Cuisine: Malaysian noodles.

Ambience: Clean, but basic, with long, communal tables and black chairs and stools. Servers are friendly and helpful.

Price: About $60 for a bowl of noodles and a drink.

Pros: Good, fresh food at a reasonable price. Some people might think the menu is limited, but we prefer places that make just a few dishes really well, rather than those that have a vast menu on which everything is mediocre.

Cons: You might have to wait for a seat during peak hours.

Recommended dishes: The laksa ($35 to $55, depending on ingredients) will satisfy the pickiest Malaysian with its sweet, intense broth that's surprisingly light. The 'special' version ($55, right) comes with prawns, cockles, fish cake and fried bean curd, but also contains bean sprouts and eggplant. Unless you specify, the laksa has a mix of rice vermicelli and egg noodles. Special Ipoh ho fun ($50) contains prawns, chicken, fish cake and thick rice noodles in a well-flavoured clear broth made from pork bones and chicken. Other dishes include prawn mee ($32-$53), kaya (coconut jam) toast ($8), and bakuteh (pork and herb soup) with noodles or rice ($35).