Mamak

After hearing much yak about Mamak, I finally decided to give the popular restaurant a try today. Mamak originates in Sydney (majority of places seem to originate in Sydney, but let's be honest... Melbourne is the better city) and graced our city streets in September of this year. The business merely started off to as a Friday night hobby amongst three friends, selling Malaysian goodness at a Chinatown market stall in Sydney. What a tremendous turnout this has led to! The menu is not comparable to Pappa Rich, which has pages and pages of Malaysian food. Mamak has a short and simple red menu, but as quoted by the Broadsheet website, "What Mamak’s menu lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality". 

As soon as we walked into this unknown territory, I was immediately greeted by young waitresses that led me to my table. The restaurant has wooden stools along the wall for patrons who come in two. They are extremely uncomfortable, but I guess it is all a part of their "street food" style. You will have nothing to worry about if you have good posture... something I do not possess. The playlist was loud, but I could still hear my own conversation which was pleasant. As I walked in, Two Door Cinema Club was playing, followed by Kimbra, then La Roux, and had Gym Class Heroes as we walked out. Talk about hipstterrrr music! The waiters were congenial, which is rare in Asian restaurants. The service was fast and the interior was extremely neat and clean.

^ ROTI Canai !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

This beauty is priced at a mere $5.50!!! Let me tell you with delight that the roti (pictured above) was light, fluffy and extremely delectable! I don't know what each of the three sauces are... but the one in the top right corner is extremely spicy! Hoooo boy! Pappa Rich also does roti, but it is flat and served cold. Mamak's roti was more like pull apart bread, feels warm and begs you for more.

^ Teh Tarik, Hot beverage.

This is a well known Malaysian drink. Small, sweet and soul soothing. When I went to the Malaysian Festival at the Queen Victoria Market, Chili Padi actually sold teh terik in BAGS! Very authentic and creative. I thoroughly enjoyed drinking out of a bag that I wore around my wrist. More information about that day here.

^Rojak - Malaysian Style Salad

When I go to a restaurant for the first time, I always order a safe option. I look at the contents of the meal, and try to find something that I like, for example: chicken. Chicken is secure, and I love chicken and it's delicious properties. For some reason, I did not feel like a rice main dish today. Mamak has an entire list of lunch specials in a leaflet for only $11 each. Instead, I opted for this salad, and I can tell you now that I did not enjoy it one bit. It was bland, and half the time I didn't even know what I was eating. There was half a hard boiled egg, a piece of tofu, and the rest of the contents unknown. I do remember reading the menu, and it said something along the lines of deep friend coconut and yam... with cucumber as you can obviously see. The taste of the peanut sauce was unappealing, and was surprisingly bland. I tried adding the dipping sauce from the skewers into the salad, but the vile taste would not go away. I always HATE leaving a restaurant without finishing my entire meal, as I think about people, especially children, in third world countries who are not even fortunate enough to enjoy a meal as lavish as what I have eaten. But unfortunately, I had to look past my values for once and turn a blind eye to my food. What a waste of $14! Do not order this, unless you really really really really really like salad!!!

An open image of the salad tower... unappealing, I KNOW.

SKEWERS! Chicken and Beef because we wanted to try both.

Judging from the picture, you can see that the meat content on the skewers is extremely small. When I went to the Malaysian Festival, they were a bit more generous with the portions. We couldn't really decide on chicken or beef so we asked for a dozen of the mixed, seeing as though 6 would not be enough for our hungry stomachs. I really liked the beef skewers, but Giraffe preferred the chicken. It was a win win situation for the both of us. The bowl of dipping sauce was ample enough to drown our skewers in, but there was too much of it. They could definitely reduce the size of the bowl and consequently, have less waste. Despite these criticisms, they were DELICIOUS and you NEED to order them if you ever go to Mamak.

Sippin on some teh. 

