when they have more time to pay attention to the customers, and cleaning of the tables. Lunch times are generally pretty crazy. This is not generally a place to loiter around, it's an eat and go place.

Cultural Moment
Indonesian desserts of the coconut milk and ice variety comes in different forms. Es means Ice. It's simple really. The following are some of the popular ones;
Es Teler was actually invented by the founder of Es Teler 77, it has a combination of coconut milk, avocado, grass jelly, pandan, jackfruit, young coconut and condensed milk.
Es Campur is more generic (Campur means mixed) and can include a variety of fruits and jellies (all very colourful) and chendol or sago and of course a good dollop of coconut milk, condensed milk.
Es Doger is a Bandung variation, that includes 'bandung' which has pink rose syrup in the mix plus all the other fruity and jelly goodies, including tapioca pearls.
Es Chendol is probably the one that translates most succesfully to neighbouring Malaysia, Singapore, Burma and Thailand and primarily consists of coconut milk and the mung bean, rice flour and tapioca mix jelly (worm like looking) and includes palm sugar.
All yummy and very very sweet.

PappaRich (QV)

Level 2, shop 11, Qv Square, 210 Lonsdale Street , Melbourne, VIC 3000

PappaRich (QV) has a surprisingly low score on Urbanspoon given the queues here during peak hours. I think you either like their style of service or not. As for the food, it's not bad at all and I think it's better than some of the other chains from Malaysia or Singapore. This is primarily a West Malaysian chain that serves common West Malaysian cuisine of the hawker variety. I have had food from their Kuala Lumpur branches before and this might sound sacrilegious to some but I actually think they serve better food in this outlet in Melbourne. This is a Halal chain.

The Place
I am not a fan of queueing but sometimes, that's inevitable here. The decoration is a mix of different styles from Malaysia. It's usually pretty packed and there's a nice buzz to the place from the number of diners here. You do sit pretty close to others even though there's a huge floor space. They do pack you in. This is not really a kid-friendly space because of the proximity to fellow diners - makes it a bit difficult. Lastly, if you were driving, it's best to park at QV.

Things to do nearby: QV, Melb Central, Chinatown and the State Library. There's plenty of things around.

The Food
The food here is not bad at all and most of their dishes are better than the competition around town. While not everything's perfect, most of it is better than average. Some highlights here include:

Chicken Rice - this is not bad at all and it comes with a generous serving of beansprouts (which is a bit unusual) but the chicken is tender and the rice is pretty fragrant. Not the best in Melbourne but better than most because of the quality of the white cut chicken.

Wat Dan Hor - Egg sauce fried flat rice noodle (Cantonese style) is really quite tasty though they use only kway teow (flat rice noodle) and no vermicelli.

I have to note that their Nasi Lemak is not as rich as it could be and for a supposed Malaysian chain, their Roti Canai is more crispy (the way Singaporeans like it) than fluffy (which is the usual Malaysian preference). Their Laksa is pretty tasty too but not spicy enough for me.

The Service
This is where it gets tricky. I understand that being set in QV, rental is probably at a premium, therefore prices are higher than you average Malaysian eatery around town. However, the problem is this, when people are paying more for their experience - it's not just food they are paying for, but service as well.

There are a number of pressure points with the service here. First, queue management can be an issue with the whole thing going very wrong very quickly because it's a fine edge to try and seat a big group ahead of a couple that's been waiting a while. Second, once you are in, they have to try to explain how the self-ordering system and waitstaff call button works. If you are surprised by this, you might not be listening and fuming at bad service for what you might consider a restaurant in a premier location. Third, PappaRich is expecting their diners to get over the whole self-order concept in a premier location at higher than average price. Fourth,  with the self order, it's hard to actually request variations to the meals because there's not much you can write on that small piece of paper and your handwriting might not be legible (gasp!). So, variations usually lead to something different to what you might expect.This was always going to be tricky and I suspect very strongly, the reason for the lower Urbanspoon Score. Fifth, because it always feels such a rush, the waitstaff can come across as brusque and uninterested. Finally, the credit card use policy of having to spend more than $25 is just plain silly in a QV outlet.

Overall
I would go to PappaRich again to try the range of food, but I would not queue for this. If there's a queue, I can easily find better options close by. The reason I'd go to PappaRich is because of the variety they have but I won't put up with borderline service.

