Sydney Kopitiam

With an unassuming facade and plasticky pastel decor, Sydney Kopitiam seems like an unlikely candidate to be packed out for mid-week dinners. But students from nearby UTS and city-fringe workers have this Malaysian cheapie sussed out. Starters are fairly standard hawker food – samosas and satay – but the mains are where it’s at. Deep bowls of aromatic curries (the beef rendang is a stand-out), fiery sambals or stir-fried snake beans eaten with a side of flaky roti all provide a great spice fix. Specials might include a traditional fish head curry and, on weekends, Hainanese chicken rice is up for grabs.