Sarawak Kitchen
469 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
03 9328 2562
Chinese, Malaysian
$
Food
- Bak Kut Teh with Rice
- Curry Fish with Rice
The Good
The curry was very well done. Not only was it aromatic, the flavours were bold, strong and was consistent with a traditional Malaysian curry.
The fish was soft within and pan-fried to crispy on one side. This complemented well with the exceedingly soft and tender eggplant within, which was particularly delicious.
The Bak Kut Teh was had strong Asian herbal flavours - the way it’s meant to be made. Ingredients within were fresh with the pig stomach and pork ribs plentiful.
Special mention for the rice here. While I don’t normally find much to comment on about the rice, the rice served was a very round and aromatic Jasmine, indicating a more expensive variety.
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
The staff were highly disorganised which led to much unused space and seats within the restaurant, resulting in a line out the door when everyone could’ve easily been seated.
Food came out rather slowly, and didn’t arrive together. There was a good 25 minute wait for the first dish and another 10 or so for the next.
The Verdict
Overall a very decent restaurant for authentic Malaysian dishes. It’s clear that they have stuck to traditional recipes and didn’t skimp on quality nor quantity.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
For traditional Malaysian food in Melbourne, this is definitely up there along with Laksa King and Chef Lagenda. However, a lot is left to be desired in terms of the service….
I would no doubt visit again for the food, but just hope that the food at least comes out at the same time.