Cultural Moment
When a successful Southeasteast Asian chain makes its way to Melbourne or anywhere in Australia, it usually excites those who have lived in those countries to compare (eg. "It's just not like home"), those who were not aware of those places in the first place (eg. "what's the big deal?") etc. It's difficult to live up to the reputation of the chains back home for a number of reasons.

For those who are not familiar with the Southeast Asian chains, when they hear 'insiders' rave about it, they want to know what the big deal is. Of course, the built up of expectations is a double-edged sword. It's a tricky one knowing that taste buds are highly relative to what they are used to. The question of balance between authenticity and suitability to local tastebuds is usually what decides the success of an Asian restaurant in Melbourne.

In addition, memories can be vague sometimes and food memory tinged with sentimental longing can make the food back home seem much tastier than it actually is. The reality is that there are many other food outlets that do better than these chains back home. So, when people say "It's just not like home", I suspect they are usually comparing it to the best experiences they had back home - and not necessarily a comparison to the chain's performance back home. That's not quite fair, right?

Then there's the issue of ingredients. As much as Melbourne is highlight multicultural and the range of ingredients is impressive, there will always be differences on two fronts. Not all the ingredients from Southeast Asia are readily available in Malaysia. The quality of fresh produce is completely different between the two regions -the vegies, the meats and the processed meats are all different in texture, taste and quality. That makes it quite hard to replicate everything exactly the same. I would argue that in some cases, the food in Melbourne is of better quality than so called "back home" because of the freshness of the meats and vegies.

Killiney Kopitiam (Bourke Street)

Shop 11, 108 Bourke St, Melbourne, VIC 3000

http://www.killiney-kopitiam.com/
This is a Singaporean Cafe chain started in 1919 as one shop in Killiney Road and is now a chain in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia.  So, they must be doing something right internationally, yet they have a rather low score on Urbanspoon. Although it is usually busy during lunch time and early evening, the food is a bit lacklustre and average at best here, which might explain the rating. It is also listed as a Halal restaurant.

The Place
Set near the ill-fated Paramount shopping centre which has very low occupancy rates and has never really picked up, this is still a relatively good location near the top half of Bourke Street. There is not a lot of parking here being where it is. The space is light and airy and it has the feel of a basic eating hall, with furniture that's similar to a real kopitiam (cafe) back in Singapore.

Things to do Nearby: Top bits of Bourke Street and 5 minutes from Chinatown and Collins Street either side of Exhibition Street.

The Food
When I first saw that Killiney had launched in Melbourne, I was really excited because there are not that many Singaporean offerings in Melbourne, compared to Malaysian (with the demise of Singapore Chom Chom which was truly Singaporean). I have been to Killiney Kopitiam in Bourke Street a number of times. I have to say that the food is not bad but it is average at best and most of the dishes would lose out to competitors in various places around town.

Hainanese Chicken Rice - with Jalan Alor close by, and Coconut House not too far away, this place ranks a distant third on Chicken Rice to both the Malaysian places. This is disappointing because I genuinely believe that on average, the Singaporeans do better Chicken Rice than Malaysians - yet, here, that's not bearing out. The rice itself is ok, light and fluffy but chicken is generally overcooked and chewy, which is not how it should be.

Fried Hokkien Noodles - This is one of my favourite Singaporean dishes but it's a bit tasteless and dry here at Killiney Kopitian Bourke Street.

Laksa - The laksa here is rich in coconut milk but lacks spice and tastiness overall. It's not the same as the Killiney offering in Singapore itself, and lacks the layers of flavouring.

The Service
Ordering at the counter and having the dishes brought to you is very much a kopitiam style of delivery. That's what you'd expect at a kopitiam in Singapore. It might not be what people are used to. I don't mind the concept as the staff are friendly and smiles all round make you feel welcomed. The first time I was there, I didn't realise this and they had to explain the system (that I had to go up to the counter to order and pay first).

Overall
Although this doesn't sound like a positive review, it's not exactly a bad one. I'd still go there when I am missing the specific Singaporean dishes that they offer here, because I can't really get it anywhere else in the CBD. Old Raffles Place still has better Singaporean food if you are willing to go slightly out of the city, and can put up with the bad service.

