DINNER AT CHILLI PADI

I am assuming some of you are wondering what Malaysian food is? It’s a bit hard to describe as it has Chinese, Indian and Indonesian influences but it is often described as spicy and flavourful as it utilizes a melting pot of spices and herbs such as lemon grass, pandan (screwpine) leaves, chilli paste, coconut, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.

It is not exactly Chinese or Thai but some dishes are spicy and some are mild. Popular dishes are Laksa (noodle dish) and Nasi Lemak (rice dish).

It is a quaint restaurant with a nice and clean ambience. When you enter, you are greeted with an open kitchen and a wall mural of Newcastle, and a sign to request for food allergies and intolerances.

I’ll tell you about the service first. From walking in to leaving for home, everyone was uber-friendly and polite as well as professional. They were eager to explain to you what is on the menu as well.

As controversial as this sounds, but I find if you enter a specialised restaurant, and you notice that a majority of their customers are from where the food is from, then I think it is a pretty good indication that it is pretty authentic.

Only opened a week ago, and it is already bustling with students and non students alike on a Tuesday evening.

There were so many dishes to choose from! You can find rice and noodle dishes, Congee rice porridge, as well as dishes to share such as Fish and other seafood.

Manager, Charles was very helpful at recommending dishes –  ‘ask away’ he says with a smile

We checked out their drinks menu on the table, and as you can see, there are a variety of tea and juices as well as the generic soda drinks. But my friend, E and I opted for the Ice Lemon tea which is always a pleaser on a summer day.

I love their Ice Lemon Tea, it is cold and smoothly lemony but the best part is they will make to your taste – custom-made so to speak.

They have bottles of sugar syrup handy, and you can adjust the sugary sweetness to your liking.

Loving my Ice Lemon Tea with loads of syrup! I am a sugar fiend and proud of it!

I adore this hanging cutlery and condiment trays as such are all very authentic. You will find them on the wall next to each table!

I was torned between the Nasi Lemak or Beef Flank Rendang but Charles (manager) recommended the Beef Flank Rendang with rice which wasn’t too spicy because ironically I have a low tolerance for spicy food. 

My beef was lovely, it came with a big portion of coconut rice and cucumber garnish on the side.

It was full of flavour, the beef was tender, and I can taste the assortment of spices in the thick sauce. The dish was a very good size for the price, and the taste was so moreish that I was disappointed after I had finished!!

E was craving noodles, and ordered Wan Ton Hor which is flat noodles cooked with white egg sauce with prawns, sugarsnap peas, squid, fishcake and chicken. Healthier choice especially if you love seafood.

It was delightful, the seafood cooked to perfection and the noodles were cooked just right.

It definitely tasted like home according to her, and a pretty good version of the dish.

It was too good not to eat the whole dish and for those who know me, I normally don’t, so this is saying something. The best part of it all, it tastes like what it should be, very flavourful and definitely not your typical Chinese or Thai food because it is South East Asian.

For all of you chilli lovers, there are readily available chilli oil on every table for an extra added kick.

Motorists won’t have any trouble parking as there are numerous carparks near the stadium or behind Eldon Garden, and some are free after 6pm.

So far they don’t take plastic but there is a free cash machine just a hop and skip away across the road.

They certainly got our seal of approval, as did everything to be honest.

Did you say you want more pictures of the food? I hear you loud and clear!

This is the Nasi Lemak (Coconut rice, with fried chicken, boiled egg, cucumber, peanuts, ikan billis (dried anchovies?) and sambal belacan (chilli))

 Seafood noodles

Char Kway Teow (Fried flat noodles with veg, bean sprouts, and massive shelled king prawns) – pretty spicy!

The meat’s good, the rice cracking and the noodles are excellent. Spicy and non spicy.

There is something for everyone!

What more could you ask for?

Wait…did you say location and website?

Give them a follow on Facebook – they have it covered!

I already know what I am having next – Nasi Lemak here I come!

Courtney xx

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