I've been bitten by the travel bug; ever since my return from the States I've been planning my next trip. I've got folders full of bookmarked travel advice for Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia - clearly the colder weather has me craving some sunshine and pina coladas.
Unfortunately money is a major factor when it comes to travel, and as we're currently saving for our wedding and another trip to the US for Stephen's research, the closest I'm going to get to South-East Asia for the moment is at a restaurant.
The cuisine and decor at Sassy's Red, run by the brains behind Chinta Ria at Cockle Bay Wharf, is based on cafes in Malaysia. Situated on level 5 in the Sydney CBD Westfield's, everything about Sassy's Red is bold, colourful and bustling, and it's reflected in the food.
Roti Canai - $4.00
This was my first Malaysian roti experience. The outside was flaky and a little dry, but the inside was soft, stretchy and a little doughy. It was served with a spicy chicken curry sauce, which was creamy with coconut milk; chilli gave a little kick to the sauce.
Mee Goreng - $11.00
My sister Katie wanted noodles, so I ordered the Mee Goreng. It was too spicy for her, but it was a perfect heat for me - just enough to tingle the tastebuds. Chunks of chicken fought for attention with cubes of tofu, and bean sprouts and crispy fried onion added some textural variety to this noodle dish.
Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang - $11.00
I ordered the Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang, which Katie stole after rejecting her noodles. The rendang was magnificent, with tender chunks of beef simmered in a gravy redolent with chilli. The rice was meant to be cooked with coconut milk, but I didn't detect any difference between that rice and rice cooked with plain ole water. Pickled veggies, nuts, and an egg split in two filled out the rest of the plate.
It's hard to feel disappointed with a lack of travel opportunity when your belly's full of such delicious food. It was a great experience, and I look forward to trying Chinta Ria's Mood For Love upstairs as well.
Sassy's Red
http://www.sassysred.com/
Westfield Sydney, Level 5, Shop 5002
Cnr Pitt St Mall & Market St
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 8072 8072
Oh Jasmyne, they all look so good...and I just had lunch!
Hope you are having a great week :)
Posted by: Juliana | May 10, 2012 at 06:11 AM
Quite like their mee goreng here, but looks like I'll be giving the roti a go next time :)
Posted by: Tina@foodboozeshoes | May 10, 2012 at 09:33 AM
What a fun looking place! I bet it tastes amazing.
Posted by: yummychunklet | May 10, 2012 at 01:05 PM
Ah yes, the travel bug. I've been struck by this bug too and then the finances slap me back into reality. But like you say, a great night out in a place like this and at least you can feel like you've been somewhere exotic xx
Posted by: Hotly Spiced | May 10, 2012 at 01:06 PM
I really need to try Malaysian food! this all looks so tasty!
Posted by: Joanne | May 10, 2012 at 09:54 PM
Can't beat a Malaysian fix! I hope that one day you get to Malaysia - the street food is amazing!
Posted by: Helen (Grab Your Fork) | May 10, 2012 at 11:12 PM
Glad to see you trying out more Malaysian food! Hopefully it's a start of many more experiences to come =D Yes, I actually think Mee Goreng can be too spicy for me at times too. It's a particularly spicy noodle dish but you can tell them to tone down the chilli factor. Anyway, excited for you about your next US trip. Am sure there's gonna be more yumminess involved =D
Posted by: Winston | May 10, 2012 at 11:42 PM
Good to hear that you enjoyed your meal here. We had a more mixed experience when a friend and I just dropped in :)
Posted by: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella | May 11, 2012 at 03:23 AM
This sounds like a great place to eat. The food looks wonderful. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary
Posted by: Mary | May 11, 2012 at 02:48 PM
That mee goreng looks right up my alley.
Posted by: Angie@Angie's Recipes | May 11, 2012 at 11:47 PM
Ahh the travel bug! I've been bitten too and am currently planning a trip to Europe and China. The exchange rates in South East Asian countries is awesome! At least for now you can enjoy that fantastic looking food!
Posted by: Lucy @ Lucyeats | May 12, 2012 at 08:02 PM
I've been having so many nasi lemaks lately, it's beautiful! I've never been to Malaysia but I've been dying to go because I'm in love with Malaysian cuisine. :) I also love their style of roti, so crunchy and airy.
Posted by: Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake | May 12, 2012 at 09:57 PM
It really looks gorgeous!
Posted by: love2dine | May 12, 2012 at 11:14 PM
The one fantastic thing about Australia is that we're so multicultural it's easy to pretend we're someplace else via an authentic restaurant. The food looks great! I gotta hang out at that new foodcourt more often.
Posted by: Alana | May 13, 2012 at 05:34 PM
I have not eaten much malaysian but it always look amazing. it is so great we livein a city where so many cultures are accessible, we can experience so much just by travelling a little way....in saying that we are soon to go on holidays to china and hk, cant wait.
Posted by: muppy | May 14, 2012 at 07:40 PM
Like you I also have the travel bug but am limited due to insufficient funds! Wedding > travels any day and just remmeber you guys can travel together after gettting married :) Sassy's red isn't too bad. I do find its a hit and miss.. I much prefer the restaurant just one level up ;)
Posted by: Tina @ bitemeshowme | May 16, 2012 at 08:40 AM
I actually tried Sassy's Red around when the Westfield Pitt Street food court first opened, and was not a fan. The flavours were a bit off, but it sounds like they've improved since then! Might head back and try it out for myself :)
Posted by: Excuse Me Waiter | May 20, 2012 at 03:14 PM