Siew’s Kopitiam review: April Ooi visits Northbridge hawker eatery for fried kway teow and lobak

Hawker spots are a dime a dozen in Perth’s southern suburbs. But as one traverses up the map, finding a fried kway teow soon becomes a game of Where’s Wally? Luckily, Siew’s Kopitiam has settled in Northbridge. For those unfamiliar with kopitiams, they are coffee shops serving hawker food. Newcomers may be pleased to find every item on the menu has an English translation, plus accompanying picture. Like many kopitiams, there is always a page highlighting the signature dishes. From that page we chose the fried kway teow ($17.50) and lobak deluxe ($26). I enjoyed the smokiness of the flat rice noodles; they were glistening with oil and fat, but not overly blackened. Those preferring the drier and savoury Penang style of kway teow will enjoy this dish. The lobak deluxe however, was not our favourite. You can think of lobak as a Malaysian sausage roll; swap the meat for crunchy bean curd skin and you’ve got the best street food known to man. However, the meat in this rendition was dry, and the outer layer was overly fried. The “deluxe” part of the dish likely referred to the addition of sliced century egg, fishcake, bean curd sheets and pickled ginger to the plate. While looking gorgeous, these additions tasted absurd together, and I’d much rather we cut the fluff and the price tag (for what is essentially a small side). We also tried the roti canai with beef rendang ($21). The rendang wasn’t overly coconutty but the crunchy pastry and hot curry together is a classic combo that you can’t really go wrong with. For drinks I was very intrigued by a metallic green can in the fridge going by the name of Kickapoo ($4.30). Toilet humour aside, the drink was notably salty, much like most Asian soft drinks (think 100 Plus and Thai Red Bull) and tasted relatively similar to Sprite. We also tried a kopitiam classic, the Milo dinosaur ($10). I love that Southeast Asia has taken Aussie-born Milo and brought it to the next level with extra sweetness, and the oh-so-delicious yet lethal heap of dry Milo powder over the top. Siew Kopitiam’s rendition features a lunar new year lion made of ice, and Milo flavoured froth — which just about justifies the double digit price tag. Overall, Siew’s Kopitiam is a fancier take on some of my favourite foods. For those SOR hawker diehards, you may want to stick to what’s already out there. For newbies or NOR people looking for a convenient spot, this is a decent nod to some hawker classics. Siew’s Kopitiam 113 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge OPEN Closed Tuesdays. Monday-Friday 10:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-9pm; Saturday 9.30am-2.30pm, 5pm-9pm; Sunday 9:30am-5pm. CONTACT 6246 6664 BOOKINGS No THE VERDICT A tidy, convenient and newcomer-friendly take on a kopitiam. The fried kway teow is a notable stand-out. 13.5/20