Straits Cafe

About

Although Straits Cafe on the Studfield Shopping Centre strip has been around for a while now—14 years, actually—the story goes back even further.

The first incarnation of this popular Malaysian restaurant was in Doncaster. The restaurant of the same name was operated by Tony, a Malaysian expat from Penang, and his wife. What started as a humble takeaway shop grew as the demand for quality Malaysian food increased in the local area. Soon, staples like their char kuey teow, har mee and curry laksa were added to the menu.

This first shop closed around 7 years ago, and semi-retired Tony now helps out in the kitchen of his son Aaron’s busy restaurant, working magic with just a wok, a spatula and a handful of ingredients, cooking up recipes developed by him and his wife.

Today, Aaron and co. continue to serve up some of the best Malaysian food in Melbourne—to both migrants craving authentic food from home and Aussie locals alike—with excellent hospitality.

The sar hor fun, crispy belachan chicken spare ribs and poh piah (available only on weekends) are crowd favourites from the menu, and all delicious in their own rights. Check the ever-changing specials too, and see if there’s anything that tickles your fancy. However, the char kuey teow, full of that wonderful wok hei, is undoubtedly their most popular menu item, so that’s a must if you’re visiting.