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All it takes is one bite of Malaysia’s authentic food to see the appeal. While nothing will ever quite compare to setting foot in a bustling hawker market or experiencing spice combinations straight from the source, those without a plane ticket need only head to a handful of Christchurch eateries offering delicious traditional and modern Malaysia’s local cuisine. It’s not always easy to find an empty table at Madam Woo, and there’s a reason for that.
In 2013, Michelin star chef Josh Emett and restaurateur Fleur Caulton opened the first Madam Woo in Queenstown. Since then, the hawkerinspired restaurant has popped up in Takapuna, Hamilton and, most recently, Christchurch. In true street food fashion, Madam Woo’s service is fast and the food is fresh and bold. The menu is full of classic flavours (think lemongrass and sambal) but executed in a modern fashion.
Choose something steamed, fried or rolled into a roti to start, then work your way up to stir fries, curries and soups. The selection of Woo Family Favourites – which includes its signature Beef Rendang and Seafood Coconut Curry – will ensure a five-star dining experience. There are few things better than having your meal set in front of you within minutes of ordering.
If you are a fan of lip-smacking efficiency, add Hawker & Roll to your must-eats. From the couple behind Madam Woo, expectations were at an alltime high when this casual Malaysian street food eatery opened along The Terrace. At the heart of the menu is the Hawker Roll: a flaky roti stuffed with your choice of Malaysian flavours, from soy and sesame eggplant to honey szechuan prawn.
Other fun eats include Malaysian fries with sriracha mayo and nasi lemak – Malaysia’s national dish – for a dose of tradition. As well as being fast, the dishes are made from locally-sourced and freerange ingredients, and plenty of alternatives are available for those with dietary requirements. On a Friday night, Cathedral Square transforms into an aromatic hub of food trucks providing the best in cheap eats. The name Malaysia Delights Street Food tells you all you need to know about its cuisine of choice. Diners can pick from a small menu of punchy dishes, all for $10 or less.
Malaysian classics range from nasi goreng (fried rice), beef rendang (served as a curry or wrapped in a roti), and ayam masak merah (a traditional Malaysian dish of chicken served in a spicy tomato sauce). Malaysia Delights Street Food is in the square until 8pm on Fridays for lunches every day, 11.30am-3pm. One of the city’s stalwarts of Malaysian fare has been operating in Fendalton since 1999.
The family-owned BYO establishment specialises in a fusion of Chinese and Malaysian cuisine. An extensive menu of well over 100 dishes means you’ll have to break from the dining table chit-chat while you take it in.
The friendly team have been in the game long enough to offer helpful advice while you pick between the well-stocked categories of protein, rice and noodles, plus more traditional meals. Whether you want takeaways for one or have an entourage of 20, Chopsticks accommodates all.
Down Rangiora’s High St, the warm glow of lights and fragrant smells of Asian cuisine will bring you through the doors of Nom Nom Kitchen. The menu is a colourful mishmash of dishes from different pockets of Southeast Asia. Hidden among a feast of Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian, the selection of Malaysian favourites includes moreish satay chicken sticks, a hearty Singapore laksa and Malaysian stir fry. It’s been so popular in Rangiora that it has opened two more Canterbury restaurants in Strowan and Lyttelton.
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