Straits Cafe

694 Doncaster Rd
Doncaster, VIC 3108

straitscafe.com.au

Straits Cafe is the last place you would expect to find a good Malaysian meal. Located amongst a dilapidated strip of shops along Doncaster Road, the only indication that it isn’t playing jump-rope with bankruptcy is the customers bursting out of the front door whenever the sign on the window says ‘open’. 

Step inside (if you can) and you’ll find a bustling, family-run canteen serving up a concise but authentic selection of Malaysian dishes for both dining in and taking away. The packed, utilitarian space smells like a wok due to the open kitchen, which is usually delicious but the smoke can sometimes lead to a symphony of coughing, so don’t wear your good clothes here.

Hainanese Chicken Rice ($10.9)

Hainanese Chicken Rice ($10.9)

 

The Hainanese Chicken Rice ($10.9) is a must-order dish. The presentation may be a tad sloppy, but you can’t argue with silky poached chicken in a light sesame soy sauce, served with a glistening mound of fragrant chicken rice and crunchy vegetables, all washed down with a bowl of clear broth. It is so good that practically every single person at my pharmacy (which happens to be right next door) has had it at some point and sung its praise.

Assam Laksa ($9.9)

 

Assam Laksa ($9.9) is definitely an acquired taste. A far cry from the mellow spices and coconut cream of a curry laksa, the soup in a traditional Assam laksa is dark, sour and fishy, as the main ingredients used are tamarind and mackerel. The thick, syrupy brew swam with fat rice noodles that struggle away from the chopsticks, as well as the cleaner additions of mint, onion, cucumber and pineapple. Each mouthful stung the tastebuds with its cacophony of sour, pungent and herbal flavours; it is not for the faint-hearted.    

There was however an unfortunate twenty minutes between our chicken rice and laksa arriving, and once the latter was finally placed in front of us, we found the noodles to be in gluey clumps, probably from over-cooking. But given how busy the restaurant was during the lunch rush, and the fact that the whole meal felt more like sitting in grandma’s kitchen as she plonks a sloshing bowl of noodles in front of you, whilst lamenting how thin you’ve gotten since she last saw you, I am going to happily forgive the little mishap and carry on enjoying their fantastic home-cooked meals on my work breaks. 

Rating: 14/20 - just like grandma never made.

Kenzan @ GPO

350 Bourke St
Melbourne, VIC 3000

I’m usually pretty good at remembering to bring my camera. Most of the time I’m not even halfway out the door before I notice that the familiar weight in my bag is missing. But today, I somehow managed to get all the way to the train station before I realised, so I’m going to have to rely on my trusty iPhone camera instead.

Anyway, Kenzn @ GPO is the offshoot of the well-known Japanese fine-dining restaurant, Kenzan, on Flinders Lane. It’s sandwiched between RamenYa and Ca de Vin in the long space behind the GPO, and is a quite a popular lunch destination for all sorts of clientele. This is mostly thanks to its unpretentious but good quality food, prices that are reasonable, even if it’s not a bargain, and of course their ripper of a DIY sushi roll. 

Salmon and Avocado Roll ($3.7)

The Salmon and Avocado Roll ($3.7) is more than a little bit pricey compared to what you pay at other places, but it’s big, plump, and generously stuffed with fresh ingredients, so it’s hard to begrudge them. But the greatest thing about this roll is the nori wrapper packed separately from the actual sushi, preventing it from going soggy and chewy. And whilst rolling your own sushi may seem intimidating, Kenzan has made it stress-free with easy instructions printed on the plastic. Just pop the sushi on one end of the wrapper, roll, and the nori will stick to the rice by itself. The result is pretty magical; you have not had sushi until you’ve had it wrapped in crackling nori. The flavours of the roll itself were a bit muted, and I actually reached for the soy sauce about halfway through, something I try to avoid at all costs. But you know what? Between the crispy wrapping and the fresh ingredients, this is definitely one of the better, and THE biggest sushi roll in town. 

Niku Udon ($13)

Newly initiated into the world of udon, Chris had a Niku Udon ($13) that was delicious for all the right reasons. Thick, slurpable noodles in a soup with a bold note of kombu, garnished with thin slices of beef, wakame, pork crackling, and feathery sliced shallots. I really appreciated the usage of some less common ingredients, such as the thin yet meaty wakame, and the soft, fatty pork crackling soaked in the delicate broth. 

