Satay Kampong dishes up the salty sour goodness

As it’s getting colder, and we’re getting colds, the minds of the Wellingtonista turn towards hot, spicy satisfaction. For some of us (well, at least me), this means laksa. But where on earth in Wellington can we find Malaysian food???

What’s that you say, on every second block? Okay, fine. But not all laksas are made equal. I’ve never been to Malaysia, so I don’t pretend to be an expert on authenticity, but I know what I like (hence why I always order them without egg). Here are the ones I’ve sampled:

  • Satay Kampong (Allen Street) pictured. $10 at lunch, $15 at dinner: this laksa comes with chicken, crab stick (not pictured, because I asked for it without),  and pork meatballs.  The winning feature of this laksa is the large clump of what I think is tamarind paste dumped on top, so you can control how strong you want your broth to be. I challenge you to get to the bottom of your bowl. I don’t imagine you can do it. It would benefit from some green – coriander and/or spring onions would make this pretty much perfect. Satay Kampong is a good lunch option because the interior is nice and they have lots of magazines if you’re alone.
  • Satay Kajang (Dixon Street): I forget how much the laksa was. It was nice enough, but nothing to write home about. The decor is pretty rundown, and it’s not a very thrilling experience eating here.
  • KK Malaysia (Ghuznee Street): I’ve only had takeaway Laksa from here before, and KK Malaysia is not on my dinner circuit because IT ISN’T LICENSED (the horror!) but it was a large portion, served in a couple of different containers, and was tasty, but again, lacking green garnishes.
  • Rasa (Cuba Street): Rasa ties with Satay Kampong for my favourite. Because they offer both chicken laksa and seafood laska, you don’t have to worry about remembering to ask for no fish balls, and sometimes you even get coriander, which makes me happy. Rasa is really small though, so it’s not a place you’d like to linger.
  • Kopi Tiam (Newtown Mall): if you’re doing your grocery shopping at New World, and you find yourself overwhelmed with the need for noodles, Kopi Tiam is okay. Bonus points for magazines, and for easy parking, but it’s not worth a trip to the suburbs on its own.

EDIT – new places tried:

  • Cinta Malaysia (Manners St): They offer a choice of rice or egg noodles, will happily give you laksa without egg or seafood, and the chicken used is deliciously poached. The curry sauce is a bit gritty with curry powder, but I appreciated the spring onions on the top. At $9, it was a pretty great lunch for a girl with a sore throat.

Where’s YOUR favourite laksa from?