6-12 Pin Oak Crescent, Flemington ph : (03) 9372 6383
We had dinner at Laksa King on the way home from our day at the Show. We were quite excited as it was a last minute decision, and when you have kids, I have to try and plan everything ahead of time to ensure things go as smoothly as it can! It looked very kid friendly, with open dining spaces, highchairs, change tables and of course, noodles! But unfortunately the service was a definite let down and it did not turn out as pleasant as I had hoped.
Firstly we ordered a trio of drinks - ice lemon tea ($3.80), ice red bean drink ($4.50) and an OJ ($5.50) - as we were parched.
We shared a Chargrilled Chicken Satay ($7.80) for an entree. The sauce was lovely, nutty and sweet and went well with the chicken skewers, which were tasty and moist, as opposed to many other chicken skewers we've had before which end up way too dry.
The Combination Curry Laksa was very reasonably priced at $9.20. Pleasant and fairly standard, but not a standout amongst the many excellent laksas in Melbourne.
The Ipoh Fried Noodles was easy to eat dish for kids, and a good-sized serve at $10.20. It had a decent amount of seafood, and again the dish was pleasant without being a must-try.
I'm a fan of Hainanese Chicken Rice ($9.20), and this one distinguished itself by having a drier serve of rice, which is a nice change from some of the soggy, gluggy "balls" of rice I've had at other places. The only let down was that it was a little uneven, and some of the rice seemed almost too crunchy, or undercooked. (I know, I'm hard to please!) The boneless chicken wass easy for the kids to manage.
We arrived just before 6pm on a Monday night, and initially the service was great. The staff went out of their way to accommodate the pram and was generally helpful. I kid you not, but within 15 minutes of our arrival, the restaurant was packed wall to wall with diners, with about 20 people waiting for seats and take-aways in the little entrance area. Our subsequent order for an extra drink and request for extra bowls were met with smileless stares which we could only interpret as annoyance. Hubby fed Bubs while I ate and tended to the older two. The moment I finished my meal and took over with Bubs so Hubby could eat, the waiter cleared the dishes, asked if we were going to order desserts (no), and gave us the bill and take-away boxes. Hubby and the other 2 kids were still eating but it was clear we were being hurried to clear our spot. The hovering waiter too eager to clean made me quite nervous. I understand they are under pressure with all the waiting patrons (and no doubt more turnover means more money), but we are also paying customers who are still eating! All up we were in and out of the place in little over 30 minutes. I appreciate efficiency when eating out but this was a little over the top for me.
Eat.Play.Shop. says - A decent local spot for some hawker style food, but the service means I wouldn't cross town to have this again, especially when there are many other good quality restaurants serving similar foods right across Melbourne. This place is very popular though, so I'm sure they won't miss our patronage.
Toilets - Yes, with change table in the disabled toilets. (Mind the 5 brooms hanging on the inside of the door though)
Highchairs - Yes, Ikea type
