Food is such an important expression of culture and national identity, and with the Chinese New Year holiday just around the corner, Malaysian travellers will be looking for the best places to get a taste of home while ringing in the Year of the Rat when in New South Wales.
From the best handmade noodles to contemporary takes on dim sum and bubble tea (a symbol of Asian pride and identity), we thought you might be keen to feature these amazing F&B concepts in New South Wales that evoke a spirit of conviviality and community.
Authentic homestyle delights
Mamak is a halal restaurant on Goulburn street serving authentic and affordable Malaysian cuisine. From savoury and fluffy roti and curries to comforting plates of ayam goreng and nasi lemak, Mamak is beloved among locals and tourists alike.
Average spend: MYR 60 to 90++ per person
Boasting mesmerising waterfront views and lavish North Indian cuisine, Spiced by Billus offers the perfect destination to usher in the Lunar New Year. The restaurant delivers honest, authentic, home-style Indian cooking using traditional recipes. Diners can celebrate as a group when they order Billu’s Feast, featuring a spread of chicken tikka, seekh kebab, samosa, butter chicken, daal tadka, rogan josh, and prawn malabari finished with an indulgent gulab jamun and vanilla ice cream dessert.
Average spend: MYR 60 to 180++ per person
Made by hand
Serving the ‘prettiest bubble tea in Sydney’, Bubble Nini is a quaint teashop on Darling Square that doubles as a florist for that #InstaWorthy finish. The shop is known for making fresh tapioca pearls daily and offers a curated selection of tea, brewed in-house without any additional chemicals. Its signature teas include Those Were The Days made with melted brown sugar drizzled in full cream milk and topped with herbal jelly, and Sun Moon Lake Black Tea sourced from the region surrounding Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan.
Average spend: MYR 15 to 30++ per person
Along Dixon street in Sydney’s Chinatown lies Biang Biang, a Shaanxi Chinese noodles restaurant serving generous bowls of chewy handmade noodles. Popular with locals and tourists alike, the restaurant’s signature dish is the Biang Biang Noodles with Chilli, featuring wide, chewy noodles topped with tender, slow-cooked pork, vegetables and a dollop of fragrant garlic and chilli.
Average spend: MYR 30 to 60++ per person
Contemporary treats
With a vibrant menu of teas available for selection, No Fail is an exciting indie teashop located along Goulburn Street and Burwood Road. Aside from regular bubble tea, tea aficionados can choose from fresh fruit teas, cheese fruit tea frappes and brûlée milk teas. The store is well known for its thick, savoury cheese foam that is the perfect complement to its refreshing fruit teas.
Average spend: MYR 15 to 30++ per person
At Madame Shanghai in Darlinghurst, diners will be greeted with quirky and eclectic décor reminiscent of Shanghai circa 1930. Guests can indulge in shaokao-style Chinese barbeque, and mouth-watering, contemporary Chinese dishes incorporated with Asian influences and French techniques. Highlights of the menu include the handmade Blue Swimmer Crab dumplings with scallop and flying fish roe, and the Steamed King Reef Barramundi Fillet.
Average spend: MYR 60 to 150++ per person
For travellers keen on exploring regional New South Wales, Mr. Lim, an Asian fusion restaurant based in Orange NSW is a must-try. Using local produce where possible, Mr Lim creates vibrant and sustainable dishes with influences from Chinese, Korean and Australian barbecue-style food. Guests can dig into juicy Scallop & Prawn dumplings made with Australian sea blite, and Aussie Steak stir-fried with onion, garlic chives and spring onion.
Average spend: MYR 30 to 120++ per person
East meets West
XOPP, one of the latest additions to Sydney’s dining scene is opened by Golden Century and pays homage to its signature dish, XO Pippies – delicious surf clams stir-fried with XO sauce and vermicelli noodles (the dish is even a favourite with multi-hatted chef Dan Hong). The exciting new F&B concept presents a fresh fusion Chinese menu, with a selection of intriguing menu additions like Kingfish Sashimi with Doubanjiang & Fingerlime, as well as Kung Bao Glacier 51 Toothfish with Cashews.
Average spend: MYR 60 to 365++ per person