Malay Village, Haymarket [CLOSED]

Previously known as More Cha Cha, it was changed recently and is now owned under the Mamak Village Restaurant Group. It is interestingly placed right across the street from the much busier Mamak (no relation) but MT has recommended us this place and we cannot be bothered with the Mamak lines this time. We got a table, ordered and received our food very quickly within 10-15 minutes. But how does it fare with the neighbourly competition?

The menu has the usual Malaysian traditional food like nasi lemak and various rotis and some of the lesser known but equally loved dishes like the Penang Chicken Rice. We ordered the roti canai (plain, original) and the roti Hawaii (filled with chicken, cheese, tomato sauce, and pineapples; topped with mayo). The roti canai was a bit dense and crumbly in some parts while the roti Hawaii was presented with the word Malay Village written in mayo on top of the flat roti - which is quite pretty. It actually tasted similar to a Hawaiian pizza with all those fillings especially with the tomato sauce and cheese - just with chicken instead of ham. Although I prefered Mamak's roti canai mainly for its light and fluffy texture, we were amazed by the entertainment by one of the staff members spinning the roti around in the middle of the restaurant as if he was throwing a pizza dough. 

Roti Canai

Roti Hawaii

The first thing that came into my mind when I saw the Penang Chicken Rice on the menu was Haianese Chicken Rice. It looked a bit similar but with grilled chicken instead of boiled chicken. It looked well presented, refreshing to eat, and MT seemed to enjoy it. Will try it next time.

Penang Chicken Rice  

I didn't mind this main dish mainly for the pull-apart beef. It certainly was useful when I mopped up the excessive curry with the roti canai. It was a lot for me to finish as I already ate some roti. Ended up ordering a side of coconut rice to pour the curry on top. I would recommend eating this dish on an empty stomach as it gets filling very fast even without the rice.

Beef rendang curry

Coconut rice

One of the signature dishes from the Penang region, CC thought it was a decent dish though quite spicy.

Penang Char Koay Teow Kerang

Not sure if D enjoyed this dish. Wouldn't mind scopping up the curry sauce with the roti but otherwise, it didn't catch my immediate attention with the presentation.

Nasi Lemak Istimewa 

The staff themselves were friendly and patient when most of us left to get money from the closest ATM. The layout is more spacious with the inclusion of the outdoor courtyard. Is it better then Mamak? To be honest, I still prefer the roti at Mamak. But if you are impatient with the lines and you are craving for Malaysian cuisine with the option of outdoor seating; I would suggest this as they do offer similar food but with more unusual choices from the Penang region if you are curious to try anything new.

Malay Village
Shop 87, 1 Dixon Street
Darling Harbour NSW 2000
(02) 9264 4780
http://mamakvillage.com.au/