When my Malay friends tell me that Nanyang serves the most authentic Malaysian cuisine in Adelaide, I believe them. Located in the Renaissance Arcade, this two level cafe is always busy and the majority of their customers are Asian. The number of Asian customers in an Asian eatery is a true litmus test as to how authentic a place is.

The decor here is basic, and due to the popularity of the place, the service at times can be slow. I feel this place is a bit understaffed, as the workers often fail to keep up with the cleaning of the tables due to the high customer turnover. When we were escorted to our table, it wasn’t particularly clean.

On this particular occasion, I ordered the Hokkien Mee. The meals came out 15 minutes after ordering and all meals arrived at the same time. The noodles were fresh and well cooked. In true Malay style, chicken thigh meat was used as it is considered tastier with better texture. The bok choy was crisp and not over cooked. I thought the noodles were a bit oily and spicy for my liking. I sweated like I had just come out of a sauna as I was eating my meal. If that wasn’t enough, satay sauce and jalapenos were offered as extras to the meal.

If Malay nationals say this is the place to go for authentic Malay food, then who am I to argue? Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area.

WHERE: Renaissance Arcade Food Court