Malacca Straits

The warmer weather inclined me to take a stroll around the Broadway dining precinct, and I was amazed at the variety of cuisines available at reasonable prices. Take a turn into the Quadrant and you’ll find Thomas Ng’s third venture, Malacca Straits. He opened his first store by the same name in Manly in 1985 (since closed), and has had a second store in North Sydney since 1995. Open here for two months, the menu already boasts a range of Thai and Malaysian dishes which can be had as vegetarian ($7.50), chicken/beef ($8.50), prawns ($9.50) or mixed seafood ($11.00). I enjoyed a Chicken Laksa which had the right amount of chilli to satisfy my palate and give my lips a mild tingle. Char Koay Teow, a fried flat noodle dish from Penang is a substantial plate of noodles, breast chicken and excellent bean sprouts, scattered with fresh greens. A vibrant lunchtime crowd of business people and students form a queue out into the interestingly angular quadrant, but it is quickly dispersed. Enjoy a cheap lunch between 11am and 3pm, or dinner between 5.30pm and 8.30pm, Monday to Saturday. In coming weeks Thomas will be adding more curries and Thai salads, just in time for summer.

Malacca Straits
66 Mountain Street, Broadway
Ph: (02) 8021 7069
Malaysian/Thai  $