Jaya Malaysian: Chicken Rice, Sydney (11 Nov 2009)

Maritime Trade Towers, Level 3, Retail Courtyard

201 & 207 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Nice courtyard

I'm starting to wonder if the moistness of chicken rice is dependent on when you visit the eatery. I have a theory the earlier you visit the more likely the chicken will still be moist and the later you visit the more likely it will be dry. The last time I visited Jaya the chicken rice was quite moist but today my colleage found it a bit on the dry side. They still provide a generous sized soup and the seating in the courtyard is a nice break on a sunny day from the busy city.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Quick service, Nice and quiet courtyard seating

CONS: Limited seating when wet weather

MUST TRY: Chicken Rice (on a good day)

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Other visits to Jaya Malaysian:

• 11 Nov 2009 - Chicken Rice

• 13 August 2009 - Char Kway Teow

• 12 August 2009 - Chicken Laksa, Prawn Har Mee

• 29 July 2009 - Chicken Rice

Other places tried for Chicken Rice:

• Yummy Chinese - 20 Jan 2010

• Laksa House - 24 Sept 2009

• Laksa King - 16 Sept 2009

• Malaysian Food House - 18 Aug 2009

• Malay-Chinese Takeaway - 6 Aug 2009

• Mc Lucksa - 5 Aug 2009

• Jaya Malaysian - 29 July 2009

• Sayong Curry & Laksa Malaysian Cuisine - 22 July 2009

• KL Kopitiam Malaysian Cuisine - 19 Oct 2009

Hainan Chicken & Garlic Rice $8.50

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Jaya Malaysian: Char Kway Teow, Sydney (13 August 2009)

Maritime Trade Towers, Level 3, Retail Courtyard

201 & 207 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Decent Char Factor

I've found it quite hard to find a good char kway teow in the city for lunch but Jaya Malaysian seems to get a decent charring from the wok to give the dish a bit of a smokey taste. The actual dish is not listed on the menu so I asked for a Malaysian style char kway teow. They knew it was going to need flat rice noodles and they asked me what I'd like in it so I chose chicken and prawn. I think next time I'd get some calamari added too. It's pretty good compared to the Malay-Chinese version which comes with Chinese sausage although Jaya have larger and more moist prawns included. Still no sign of a Char Kway Teow in Sydney which comes with blood cockles like back in Malaysia.

Other visits to Jaya Malaysian:

• 11 Nov 2009 - Chicken Rice

• 13 August 2009 - Char Kway Teow

• 12 August 2009 - Chicken Laksa, Prawn Har Mee

• 29 July 2009 - Chicken Rice

Other places tried for Char Kway Teow:

• 25 Jan 2012 - More More Cha (includes clams)

• 2 June 2010 - Wong Kee Fast Food

• 20 Jan 2010 - Yummy Cuisine

• 19 Oct 2009 - Sayong Curry & Laksa Malaysian Cuisine

• 2 Sept 2009 - Chili Hub

• 16 Aug 2009 - Albee's Kitchen

• 13 Aug 2009 - Jaya Malaysian

• 29 April 2009 - Malay-Chinese Takeaway

• 17 Nov 2008 - Little Singapore Restaurant

• 19 Oct 2008 - KL Kopitiam Malaysian Cuisine

Char kway teow with chicken and prawn $10

Wok tossed noodles menu board

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Jaya Malaysian: Chicken Laksa and Prawn Har Mee, Sydney (12 August 2009)

Maritime Trade Towers, Level 3, Retail Courtyard

201 & 207 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Nice Sunny Courtyard

When it's a nice sunny day the open courtyard next to Jaya Malaysian is a great place to relax from the usual busy food courts around the city. The chicken laksa comes with generous slices of moist chicken breast and it's broth is full of flavour and nearly as good as Malay-Chinese Takeaway I think. The Prawn Har Mee also has good depth of flavour compared to others around the city and comes with a good amount of decent sized prawns. If only they served their soups with proper bowls and cutlery rather than with thin plastic bowls, spoons and cheap wooden chopsticks it would make the eating experience even better.

Other visits to Jaya Malaysian:

• 11 Nov 2009 - Chicken Rice

• 13 August 2009 - Char Kway Teow

• 12 August 2009 - Chicken Laksa, Prawn Har Mee

• 29 July 2009 - Chicken Rice

Other places tried for Har Mee:

• 25 Jan 2012 - More More Char

• 6 Oct 2010 - Singapore Shiok!*

• 24 Sept 2009 - Laksa House

• 16 Sept 2009 - Laksa King

• 12 Aug 2009 - Jaya Malaysian

• 23 April 2009 - Lee's Malaysian

• 24 March 2009 - Malay-Chinese

• 19 Oct 2008 - KL Kopitiam Malaysian Cuisine

Chicken laksa $8.50

Prawn har mee $9

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Jaya Malaysian: Chicken Rice, Sydney (29 July 2009)

Maritime Trade Towers, Level 3, Retail Courtyard

201 & 207 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Chicken Rice Adventures

A recommendation by a reader on my recent post of Sayong's Chicken Rice sets me on a lunchtime adventure to find the Maritime Trader Towers and discover it's hidden Malaysian and Chinese takeaway within. It's one of those hidden places where you'd never know it was there unless you were told about it or worked in the offices above. The tranquil courtyard is surrounded above by tall glass buildings which mirror the sky and there's plenty of available seating. Friendly staff quickly serve you like an extended Asian family.

Now I've yet to come across a perfect chicken rice in Sydney because although it seems simple, so many things can go wrong in my books eg dry chicken, lack of taste, lack of ginger, awful soup, no garnish, small portions and too expensive. Jaya's version was recommended by a Hainanese reader but I think there's still room for improvement. I had the leg which was tender and moist but my colleague had the breast which was a bit dry. I liked the chilli and ginger sauce which packed a bit of a punch but the generous portion of rice lacked that distinctive gingery taste and was a little on the dry side. There was fresh cucumber and coriander garnish which was good to see. The soup broth had lots of flavour and included lots of choy sum which was great. Sayong for me still wins on chicken portion size, chicken moistness and rice yet Jaya wins on soup, chilli sauce and garnish. Combine the two and deliver it boneless with a side of bean sprouts and I think you've got a winner. I'd still like to come back to try their laksa and har mee.

Other visits to Jaya Malaysian:

• 11 Nov 2009 - Chicken Rice

• 13 August 2009 - Char Kway Teow

• 12 August 2009 - Chicken Laksa, Prawn Har Mee

• 29 July 2009 - Chicken Rice

Other places tried for Chicken Rice:

• Singapore Shiok!* - 29 Sept 2010

• Malacca Straits - 23 Jan 2010

• Yummy Chinese - 20 Jan 2010

• Laksa House - 24 Sept 2009

• Laksa King - 16 Sept 2009

• Malaysian Food House - 18 Aug 2009

• Malay-Chinese Takeaway - 6 Aug 2009

• Mc Lucksa - 5 Aug 2009

• Jaya Malaysian - 29 July 2009

• Sayong Curry & Laksa Malaysian Cuisine - 22 July 2009

• KL Kopitiam Malaysian Cuisine - 19 Oct 2009

Hainan Chicken & Garlic Rice $8.50

Bone factor for leg – pretty good but a few shattered pieces.

Service Counter

Malaysian Menu

The Courtyard Seating

View of tower above courtyard

The Building

Tower building

Tower foyer

Down first set of escalators

Then down another set of escalators




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