PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIANewtownians are more than aware of how lucky they are when it comes to having an abundance of eateries on their doorstep. As a result, restaurants quickly learn to meet local dietary requirements, or are swiftly shown the door. In a suburb where many locals happily dine out several nights a week, the cheap-and-cheerfuls do a roaring trade. Happy Chef fits the bill to a tee – it’s fast, it’s cheap, the servings are huge, and the laminex tables are invariably packed with chopstick-wielding locals slurping noodles and dunking dim sims. When you can turn out a roomful of satisfied diners almost every night without fail, you can almost imagine a beaming, chubby-cheeked bloke manning the woks backstage – a genuinely happy chef.
It’s not the prettiest place – it’s a queue up at the counter and take-a-number style affair, but there is a generosity of flavours and ingredients that really counts here. Shiny photos of the myriad of Chinese/Malaysian dishes plaster the walls to aid the selection process. Laksas are a popular choice, with a near-perfect blend of creaminess and spiciness, and the chicken with ginger and shallots presents as hearty chunks of roasted bird with mouth watering skin crisped to a crackling bronze. If that’s not enough to make you happy, Happy Chef serves alcohol as well, making it a bargain night out in anyone’s book.
Fiona Davies, November 2007
