The contents of this blog are matters of opinion formed over one more visits. There has been some artistry applied and metaphors and similes should not necessarily be taken literally.
Ayam Goreng 99, I’m told, is perhaps the top Indonesian restaurant in all of Sydney. It also happens to be within a 15 minute drive of where I live, and so I felt obliged to try it.
Paha Goreng Kalasan (left), Kweatiau Goreng (right)
On the advice of Zomato denizens I tried the Paha Goreng Kalasan (deep fried chicken maryland, $7) and the Kweatiau Goreng (stir-fried thick egg noodles, $13).
The Paha Goreng Kalasan, along with its grilled friend Dada Baker, is meant to be one of the standout items on Ayam Goreng 99’s menu. Many reviews exist online praising its taste, although a similar number seem to decry the price. As somewhat of a connoisseur of fried chicken, the paha goreng kalsan didn’t really do anything for me. I thought it was too salty, and the cooking which I’m told is perfect didn’t stand out.
Kweatiau Goreng, as I’ve recently come to know, is an Indonesian analogue of char kway teow, modified to exclude non Halal friendly meats to cater to the large Muslim population in Indonesia. Ayam Goreng 99’s Kweatiau Goreng was very salt and fishball heavy. I enjoyed the scant greens, which were a welcome reprieve from the salt of it all, but they weren’t enough.
Overall I found that Ayam Goreng 99’s food was too salty for me. I also wasn’t offered any water, and it was only when paying that I saw a sign saying jugs of water were no longer being offered due to COVID-19. I guess washing jugs is not within their scope of practice.
I didn’t enjoy Ayam Goreng 99, and I’m not convinced that you would either.
The Northeast Restaurant is a small group of restaurants serving North Eastern Chinese cuisine throughout Sydney. The Kingsford store is open relatively late (until 10PM), and was a great option for a quick dumpling-based meal after work.
Ordering at the Northeast Restaurant was via an app on their instore iPad, and service was quick and efficient (although we were the only ones there at around 9PM).
The Northeast Restaurant Dumplings
We really enjoyed all of their dumplings. The pork mince, egg, and chive dumplings are very similar to the ones that I grew up with. The pork mince with Sauerkraut was also very good, as was the pork mince with cabbage ones. All were very juicy and well cooked. I have a personal preference for boiled dumplings and was glad to see them make an appearance, as I feel like too many Chinese restaurants only offer the option of steamed or pan fried.
The pig ear with bean curd and chives was good but I think by the time we got to them we were a bit too full. They are probably too salty to eat without rice, so if you’re keen to try them make sure you eat them with rice. We still have some leftovers in our fridge.
Overall I can highly recommend The Northeast Restaurant for your Kingsford dumpling needs. Their food is much better quality than Chinese Dumpling & Noodle Restaurant across the road, which is a place I never want to go back to. Five out of five dumplings.
The Northeast Restaurant Kingsford 436 Anzac Parade, Kingsford NSW 2032
No 1 Malatang (壹號麻辣燙) was one of the only restaurants open late on a weekday night in Kingsford. The first thing you notice when you enter is the toilet-like smell, concentrated in the area where you choose your ingredients. We should have turned back then but unfortunately hunger won and we prevailed.
The ingredients weren’t fresh, so much so that when we were waiting for our food to be cooked we saw one of the staff members holding up a tray of raw meat to sniff it to see if it was still good.
Once the meal arrived some of the ingredients (notably the tofu and the quail eggs) tasted unusual.
Towards the end of our meal we noticed that the honey tea which we had paid $3.50 for each had expired five months ago in January.
Overall, dining No 1 Malatang in Kingsford was an awful experience that had us wondering whether we should just leave even though we had already paid the entire time. I am very concerned about the food safety at this restaurant and actually don’t think places like this should exist.
I would strongly advise you avoid this restaurant and instead visit Yang Guo Fu Malatang which is just down the road.
No 1 Malatang Kingsford 522 Anzac Parade, Kingsford NSW 2032
Albee’s Kitchen is a Malaysian restaurant in Kingsford. Situated close to the UNSW campus, I’m told that it was a very popular spot for students prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I was a big fan of the Kuching Style Claypot Noodles ($14-$15). The soup was perfect and the noodles an excellent texture. This is one dish that I would have again and again.
