Line and Dine: Mamak

Work wrapped up early last Thursday night. Using the extra time I had, I decided to queue up at a local dining hotspot in Haymarket/Chinatown. Mamak is a popular restaurant which specializes in Malaysian roti.

The queue outside the restaurant is always a bit of a curious spectacle considering the wide number of dinner options that are in the immediate vicinity. As a visitor to Sydney, I was inclined to uncover the reason behind it. It took about 20 minutes to get seated as a solo diner.

Quick Eats: Menya Mappen

Menya Mappen is the epitome of Japanese assembly line fast food. All orders are serviced in a queue - hungry customers enter from one end, happy customers exit from the other. The food selection consists primarily of their noodles, rice bowls, in addition to an assortment of Japanese sides.

I passed by on one fine Thursday afternoon in search of lunch and happened upon Menya Mappen as I entered a building just off of George St near Liverpool St. Inside the building, there were plenty of other options (Pepper Lunch, Oiden, etc.), but Mappen happened to be in my direct line of sight. At the entrance of the restaurant, signs directed customers to an entry queue on the left.

A closer look at Menya Mappen's regular menu.

Night Shift 2: Two Sticks - Yunnan China

In preparation for yet another late night at work, we were eager to try the next local specialty. Two Sticks - Yunnan China is a busy little noodle house located at the corner of George and Goulburn. As the name implies, the restaurant features flavours of Yunnan province with a strong focus on noodle soup.

When we first arrived at the restaurant, the first thing we noticed was how busy it was. Having passed by on other occasions, I've always noticed a queue just outside the restaurant. Seating arrangements were rather cozy - tables were small and seated at most a group of three. Luckily, my colleagues and I were able to grab a table within 10 minutes.