I am very excited to be a part of the Malaysia Kitchen Blogger’s Summit Event happening in the month of August. As part of the challenge, each blogger will review four local Malaysian restaurants and their reviews will be voted by you. At the end of the month, three bloggers with the most amount of votes and likes will win an all expense paid amazing foodie adventure in Malaysia. This is the first of my four reviews.
Thornleigh is a very busy suburb in Sydney’s far north. Spilling on either side of the Pennant Hills Road are little streets that have car showrooms, kitchen and bathroom display centers, timber and recycling warehouses, schools, indoor sports arenas and an eclectic mix of old houses and new low rise townhouses. In one of these streets, tucked away in a quiet corner amidst all the madness is a little Malaysian eatery quite humbly called makan@Alice’s.
I had read a lot about makan@Alice’s in the past few months, both good and bad. Just last week, they claimed the top spot for "Best Bang For A Buck" in Sydney’s Time Out Food Awards 2011. I was very curious to find out first hand what the fuss was all about. So Nick and I headed there for an early lunch on a slow Tuesday. Arriving at the restaurant, not a soul in sight on the street, I had to check for the "Open" sign because everything looked .. well, quiet. The fly screen door was a pleasant surprise and reminded me of the little eateries tucked in the streets of Singapore.
As we entered, the first thing that hit us like a ton of bricks was that delicious smell. Nick looked at me and we grinned, a silent acknowledgement that we had arrived at the right place and boy was it going to be good. The place was empty and we asked to sit next to the windows. The decor was unassuming, simple and clean. Our waitress was quick to hand out the menu and specials and inform us that we were welcome to get our own plates, cutlery and water from the well stocked buffet propped against the wall. So we did just that.
After placing our order, we waited for about 5 minutes before the first plate and a gaggle of regular lunch customers started arriving. I got busy with taking pictures, while Nick waited patiently trying hard to pretend that the rumble I was hearing was from a passing car and not his hungry tummy. As that rumbling sound got louder, I caved and announced "Go ahead! Take a bite. I’ll take pictures of your hand devouring the food!" His grin got wider and I think he loved me a little bit more in that moment.
More food arrived and our waitress joined two tables so we would have more space. We had ordered some Teh Tarik which is Malaysian pulled tea. I had Teh Tarik after almost 5 years and had forgotten how delicious it was. Served hot in a little beer mug, it was sweet, milky and laced with froth.
Next we had Chai Tow Kuih, a homemade radish cake stir fried with egg and shallots. It was full of that familiar robust flavour. Bits of the edges charred from the wok added a good smokiness to the dish. The plump little cubes of the radish cake were soft and smooth.
On the recommendation of the waitress, we had the Char Kway Teow. I love Char Kway Teow. It is long flat rice noodles caramelised with soy sauce and it is delicious. The sprouts were fresh and crunchy and the noodles cooked to perfection. I wished there was more of the noodles to go around.
We then had the Roti Canai with the Chicken Curry. This was hands down our favourite dish of the entire meal. The roti was buttery, flaky and crispy in part. The chicken curry was just plain delicious. The sauce was smooth and thick and the chicken cooked to tender perfection.
We also had Sambal Beans after we were informed that Sambal Kangkong would not be possible as Kangkong was not in season. The dish was fresh and simple but not something that I would order again.
For dessert we ordered the Ice Kacang. Nick and I are both champions of Ice Kacang. He is in fact a self-proclaimed Ice Kacang ambassador. I had fun watching our waitress crush the ice and heap it with all the delicious toppings as she made this gorgeous dessert. It didn’t disappoint at all. It was generous, cold, sweet and had more texture than the Brazilian rainforest. I ordered Durian ice cream. I have had my share of Durian in the past and I love it. I had never seen Durian ice cream on a menu before, so decided to take the chance. It was a pleasant surprise. I loved how creamy it was and the aftertaste was to die for.
With our appetite sated and our bellies bursting, I had the pleasure of chatting with Alice Tan the owner and capturing some delicious moments in the kitchen of her prepping for service and her husband Paul working his magic on the wok. We enjoyed the food thoroughly and can’t wait to take the boys back to taste some hawker flavours of Malaysia.
I found comments of other reviewers complaining about portions totally baseless. I thought the portions were just right and the staff very accommodating and friendly. If you would like a fantastic eating experience, head there on a weekday as weekends tend to get a bit crazy, by Alice’s own admission. I am glad to have found an authentic Malaysian restaurant so close to home. And for all those city fanatics, makan@Alice’s is opening up a city branch soon, so keep an eye out for it.
makan@Alice’s Details
Cuisine - Malaysian
Address - Shop 3, 262 Pennant Hills Road, Thornleigh, Sydney.
Trading Hours
- Lunch (Tuesday To Sunday : 11.30am-2.30pm)
- Dinner (Thursday To Sunday : 6.00pm-9.00pm)
Disclaimer : Sneh Roy dined at makan@Alice’s as a guest of Malaysia Kitchen.
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Great presentation for such an unpretentious eatery. Love the crockery. You have my vote
Thanks Gaby
Done..wishing you all the best. Really like your space, clicks & choice of recipes!!
Thanks Anamika!
My vote goes to you sweetie
And this is a fantastic review and you have manages to take gorgeous picture of the dishes which I find so difficult in a restaurant.
Stunning photos as usual Sneh! The food looks amazing and I need to wipe this place off my wishlist asap! I’ve voted for you over on the other site. Goodluck!
Thanks Mel! I appreciate it. I love how spicy their food was!
Thanks Kankana
It helps when I go during the day. I am terrified of night pictures!
Oh!! Nice to know that there is more than just mamak that serves delicious Msian food
Wish I could go to all those obscure little authentic places serving delicious fare
haven’t been to Alice’s for ages now. you’ve reminded me i need to return
i like your behind the scenes shots.
Thanks Simon!!
I have only been to Alice’s once and it was really good. Loved their Popiah. I think I sat at the same table you guys did!
My favorite picture is the very last one (bottom right corner). Such a fun smile!
I know right? She was so cute