Zaru Soba ($9)

Having heard amazing reviews, I ordered the Zaru Soba ($9), heedless of the cold weather. I have to admit that there is some novelty to dipping cool, chewy noodles into the light broth and slurping it all up. Make sure you give the noodles a good swish in the mild soy and mirin mixture, as it doesn’t so much have the saltiness of a dipping sauce as a soup. And despite it being winter, the ferocious heat lamps above the outdoor seating made eating the cold noodles rather appropriate and enjoyable. 

Yes Kenzan is pricier than most of the casual Japanese restaurants studded around the city, yes the portions at Kenzan are on the smaller end of average, and yes Kenzan’s menu is nothing new or groundbreaking. But I can’t help but warm up to the cosy laneway seating, good quality nosh, and of course that crispy crispy nori. 

Rating: 13.5/20 – dat nori.

MoVida Bakery and Burch and Purchese Dessert Studio

MoVida Bakery

3 Tivoli Road
South Yarra, VIC 3141

movida.com.au

Hello, my name is Ming and I’m a MoVida addict. So when MoVida opened their very own bakery on the other side of the river, I couldn’t get there fast enough.

Unlike their other restaurants, which are tucked into the heart of the CBD, MoVida Bakery has much more of a neighbourhood cafe feel, with nothing revealing the genius of what’s going on inside. But step through the glass doors you’ll be treated with a thousand and one types of breads and pastries, house made jams, and shelves upon shelves of Spanish goodies so you can take some of the MoVida magic home with you.

The eating area is split into two sections; a small front room with just a few spots facing the window, and a slightly larger back room with communal tables. The cafe is dwarfed by the kitchen however, which is entirely open, separated from the cafe by only a wall of flour sacks (organic of course). The whole bakery is treated to puffs of delicious smells every half hour or so, when a new batch of bread or pastry comes out of the oven.

Lamb Pie

Lamb Pie

Chris’ Lamb Pie was encased in light, buttery pastry that showered flakes all over the cute little wooden board with every bite. The hearty chunks of lamb inside were soft from braising and delicately flavoured, and even the bottom of the pie managed to stay crispy. I would have liked a little more gravy in the pie, but the excellent pastry is sufficient compensation.

Salmon Sandwich

Despite being a cold day, I couldn’t resist the fresh Salmon Sandwich. Between two dense but moist slices of bread were chunks of pink poached salmon, greenery in the form of dill and watercress, all held together by a tangy lemon aioli and sweet, crispy slices of pickled cucumber. This was a light sandwich that’s full of goodness, with flavours that are balanced and restrained, but definitely not bland. And despite being fairly small, it did an excellent job of filling me up.

Salted Caramel Donut ($3.5)

But we couldn’t leave without trying one of the famed Salted Caramel Donuts ($3.5). On the up side, the donut was generously dusted in cinnamon sugar and the gooey filling hit the perfect note of salty-sweet. Unfortunately the donut was stone cold, which made it rather dry and unappetising. Until they start keeping them in warmers, I think I’ll stick with the Hot Jam Donuts at Vic Market. 

MoVida Bakery is a nice little wedge of the MoVida experience out in the suburbs. I am quite jealous of those who live within walking distance; not only are they able to stroll in for a round of sourdough any time of the day, they can also take regular advantage of MoVida’s take away dinners. Our meal came to a total of $22.5, which is on the pricey side, but justified given the quality and freshness. All in all, I’m fairly impressed with MoVida Bakery, though it would be nice if they started serving their donuts warm. 

Rating: 13.5/20 – warm those donuts!

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Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio

647 Chapel Street
South Yarra, VIC 3141

burchandpurchese.com

Seeing as Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio was just around the corner, it didn’t take much to convince Chris to agree to peek in. He did however made me promise that I won’t take any photos, knowing that I could easily spend an hour in there, so you’ll just have to make do with the ones I took last time.

Passionfruit Meringue Cloud ($5)

And whilst we were there, we munched on a sample of chocolate shortbread, and I picked up a Passionfruit Meringue Cloud ($5) so Chris could try the magic for himself. The last time I had a Burch and Purchese meringue cloud, it changed my negative opinions on both strawberries and meringue in just one bite.

Passionfruit Meringue Cloud ($5)

The jagged tang of the freeze dried passionfruit scattered on top tickled the tastebuds as it melted along with the meringue, which was literally as light as a cloud. And inside the crispy, sugary shell was a sticky and gooey center that had just the slightest bit of chew before dissolving away into a tropical sugar rush. How could you not be in love?

Rating: 14/20 – sugar heaven