Temasek

Temasek is the ancient Javanese name for Singapore, where Temasek’s owner Jeremy Cho and his family come from. Cho says laksa in Singapore has changed over the past 20 years; a reduction in the country’s hawker stalls has caused a reduction in quality overall. He says Temasek’s recipe is faithful to the laksas that were common on Singaporean streets decades ago.

If you’ve never tried Temasek’s laksa Singapura, believe us – it’s easily one of the best you’ll find in Sydney. It’s thick, herbal and spicy, like a mortar-and-pestle made Thai curry, and incredibly flavoursome. It also comes with a choice of egg or rice noodles, or a mix of the two.

The rest of Temasek’s menu is a greatest-hits selection from the Malay Peninsula. Expect Hainanese chicken rice (whole- and half-serves), nasi lemak, beef rendang and char kway teow. Temasek is also known for its spicy black-pepper crab, which must be ordered at least two days in advance.

And if you can, book ahead. Temasek can be incredibly busy at both lunch and dinner time. But when you experience the humming laneway atmosphere and home-style cooking, it’s not hard to see why this place has been pumping since 1992.