Slick new Circular Quay location maintains legacy

May 13, 2025
5:30 am

Beloved family-run restaurant The Malaya has served Sydney since 1963. Now third-generation siblings Duan and Isabella Wong are continuing their family legacy at slick new digs near Circular Quay.

14/20

Malaysian$$

In 1963, the Sydney Opera House was being built and Beatlemania was taking off around the country. The post-war construction boom was in full swing and the current prime minister of Australia was born. 1963 was also when merchant sailor Wong Tai See opened The Malaya at the Haymarket end of George Street. For many Australians, the restaurant was their first real introduction to Malaysian, Peranakan, Nyonya and Indonesian food.

Wong – originally from Hainan, China, before settling in Hong Kong and later Sydney – grew to love Peranakan and Nyonya cuisine when he was based in Singapore and travelling around the Malay Archipelago. Today, third-generation siblings Duan and Isabella Wong are in charge, continuing their family’s legacy at The Malaya’s new digs near Circular Quay. When the restaurant’s latest iteration opened in April at Grosvenor Place, it marked a return to George Street after more than two decades at King Street Wharf.

Chicken satay sticks are one of the most tender versions in town.Edwina Pickles

The Harry Seidler-designed site (Neil Perry once ran Rosetta here) features floor-to-ceiling windows and a colour scheme marrying birch, black, red and blue. In the first of many nods to its history, the original Finnish-designed chairs for the 180-seat restaurant have been re-ordered. There are three dining spaces across two levels, with the main area in front of the kitchen led by head chef Siang Yeo and with David Ma on sous duties. (Ma started as a kitchen hand in 2010, and three of the wok chefs have collectively notched up almost 60 years with The Malaya team.)

Chicken satay is a great litmus test at Malaysian restaurants, and this is one of the most tender versions in town. Otak otak – parcels of minced fish and spices wrapped in banana leaf before being grilled – are juicy and aromatic with lemongrass notes embracing barramundi.

It’s hard to imagine a laksa without coconut milk, but the ingredient was hard to come by in 1963 (even for a merchant sailor), so dairy milk was used as a substitute. Sydney is full of great laksas but many are guilty of skimping on that signature fiery spice paste. The Malaya’s version certainly doesn’t. It’s a great bowl with perfectly cooked prawns, but I wonder how good it would eat with coconut milk instead.

Prawn laksa made with dairy milk.Edwina Pickles

The XO pipis have sold out by 7.30pm on a Saturday, but this turns out to be a fruitful pivot to another seafood dish, the kam heong mud crab. Literally translated to “golden fragrance” in Cantonese, the mud crab is tossed in spices and curry leaves, with dried shrimp boosting the umami of the sweet crustacean meat. Outstanding.

Meanwhile, the pepes ikan showcases The Malaya’s Nyonya influence, featuring barbecued coral trout marinated in a subtle assam and sambal marinade that’s hot and sour without overpowering the fish.

With the many hits come some slight misses: babi kesam glass noodles – the newest addition to the menu, featuring stir-fried pork belly, Vietnamese mint and a makrut lime-leaf paste – is heavy on the salt and clumps together. The coconut beef rendang is too thick for my liking and quickly turns gluggy as it cools.

There are two desserts, and both are fresh and fitting ends to a spicy affair: a sago pudding with mango gelato, and the “Penang gelato”, a collaboration between Duan and Isabella and gelateria Ciccone & Sons. With lemongrass, makrut lime, Vietnamese mint and coconut milk – and a lingering, numbing chilli that accentuates the citrus without being overly sweet – it screams South-East Asia. It also feels like an ode to founder Wong Tai See, using now common spices and herbs thanks to multiculturalism, migration and culinary evolution.

Otak otak (parcels of minced fish and spices wrapped in banana leaf).Edwina Pickles

It’s only the third week of service when I visit, but you wouldn’t know it. Waitstaff are attentive and know the menu back to front, including the restaurant’s history, original dishes and newer menu items. In another nod to the Wong family, Duan and Isabella have added some private cellar bottles on the wine list, developed with sommelier Eleonora Vaccarini. Riesling takes centre stage as the accompaniment to fire and spice.

In 2025, Sydney’s Malaysian food scene is thriving, notably with a cluster of fantastic restaurants in Campsie including Albee’s Kitchen and Malaysian Small Chilli. But in a city where restaurant openings (and closures) are a daily occurrence, The Malaya’s longevity is admirable. While longevity and tradition does not guarantee success, the restaurant is now in its seventh decade of operation and makes a strong case for preserving heritage. The legacy is in safe hands.