With the Chinese New Year holiday just around the corner, Malaysian travellers will be looking for the best places to get a taste of home while ringing in the Year of the Rat when in New South Wales, Australia.

As food is vital element of culture and national identity, we thought you might want to dine in these amazing food and beverages concept in New South Wales, from the best handmade noodles, to contemporary dim sum and bubble tea.

Authentic homestyle delights

#1. Mamak

Mamak is a halal restaurant on Goulburn street serving authentic and affordable Malaysian cuisine. From savoury and fluffy roti and curries, to comforting plates of ayam goreng and nasi lemak, Mamak is beloved among locals and tourists alike.

Address: 15 Goulburn St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

Average spend: MYR 60 to 90++ per person

 

#2.  Spiced by Billus

Boasting mesmerising waterfront views and lavish North Indian cuisine, Spiced by Billus offers the perfect destination to usher in the Lunar New Year.

The restaurant delivers honest, authentic, home-style Indian cooking using traditional recipes. Diners can celebrate as a group when they order Billu’s Feast, featuring a spread of chicken tikka, seekh kebab, samosa, butter chicken, daal tadka, rogan josh, and prawn malabari finished with an indulgent gulab jamun and vanilla ice cream dessert.

Address: 7/33 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000, Australia

Average spend: MYR 60 to 180++ per person

 

 Made by hand

#3. Bubble Nini 

Serving the ‘prettiest bubble tea in Sydney’, Bubble Nini is a quaint teashop on Darling Square that doubles as a florist for that #InstaWorthy finish. The shop is known for making fresh tapioca pearls daily, and offers a curated selection of tea, brewed in-house without any additional chemicals.

Its signature teas include Those Were The Days made with melted brown sugar drizzled in full cream milk and topped with herbal jelly; and Sun Moon Lake Black Tea sourced from the region surrounding Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan.

Address: 8 Central Park Ave, Chippendale NSW 2008, Australia

Average spend: MYR 15 to 30++ per person

#3.  Biang Biang

Along Dixon street in Sydney’s Chinatown lies Biang Biang, a Shaanxi Chinese noodles restaurant serving generous bowls of chewy handmade noodles.

Popular with locals and tourists alike, the restaurant’s signature dish is the Biang Biang Noodles with Chilli, featuring wide, chewy noodles topped with tender, slow-cooked pork, vegetables and a dollop of fragrant garlic and chilli.

Address: Shop 39/1 Dixon St, Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia

Average spend: MYR 30 to 60++ per person

 

Contemporary treats

#4. No Fail 

With a vibrant menu of teas available for selection, No Fail is an exciting indie teashop located along Goulburn Street and Burwood Road. Aside from regular bubble tea, tea aficionados can choose from fresh fruit teas, cheese fruit tea frappes and brûlée milk teas.

The store is well known for its thick, savoury cheese foam that is the perfect complement to its refreshing fruit teas.

Address: 18 Goulburn St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia / 122-142 Burwood Rd, Burwood NSW 2134, Australia

Average spend: MYR 15 to 30++ per person

 

 #5.  Madame Shanghai

Madame Shanghai in Darlinghurst, diners will be greeted with quirky and eclectic décor reminiscent of Shanghai circa 1930. Guests can indulge in shaokao-style Chinese barbeque, and mouth-watering, contemporary Chinese dishes incorporated with Asian influences and French techniques.

Highlights of the menu include the handmade Blue Swimmer Crab dumplings with scallop and flying fish roe, and the Steamed King Reef Barramundi Fillet.

Address: 18 College Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Average spend: MYR 60 to 150++ per person

 

 East meets West

#6. Mr. Lim

For travellers keen on exploring regional New South Wales, Mr. Lim, an Asian fusion restaurant based in Orange NSW is a must-try. Using local produce where possible, Mr Lim creates vibrant and sustainable dishes with influences from Chinese, Korean and Australian barbecue style food.

Guests can dig in to juicy Scallop & Prawn dumplings made with Australian sea blite, and Aussie Steak stir-fried with onion, garlic chives and spring onion.

 Address: 282 Summer St, Orange NSW 2800, Australia

Average spend: MYR 30 to 120++ per person

 

#7. XOPP

One of the latest additions to Sydney’s dining scene is opened by Golden Century and pays homage to its signature dish, XO Pippies – delicious surf clams stir-fried with XO sauce and vermicelli noodles (the dish is even a favourite with multi-hatted chef Dan Hong).

The exciting new F&B concept presents a fresh fusion Chinese menu, with a selection of intriguing menu additions like Kingfish Sashimi with Doubanjiang & Fingerlime, as well as Kung Bao Glacier 51 Toothfish with Cashews.

Address: Mezzanine, Level, Shop 31-32/1 Little Pier St, Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia

Average spend: MYR 60 to 365++ per person