P.S. Do you guys like the new layout? I know I am constantly changing and changing it, but I am rather content with this one. I'm in the midst of swotvac right now, my first exam being tomorrow, so when they conclude I will put more TLC into this blog. Any suggestions of where I should dine after exams as a post shitxam celebration? I finish on Nov 16th, and that night will be the best day of my life.  Until next time, 

xoxo

Mamak

Address: 366 Londsdale Street Melbourne

Elizabeth Street side of CBD

Contact: 9670 3137

Hours: Everyday 11:30 - 2:30pm, and 5:30pm - 10pm

Price Range: $$$

Wonderbao

Banh Bao. Pork buns. Custard buns. Open buns. Closed buns.

Tina & Andrew, the young parents of Wonderbao, have started a phenomenon!!! Wonderbao is the latest craze, and you would be a fool to miss it. The location of this bao heaven is small and hidden, but nothing short of amazing. They have a great range of open or closed buns, varying from tofu, braised pork berry, taro and even egg custard (one of my favourites). When I am peckish, I try to not let my eyes take over my greedy stomach, so I only bought one each for Giraffe and I. As predicted, we ended up buying another one because they were EXTREMELY DELECTABLE.

Fresh, steamy and flavoursome.

Wonderbao isn't only about the baos. I've heard great things from others about the soy milk, and happily enjoyed one all to myself (as Giraffe is semi-lactose intolerant... if that's even possible). Hot/cold soy milk for only $2.80 (you can't go wrong with that) and there is a fridge in the corner full of Yeo's drink boxes for only $1.60 each! There are sweet childhood memories linked with those Asian drink boxes, so I was thrilled to see them for sale in Wonderbao.

^ The pot of gold under the rainbow alleyway.

^ Two gua bao / open buns please. Available after 10:30am.

1. Braised Pork Belly (MY FAVOURITE)

This has got to be my favourite one of all time. I haven't tried the entire menu (only 3/10) but I can assure you that this has all the right flavours in the perfect combination. When I buy the pork buns (in the pack of 4 from any local Asian grocery store), you obviously cannot taste the freshness. If you prepare it incorrectly, the meat can taste a bit foul and crunchy. Wonderbao's gua bao is FRESH. So, so fresh. Fresher than Tic Tacs. Fresher than the Prince of Bel Air. I gobbled it up in less than four bites. It's approximately the same price as a fob roll or a cheeseburger, but it so much more healthier and interesting to eat. The pork belly was tender, but not too soggy. So perfect.

2. Fried Silky Tofu, $3.80

Giraffe's favourite. This gua bao consists of pickled mustard with the obvious coriander and peanuts. I don't usually opt for the vegetarian option, but it was healthy and had a tofu-rrific taste. I would strongly suggest this one if you do not want to have a strong tasting and heavy gua bao.

^ Cold soy milk for a warm Halloween morning.

Only costs a mere $2.80 and you can get it hot as well, if that's how you like it :)

Can you see my black milk leggings in the background? I probably wouldn't wear it on a normal day, but I figured "why not be different today because it is Halloween?". I did receive a couple of weird glances around the train station though... 

SPEAKING OF WEIRD GLANCES... I was stalking comments on Wonderbao's page, and this atrocious comment came to my attention:

Mr Opinionated: "Just had Wonderbao and it was underwhelming.
Meh is the word of the day."

^ Ummm. What? Fair enough, every one is entitled to their own opinion. In his defence, I have said some terrible things about some restaurants in my time as well. But Mr Opinionated, your opinion in this situation is ABSOLUTELY INVALID. In his bitter and "disappointed" response to Wonderbao, I'm sure he would be delighted to know that they are cruising along Urbanspoon's most "recently viewed and blogged" ladder in Melbourne, sitting comfortably at THIRD PLACE. Second to Chin Chin and Mamasita, which are fine dining venues that have been around for years. It will be no surprise when Wonderbao takes first place, and I will bao down to them when they do. 

^ 3. Roast Pork Belly, $3.80

With that rant being said, you should definitely try the banh baos. The only two con's about the place is that it doesn't take eftpos, and there are only six stools inside. I wish there were more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's such a great place, which is why they sometimes have to put crates at the front. Take a stroll down Literature Lane when you can, it's only a two minute talk from Melbourne Central. You won't be baored. Okay soz lame pun :)

 Wonderbao 

Shop 4/19-37 A'Beckett Street

or

Literature Lane (off Little LaTrobe Street)

Near the RMIT bookshop

9654 7887