The new Marrickville Metro has enjoyed a few weeks of trading and just when we thought Smidmore Street dining could not get any better, Nanyang Malaya Café bursts open their doors. Taking prime corner positioning, Nanyang Malaya Café brings the sights and smells of the streets of Singapore, to the heart of Marrickville.
Nanyang Malaya Café is the second incredible collaboration between renowned-Sydneysiders Kaisern Ching from Chefs Gallery and Billy Chong from Ipoh Town. The new café on Smidmore Street is like the little sister to Nanyang Tea Club. In 2018, these two reputable teams joined to work on their first new restaurant, Nanyang Tea Club at Market City’s 1909 Dining Precinct. The team created a dining experience that isn’t just centred around the food but designed a sensory exploration that encapsulates it all. They enjoyed marrying dishes with the traditional art form of tea drinking, as well as mocktails and cocktails.
Like many, both founders have missed travelling to their respective homelands during the past 15 months. When the opportunity came up to be a part of the new dining precinct at the re-developed site at Marrickville Metro, they were excited to create their unique Nanyang Malaya Café concept. The Nanyang Malaya Café transports patrons to the early British Colonial days of Singapore, known as British Malaya. It was the birthplace of Kopitiam café, a culinary fusion of Hainanese migrants and Malaya people adopting their British employers’ cooking style. Billy and Kaisern each have fond memories of eating with their parents as children at these cafés, where they were greeted with the smell of freshly brewed coffee while devouring their cultural dish of Kaya Toast made from coconut jam and butter served with ultra-soft eggs. Tapping into Sydney’s laid-back breakfast culture, Nanyang Malaya Café, will feature Australian brekky dishes that have been reinterpreted with Malaya cultural favourite flavours, such as Assam Smash Avocado toast.
This unique cultural and foodie experience is the perfect addition to join a diverse and authentic mix of retailers on Smidmore Street, including The Grumpy Italian, Motto Motto Japanese Kitchen, Sushi Maru, Raman Bar & Grill and many more.
Dean Young, Marrickville Metro Centre Manager, says, “We’ve had a clear vision about the experience we want to deliver for our visitors. Instead of focussing on the purchase, we want to create an experience around it. Instead of dropping big brand names, we want our retailers to tell their unique stories. It’s all about delivering quality products that connect with our local community. That is why Nanyang Malaya Café makes such a perfect addition to our offer at Smidmore Street”.
Kaisern and Billy have valued telling their personal and cultural stories through food and giving that experiential moment to their customers. This is how they have always connected with the community and now they want to bring this to Marrickville.
Billy Chong says, “We are excited to be in Marrickville for its vibrant social and cultural scene. Our first café breaks cultural boundaries by encapsulating the spirit of a Kopitiam-style café found in the streets of Singapore and we have infused this with a modern Australian twist.”
Nanyang Malaya Café will do just that. In true Sydney-style guests can indulge in an all-day breakfast menu. In addition to the Assam Smash Avocado toast, guests will be treated to a Rendang Beef Burger – savoury rendang slow-cooked beef encased in an egg omelette paired with homemade mayo and pickled onions –another sure-fire favourite. The Nanyang signature Singapore Crab Chilli Sauce will also make its way to Marrickville, drizzled on a soft-shell crab croissant filled with scrambled eggs.
The Nanyang Malaya Café team have made a thoughtful selection of coffee choices serving traditional Malaya kopi (coffee), freshly brewed filter coffee and espresso coffee. The team have partnered with Inner West local and award-winning coffee suppliers, Vella Nero, to develop an exclusive blend of coffee specifically for Nanyang Malaya Café guests, redefining coffee drinking with Malay-influenced cuisine.
Oh, but it’s not just breakfast food. There are plenty of other delicious Malay delicacies – from fragrant curries redolent with spices, signature laksa dishes, soft flaky roti, punchy rice dishes and truly slurpable noodles. All of which bring you back to a time and space different from where you are.
This is the experience that the Metro wants to give its visitors. Something new, wonderful, creative, innovative and imaginative. Something that you simply can’t get anywhere else.
Kaisern and Billy are household names synonymous with the best modern Chinese and Malaysian cuisine in Sydney, respectively. With this unstoppable team at the helm, Nanyang Malaya Café is destined to shake up the Inner West and the Marrickville Metro team are thrilled to welcome them.
Nanyang Malaya Café
Shop G001, Marrickville Metro, 20 Smidmore Street, Marrickville NSW 2204
02 8540 2598
Opening Hours:
Mon to Wed: 10:30am–9pm
Thurs to Sun: 9am–9pm
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Top Image: Jimmy Evans