Mamak Cafe at Pub 340
340 Cambie St Vancouver, BC V6B 2N3 (Cambie/Hastings)
Posted on 12/08/2010
You know you are in Vancouver when you find a Malaysian chef preparing both Caucasian and Malaysian food out of a dive pub at the edge of Gastown... Mamak Cafe in Pub 340 is the place to be if you can't decide between a Canadian Hamburger or an order of Malayan Satay in one sitting - try both?
My #1 eating-partner who has the inside track for Singaporean/Malaysian/Indonesian/Chinese food in Vancouver called me up telling me about this place, now open for only 2 weeks. The story is that Chef Charles (formerly of Jonker Street cafe in Yaletown - now Freshbowl), has set up Mamak Cafe as the main kitchen of Pub 340 and is pouring heart and soul into both sides of the menu. Judging from his previous performance at Jonker Street (a 2007 startup Malaysian cafe that quickly became neck-in-neck with Banana Leaf for best Malaysian food in Vancouver) the food here should become well-known in a short period of time.
Maple Mustard Pork Chop or Mee Goreng? Soup of the Day or Malaysian Laksa? What do you decide?
The cafe features a separate dining room from the main pub area, within view of the kitchen. Clean, comfortable, simple... a good jumping off point for the tantalizing Malay flavors of chef Charles.
Chicken Satay $4.50. Undeniably delicious -- the satay is well-flavored and grilled to perfection. Paddle-shaped ends of the bamboo skewers make for easy gripping of all eight pieces of satay, a really good value-for-money and probably the best in town. Charles' satay gives Banana Leaf Restaurant a run for its money.
Beef Satay $4.50. The cut of beef, the flavor of marinade and grilling all combine to turn out a well-done satay that will undoubtedly bring back many hungry diners and drinkers. Two thumbs up for Mamak Cafe satay!
Nasi Kandar $9.90. Nasi kandar is a samling-platter of cury and sambal dishes. Mamak Cafe nasi kandar includes beef rendang (one of the most famous and popular of Malay dishes), sambal udang (prawns smothered in onions and sambal), kari ayam (chicken curry) and a side of salad. The beef rendang is absolutely fantastic with a sweet, aromatic and high concentration of flavor, as can be said for the prawn sambal. The chicken curry is a good intro to kari ayam.
Next time I'm just ordering beef rendang and steamed rice -- I can't get enough of it!
Shrimp Mee Goreng $8.90. Mee goreng (fried noodle) is such a well-known dish that probably every Malaysian/Singaporean/Indonesian can make their own personal favorite version. This version is produced with generous portion of shrimp, which along with the onions, carrots, red pepper, spring onion and bean sprouts tossed on high heat with wheat noodles is the very image of what mee goreng should look -- and taste like! (the actual dish is served in a bowl - the picture only shows what I shared with a friend on a small plate)
From start to finish, my introductory lunch at Mamak Cafe is a wonderful surprise hidden in a dive bar on the outskirts of Gastown in the Rainy City. I hope to return many times to absorb the wondrous victuals therein!