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Albee’s Hainanese Chicken Rice ($12) didn’t quite fit expectations. It’s hard to articulate why – it just didn’t taste as classic 海南鸡饭 is meant to taste. Maybe because it was swimming in soy sauce.
Karipap
The karipap (curry puff) ($3.50 each) is a fan favourite, very large and stuffed full of ingredients. You will find rave reviews for Albee’s curry puffs online but unfortunately (perhaps because it was a bit cold) it was not to our taste.
After enjoying our first meal at Albee’s (pictured) we tried unsuccessfully to visit again twice. One time at night they had already closed prior to their advertised closing time. We ate at No.1 Malatang instead that night, which was truly disappointing. The other time we went in the morning and they were yet to open, even though it was past their advertised opening time. This was a bit of a let down on both occasions.
Overall some of the dishes are a bit hit and miss, but the inclusion of some true winners leads me to recommend giving Albee’s Kitchen a go.
UPDATE – 25/11/2020
We went back! One of our Malaysian friends happened to be in the area and had a hankering for his favourite Malaysian restaurant. We took this opportunity to gather a few of our intensive care colleagues for a lunch with a menu curated by the sedap master.
Half Hainan Chicken
The Half Hainan Chicken ($18.80) was better than I remembered! The chicken was soft and tender, and if you look to compare with the above image you can see that the chicken to soy sauce ratio is not that as much as it was before.
Nam Yu Pork Rib
The Nam Yu Pork Rib ($19.80) is pork rib, marinated in fermented bean curd, and deep fried. It is quite delicious and brimming with umami taste. They are easy to pick up with chopsticks in a shared eating scenario and I found myself coming back to it again and again.
After having quite good Loh Bak at Ho Jiak in Haymarket I was keen to try Albee’s version. While good, I didn’t quite enjoy Albee’s Lor Bak/ Ngoh Hiang (2 for $18.80) as much. The filling of pork and prawn mince with vegetable just didn’t feel as premium as Ho Jiak’s. The bean curd exterior was also not as deep fried and crispy, which is both a plus and minus. It was still good but not as good.
As a potato lover, the Curry Chicken and Potato Hot Pot (Large) was my girlfriend’s favourite. She really enjoyed the yellow curry soup mixed with rice, and also how the potato fully soaked up the flavours. Even though she doesn’t usually like to have chicken while eating out (she thinks chicken is a non-special animal, having grown up eating a lot of chicken at home) she really enjoyed the chicken here, particularly how fall off the bone tender it was. Definitely a highlight.
Sambal Water Spinach
The Sambal Water Spinach ($17.80) was really no more special than other wok tossed vegetables with sambal mixed in. Quite good with rice. A special mention needs to be made for the sambal sauce at Albee’s, which has a deep umami flavour but isn’t so spicy that it is remote and inaccessible for the weak tongued.
UPDATE 4/12/2020
My girlfriend liked the curry chicken and potato so much that she made us go again. We ordered a bit too much between the two of us, and had plenty to take home.
Wonton Soup
The Wonton Soup ($12) was good. A huge serving that is a meal in and of itself. The soup was tasty but not too salty (as it was at Yummy Duck BBQ) and the wontons large. I enjoyed the bonus greens that came with the dish which added a degree of healthfulness to the meal. If I had one complaint it would be that the wonton wrappers are a bit thick and extensive.
Ipoh Chicken Noodle Soup
The Ipoh Chicken Noodle Soup ($14) was again a huge bowl for a cheap price. It was a bowl of rice noodles in a slightly spicy broth with sliced chicken, prawns, and bean sprouts. I found the mixture of chicken and prawn pleasing as it provides a bit from column A and a bit from column B – good if you’re not looking for a fully prawn noodle soup. The serving of noodles is very generous – don’t feel like you have to finish it all!
Pandan Chicken (3 for $5.80) was yummy and flavourful. Essentially Malaysian style fried chicken wrapped in pandan leaf. You’re not meant to eat the leaf but honestly it’s all deep fried and flavoured so it’s not bad.
Traditional curry chicken and potato with rice
A reprise of the curry chicken and potato but this time with rice and at a cheap price for a solo meal ($12). My partner didn’t actually enjoy this as much as last time. Perhaps the stone pot provides some additional flavour characteristics?
TO CONCLUDE
Albee’s Kitchen provides delicious and affordable Malaysian food. Our group meal came to around $20 per person and we left feeling happy and satisfied. I can definitely recommend Albee’s for your next lunch.
