Mamak, Haymarket

On a lazy Sunday, I decide to go to Mamak for an early lunch. Mamak opens at 11:30 am so there's only a handful of people entering at this time. I've always been a big fan of Mamak but I think it's lost some of it's magic.

As I walked in, I'm seated at one of the two seaters by the wall. The seats are quite small and I can't help but feel a bit cramp against the wall. The table is quite small as well and I think about how many dishes we we can order that will fit on the table. I look at the menu and think about how it's been unchanged for several years.

We start out with the original roti ($7.50) which comes with sambal sauce and two curry sauces.  The roti is fluffy, warm and light and I dip it into the familiar tasting curries with a touch of sambal sauce which adds a bit of spice.

We order an iced milo as well ($4) which is a very popular drink in Malaysia and MW always gets a kick out of ordering this for some reason. I think it brings out childhood memories for him.

He orders a Nasi Lemak ($11 + curry chicken $3.50) which arrives with coconut rice, sambal sauce, peanuts, crispy anchovies, cucumber and hard boiled egg. This is a dish full of crunchy textures and variety. I personally rarely order this dish as I prefer some of the other Malaysian dishes. MW eats most of the dish primarily - the chicken and rice.

I order the Mee Goreng ($14.50) which is a mildly spicy and tangy wok tossed hokkien noodles with egg, prawns, fish cake slices and bean sprouts. There's also cucumber and tomato which add a refreshment element to the dish. This dish is very consistent as I have ordered this dish many times. I love the conflicting flavours of spicy and tangy which give my tastebuds a bit of a kick.

Summary: I think it's time Mamak refresh their menu and decore as it's quite predictable and you would only go back for familiar favourites. My recommendations are the mee goreng or maggi goreng, roti and satay sticks. 

Price: $20ish per person

Location: 15 Goulburn St, Haymarket

Opening Hours: 
Monday to Friday 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:30 to 10pm
Saturday and Sunday 11:30am to 10pm

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