Cultural Moment
Fried Hokkien Noodles mean different things to West Malaysians Malaysians, East Malaysians and Singaporeans. In West Malaysia, it is primarily fried in a dark savoury soy sauce with fish cakes, pork lard, (sometimes, cabbage), and bean shoots. In East Malaysia, it is in a sweet dark soy sauce with just basic bean shoots and eggs. In Singapore, it's fried in a light soy sauce, with prawns, calamari, eggs, pork belly bits, bean shoots and spring onions (and is usually combined with vermicelli). Hence it's important to differentiate them from each other as they are all quite different.

The Hokkien noodle is used also in Laksas (in combination with vermicelli), in a Hokkien  Prawn Noodle Soup dish (that has a very strong prawn based soup), and in Mee Goreng. It's a versatile noodle that packs a punch because it is a lot more substantial than your average egg noodles, the kway teows, and vermicellis.

Hokkiens originally came from the Fujian province in China.Hokkien is the dialect I speak and the dialect of my Mum. It is also the dominent spoken dialect in Taiwan, thought their Hokkien is a lot more 'chim' which means 'deep' referring to the sophistication and complexity of their version of the dialect. The ones used in Singapore and Malaysia are slight changed by the inclusion of local Malay, Tamil and English words.

Desi Dhaba

134, Flinders St, Melbourne, VIC 3000

Desi Dhaba doesn't rate very highly on Urbanspoon and having only been there once, this is based on one visit. I think I would go again at some point as the first visit has been relatively pleasant and I like the quirky deco of the place. This place is connected to the Tandoori Times chain of Indian restaurants. The clientale here is a healthy mixture of both Indian and non-Indian groups of diners. This place is supposed to be Halal certified too - though it does serve alcohol at the bar.

The Place

Set near the corner of Russell and Flinders Streets, this place is diagonal to Federation Square and so, parking will have to be paid mostly. It's a place that I think balances between quirky and tacky - I will let the pictures here speak for themselves. I suspect it can get noisy in here though when I visited with Paul and Robbie - it was relatively quiet (other than the loud Bollywood music which I love). There's a lot of space here and they don't try to cram diners in, which is great.

Things to do nearby: Federation Square, Russell Street, Little Collins and Collins Streets are all within 5 minutes walk.

The Food

This place serves a wide range of Indian cuisine (both north and south) but I think has clearly north Indian sensibilities. It claims to have authentic dishes but they are not as spicy, rich or hot as the dishes in India. However, the food is relatively tasty and well presented. The naan bread was average and 2 ofthe 3 dishes we had were yummy.

Paneer Saag - a common dish in many restaurants, it's pretty good here too and not overly salty as some places are wont to do.

Chicken Tikka - was not as tasty as some other places and not as well charcoaled or tangy as I would have liked it. I have had much better Chicken Tikka than this.

Goan Lamb Vindaloo - had a good kick and the goat was tender, it was yummy and you definitely rice to go with this one.

Chicken Tikka

The Service

The service was nonchalant. We were not greeted, walking in and though I don't want to be precious about it, it would have been nice to have been acknowledged when walking into a restaurant. Once we got settled in though, the food came pretty quickly even when there was a crowd. Although not very personable, it was not rude either.

Overall

I'd give it another go to try a few other dishes given the extensive menu. However, I would hope that the service would be better the next time.

Cultural Moment

A dhaba is usually a road side eatery. It could range from a tin shed to a dedicated purpose built building that is like a truck stop. It reminds me of some of the 'truck stop' eateries in Australia, that's attached to petrol stations in country roads. You could quite easily google image 'dhaba' to get a sense of the range of dhabas in India.

I believe that Dhabas in India tend to focus on Punjabi cuisine - the Punjab region covers parts of North India and Pakistan.

Famous Punjabi dishes in Australia include Tandoori Chicken and Chicken Tikka, Rogan Josh, Saag Gosht and Paneer,and Biryanis. All very yummy but does not have the chilli crazy hotness of their southern cousins.

Secret Recipe (Melbourne Central) CLOSED and CHANGED HANDS

Melbourne Central - Store L03, 308, 211 LaTrobe Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

http://www.secretrecipeaustralia.com/index.php/Locations/melbourne-central.html
In Singapore and Malaysia, I only ever went for the dessert and not really for the meals. They have the same cakes here which are fantastic but that's not what this review is about. The desserts are not Asian inspired and range from blackforest cake to cheese cake - all very yummy! However, that's not what this blog is about. How did the Asian dishes hold up? In my opinion, not very well.

This is a Halal certified cafe and to my knowledge, the only Halal restaurant in Melbourne Central.

