don't ever say it's a hawker centre

CHILI PADI. Corner Elizabeth and Little Lonsdale Street.

Chili Padi is a cinderella restaurant to any hawker centre back home in Malaysia: located in the heart of the city, having famous designer to design their identity, providing both smoking and non smoking area and a second floor, cool dark wooden furnitures (but what's with the crumbled papers, inconsistent offers and not user friendly menus?). And they're serving food like nasi goreng, laska, bah kut teh that costs at least $8 per dish. If that's not a hawker's dream come true then what?
My ancestors would chew out of their grave to hunt me down if they actually know I paid $8 for a bowl of laksa. But then again, every dish in Melbourne cost $8.
Having said that, the laksa in Chili Padi is actually the best I've ever tasted in Melbourne. It's like the S-class of laksa.
If you look at the picture you can even see mint leaves on the laksa. MINT LEAVES? In Malaysia we get extra tau gay we happy already, but MINT LEAVES?? For what?
Anyway on a bowl of laksa in Chili Padi you get: chicken, sliced cucumber, onions, beancurds, mee and mee hoon topped with fried onions and (cough)mint leaves.
Yet the essence, is still the soup.
Surprisingly, the spice and santan(coconut milk) balanced out pretty well. It's not too milky nor gravy-like.
And the soup's actually spicy enough to let me think: hmm, I think it's a bit spicy. For Malaysians, that's a rare thing.
Especially in Melbourne.
Other dishes I've tried before: Nasi Lemak. But no memory whatsoever. A bit of the bah kut teh: total opposite to the word 'authentic', but according to my sources it's the Singaporean style.The soup is clear and spicy. For people from Klang, that's already a big difuckingfrence.
Every Thursday to Saturday 10pm to 5am. Chili Padi tried to have some 'mamak' things goin on. But with dishes starting at $6 I think it's more like 'mamak' for the rich.
I'll stay home and cook my noodles thanks.
Oh, and if you're a student you get $1 off your meal. But apparently you only get that when the boss is around. Hmm.
But definitely try the laksa.

Quality: 8 Service: 8.5 Value: 7 Variety:7
Score: 7.6