Ya-Malaysia

In my endless search for good Malaysian food, a taste of home away from home, I have kept an eye on Ya-Malaysia in Chatswood Interchange for what feels like the longest time. It has stood the test of time in the shop space next to Ippudo for quite some time against some larger culinary giants within the Interchange- especially considering that Pepper Lunch did not survive in the space that now belongs to the thriving Stonebowl.

On this rainy Friday evening in Chatswood Interchange, we finally had an opportunity to order a spread of classics for rainy weather just to try a little of everything.

Half Hainanese Chicken

My search for Hainanese Chicken in Australia has been a longtime journey, taking me all over- from Temasek in Parramatta to Gai Wong in Melbourne.

I found myself enjoying Ya-Malaysia’s variant, the meat tender and the skin slippery, where most place miss- the sauces here are a lot closer to what I remember from home.

★★★★★

Wah Tan Hor Fun 滑蛋河粉

Having had a lot of horfun back home while I was growing up, it would be an understatement to say that this is truly my favourite comfort food.

Noodles are dry fried to impart wok hei into them before ladling a thick gloopy sauce thickened with an egg gravy and fresh seafood, this dish really embodies cool weather comfort for me.

★★★★★

Laksa

Every country does laksa differently with some variations from other countries that are adjusted to suit their palates.

This version is as close to a home as I can get in Sydney- replicating the mix of noodles perfectly, the broth a little thicker though not unbearably so and still equally rich and umami as I remember.

★★★★☆

Sambal Kang Kong

Everyone in Southeast Asia knows this classic dish- crispy, al dente kang kong stems and leaves cooked in a pungent, aromatic sambal.

Mildly spicy, not overwhelmingly spicy, this was a light balance catering to western palates.

★★★☆☆

In a nutshell, Ya-Malaysia is a venue for homely Malaysian cuisine, a taste of Malaysia adjusted for some Australian palates and I look forward to coming back to taste more of their other dishes including their Char Kway Teow- a dish that is notoriously hard to find in Sydney as most places end up with a gravy instead of having them fully dry fried like how they are in Malaysia.

 

78/436 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067