The Place
This cafe is set within Melbourne Central in an almost hidden corner, next to Nando's on Level 3. Blink and you miss it. Parking within the Melb Central carpark is entirely possible. This is a relatively open cafe with not much ambience. It's relatively spacious and because of where it is situated, can be somewhat noisy during peak hours.

Things to do Nearby: You're inside Melbourne Central and across from the State Library.

The Food

Usually comes with Prawns :) This is ok but not 'Penang' enough

The food is not completely authentic or like what you might get back home. Their best dishes are not their "Asian Classics", meaning there's not a lot to rave about. The most recent Asian dish I tried here was the Penang Char Kway Teow - which had very little Penang influence because it didn't have the spice, the smokiness, and the finer kway teow (flat rice noodle) common to CKT from Penang.

Their Shrimp Wontons  are less wontons and more 'money bags' but relatively tasty.

Overall, the serves here are really small for the price one pays, especially the Asian dishes. I actually left, still feeling hungry, which hasn't really happened in any of the other restaurants I have blogged about thus far. An average meal with a drink would easily come up to near $20 - not your cheap cheerful Asian eatery.

The Service
The service is inconsistent and not very attentive. They are friendly enough when they notice you and generally very nice. However, they lack the consistency means that sometimes, you get good service, and sometimes, you could be sitting there playing on your phone for a while unless if you call out to them.

Overall
I would go to Secret Recipe for the cakes, that's the highlight for me here. Not a place I would go to if I wanted Asian - which is ironic - given they are a Malaysian chain. When next I am in Singapore and Malaysia - I might go try their dishes and see if they are comparable.

Cultural Moment
What is halal food? In Arabic, Halal means 'lawful'. The opposite in to Halal is Haram (which is prohibited). Foods that are prohibited include pork or any by product of pork; blood; animals not slaughtered in the name of God; Alcohol; and Carrion. There is a prescribed Zabiha methodology in the slaughter of animals under Islamic law. In many parts of the non-Muslim world, there are some Halal certified restaurants and cafe which serve food from a wide variety of cuisines (such as Secret Recipe, that also serves pasta and a range of meat and 3 veg options).

There is also sometimes, the question of whether kosher food is similar to halal food? To my knowledge, they are different primarily because one of the requirements is the Zahiba method of slaughter of the animals, which includes the pronouncement of God during the slaughter - not required in kosher practice. Then, there's the difference in the treatment of alcohol between the two as well. Clearly, they are not the same in all circumstances.

Nelayan Indonesian Restaurant

265, Swanston Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

Scoring 82% likes on Urbanspoon, this is a no fuss place that serves up good basic Indonesian fare. It is worth noting that Nelayan is also Halal-certified.

The Place
This is not a huge place and is set up almost like a canteen, with most of the food being served from the bain-marie. You order your food up front, pay for it, grab your utensils and off you go to find a table. It's the same thing if you are looking for an ala carte meal - order and pay first, then wait for them to bring it to you. It's not a place to have a long yarn and there's not a whole lot of space between tables. You could watch people walk by on Swanston St as you enjoy your meal.

Ok, this is going to be a strange thing to say but I don't like their chairs! They need to replace them, many are clearly quite unstable and I have visions of crashing on to the floor in the middle of a meal - freaks me out. You can also help yourself you water and very watered down tea, but they are just sitting on the tray by the fridge where people are queing up for food... hmm.

Other things to do close by: It's on Swanston Street near Lonsdale. QV, Bourke Street Mall, and Melb Central are all close by, and so is Chinatown.

The Food
This place serves basic authentic Indonesian fare that's quite simple and delicious. There are a number of different dishes that are quite good for food from a bain-marie. Their ala-carte menu is not bad too.
However, the main highlight is:

Beef Rendang  which is probably one of the best rendang in Australia. I can't speak highly enough of it. It pretty much melts in your mouth and has a rich sauce - I am salivating just thinking about it. My friend Scott loves it too!

The Service

Cheap and Efficient. No fuss, no demands. The problem is consistency - some of the servers give you lots while others are a bit miserly - it's all luck of the draw.

Overall

This is a good place to go to if you are in a hurry and want some light spicy Indonesian food that's really quick. A great place for a quick meal under $10.00 (if you dare to risk the chairs).

Cultural Moment

This is quite a good place to check out what the local Indonesian community is up to. There are all sorts of posters and notices from the Indonesian Community and Student groups, advertising everything from Career Fares to Indonesian Church gatherings.