We dig a bold title, and we do indeed bow down to Laksa King as the ruling monarch of noodle soup. On any given night you’ll find people crammed in the entryway, hoping beyond hope that every other waiting diner is just there to pick up takeaway. Luckily service is whip fast here, with huge bowls of their namesake dish coming out of the open kitchen faster than you can say “should we also get roti?” (The answer is always yes).
Before you’re seated, take stock of the big blackboard menu as you walk in. It lists all the Malaysian classics – the fried kway teow is excellent, as is the nasi lemak – including nine kinds of laksa. Yes, Laksa King does deliver on this much-loved classic: the big, deep bowl has a rich broth, a good measure of coconut creaminess and a nice warm hit of chilli that won’t break your tastebuds. The combination laksa ($11.80) has you gobbling up springy Hokkien noodles and al dente rice vermicelli while you work your way through choice toppings like tender poached chicken, jewel-like prawns and fishcakes. Don’t skip on the veggie version either that pumps up the bowl with fried tofu puffs, crisp bok choy and one amazing squidgy piece of eggplant that has sucked up all the flavour of the broth. Don’t wear white unless you want to wear the splashback.
Take a five-minute breather then cool down with an ice kachang dessert. It’s Malaysia’s answer to the slurpee – a mountain of shaved ice over grass jelly, crowned with bashed peanuts. Absolute bliss.