Malaysia Kitchen Food Market

Satay

String brightly coloured lanterns across a hidden laneway, add funky mirrored tables and plastic stools in colours of citrus and lime, and you have Sydney's newest food market, Malaysia Kitchen.




For three days only, Sydneysiders will be able to enjoy a tasting plate of three or four Malaysian dishes for only $10, dining al fresco for a weekday lunch or dinner.

Malaysia Kitchen is part of a global marketing campaign to promote Malaysian cuisine, with events already hosted in London and New York. In Sydney, Malaysia Kitchen has been set up in the narrow alley behind the State Theatre, more often used as an emergency exit by theatre patrons.


Malaysia Kitchen Australia entrance

The discreet entrance on George Street (opposite the QVB) is easily missed, but keep an eye out for the ten-foot high blackboard chalked with the names of participating Malaysian restaurants.


Malaysia Kitchen Australia Food Market

It will cost you ten dollars to enter, but then you simply head straight through for a hawker-inspired meal, supplied by some of Sydney's best Malaysian restaurants. The collage of luscious food photos, plastered all down the corridor, will undoubtedly whet your appetite.


Kueh pie tee by Sambal
Crisp cups filled with shredded daikon, carrot and omelette

The media preview event on Tuesday night showcased plenty of authentic dishes, starting with roving canapes that included kueh pie tee, otak otak and satay.

Pisces toast by Chinta Ria

Fish paste on soft bread and deep-fried until crisp

Otak otak

Fish mousse steamed then grilled in banana leaves


Cheong Liew


Plastic stools and mirror tables


Chai tow kway radish cake by Jackie M

We were seated for dinner, sharing a selection of dishes from each restaurant. When Malaysia Kitchen officially opens tonight, the public will receive three or four small savoury dishes, presented together on a tasting plate.


Ayam goreng fried chicken by Mamak


Lobak five spice roll by Chinta Ria

Adam Liaw, MasterChef Australia 2010 winner

Acar awak spicy pickled vegetables by Sambal


Nasi kunyit tumeric rice by Sambal


Hi Mrs Thye! - helping out at Sambal for the launch night


Nasi lemak by Jackie M


Seafood joget spiced seafood on rice by Chinta Ria


Serving the roti canai


Roti canai by Mamak


The team at Sambal preparing sago pudding with gula melaka for dessert

For dessert we moved onto cendol, bubur cha cha, sago pudding and roti tisu. Unfortunately dessert will not be available when Malaysia Kitchen opens to the public.


Roti tisu at Mamak
- the thin dough is grilled to a buttery crisp and sprinkled with granulated sugar


Shaping the roti tisu into a "party hat" on the grill


Twirling the dough into a super thin sheet

Apart from the deliciousness that is Malaysian cuisine, half the fun of this one-off event is eating  outside on stools, illuminated by the flicker of tealights and the gentle bob of lanterns overhead. And there's also something mischievously fun about stealing yourself away in a hidden alley of peace and quiet, only metres away from the traffic and chaos of the concrete jungle outside.

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The Malaysia Kitchen Food Market opens at the State Theatre Laneway from 6pm tonight.

Wed 16 Feb  6pm-9pm

Thu  17 Feb 12pm-3pm and 6pm-9pm

Fri   18  Feb 12pm-3pm and 6pm-9pm

Entry is $10 and includes a tasting plate of 3-4 savoury dishes from a rotation of restaurants that include Mamak, Sambal, Chinta Ria, Jackie M, Jimmy's Recipe, Kuali, Kaki Lima and Malacca Straits.

Enter the State Theatre Laneway via George Street, opposite the QVB. The entrance is to the right of Lowes - look for the $10 Men's Haircut sign in red.

Related Grab Your Fork posts:
Malaysian - Aseana Food Village, Randwick
Malaysian - Jimmy's Recipe, Sydney
Malaysian - Kopitiam, Ultimo
Malaysian - Makan at Alice's, Thornleigh
Malaysian - Malacca Straits, Ultimo
Malaysian - Malay Chinese Takeaway, Sydney
Malaysian - Mamak, Haymarket
Malaysian - Temasek, Parramatta