Mamak Corner

Canberra is a divided city. There is the "north side" and there is the "south side", and the two halves are neatly divided by the picturesque Lake Burley Griffin. Canberrans often become quite attached to one side or the other, and for Andrew and I the north side is our main stomping ground. We live there and work there, and can get to most places on foot or by bike so sometimes weeks go by without us venturing south of the lake. Anyhooooo ...

We've been big fans of Malaysian food (and culture, and wildlife) since we spent a few weeks on the edge of a Malaysian rainforest in 2007. Ever since, we've sought out Malaysian restaurants everywhere we go. There are heaps of them in Sydney and Melbourne, but alas, not too many in Canberra. A few months ago we embarked on a quest ... to try every Malaysian restaurant in Canberra! I think we achieved this, and we have a new favourite: Mamak Corner, at the Garran Shops. It is (shock, horror) on the south side, so a little further away than our usual haunts, but the food is great. Our favourite dishes so far include the chicken satay, Penang-style Char Kuey Teow, beef rendang and roti, and the divine cendol for dessert. Highly recommended if you're ever in the area.

It is also fun trying to cook your own spicy food. Some of my favourite cookbooks include:

Cradle of Flavor, by James Oseland

Rick's Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey

and Thai Food, by David Thompson.












We ate at Mamak Corner (again) last night. Next weekend I think I'll cook my own Asian banquet.