BaBa Laksa House is a tiny, food court style, Malaysian restaurant tucked inside The Grace Hotel – a wondrous, heritage listed hotel right in the heart of the Sydney CBD. If you have never heard of BaBa Laksa House, then you could hardly be blamed because this restaurant is almost impossible to notice.

The only clue to BaBa Laksa House’s existence are the dining tables (and diners) barely visible through the glass doors of The Grace Hotel. It was a glimpse of this, mixed with our curiosity, and a strong desire to get out of the wet, freezing conditions on the day, that got us to the restaurant inside.

Once inside, we were delighted to discover an abundance of tables that we could take shelter at. And yes, I know the word ‘shelter’ may sound a little too dramatic, but trust me, that day was one of the coldest days in Sydney this Winter! Freeeeeezing!

Anyway, back to BaBa Laksa House. I guess it’s similar to most Asian takeaways you find in the many food courts located in the Sydney CBD. The only difference is that it is the only restaurant located in the hotel foyer. Oh and it’s a tiny bit pricier than most takeaways.

On this particular visit, we ordered the following items from the menu above the counter.

Chicken Laksa

Now I’m not a huge fan of extremely spicy dishes, so a mild dish tends to suit me very well. However, I found the Chicken Laksa to be a little too mild. Don’t get me wrong, the taste wasn’t bad in any way and I happily finished the whole dish, but it just didn’t have that zing that I normally associate with good laksas. I guess I’ll have to give it another go to be sure.

Red Chicken Curry Rice ($11.50)

The Red Chicken Curry (or Chicken Curry for short) was very yummy. The curry sauce had plenty of flavour, without being all over the place. It is definitely one of the better curries I’ve eaten from a takeaway place. My only qualm is that I wish the curry came out a little hotter in terms of temperature. It was only lukewarm, which is one of my pet hates. One more thing, the chicken (breast meat) was a little dry as well.

Nasi Lemak ($12.50)
Fragrant coconut rice served with curry chicken, sambal egg, fried anchovies and ahchat (Malaysian salad).

The Nasi Lemak is one of those dishes that I love eating when frequenting Malaysian restaurants. I love them because they offer some variety over the traditional curry dishes. This particular Nasi Lemak was just okay, but only because of the Chicken Curry (which is identical to the dish above). The sambal and anchat was a bit of a let down for me unfortunately.

All in all though, I would happily recommend BaBa Laksa House to anyone looking for quick Malaysian lunch during their hectic weekly work schedule. Especially if you are seeking refuge during the Winter season, when the Sydney CBD can be a wet, miserable place to be.

• Food 6/10
• Ambience 6/10
• Service 7/10
• Value 7/10

• Name: BaBa Laksa House
• Website: None.
• Phone: (02) 9299 5833
• Location: 77 York St, Grace Hotel, Sydney. NSW. 2000.
• Opening Hours: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 3pm.
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