Lulu’s Malaysian Hawker Melbourne — Restaurant in Melbourne

ORDERED (August 2024): 🍝 Lulu's Char Koay Teow (mild) card surcharge

I paid $20.45 here.

REVIEW: I'm back again for the iconic Char Koay Teow. It still taste delicious, with an amazing smoky flavour that almost permeates every noodle. I should've read my own review, because although the mild brought some heat I could've attempted the medium! 🌶🌶🌶

ORDERED (2023): 🍝  Lulu's Char Koay Teow: Stir fried thin flat noodles with prawns, chinese sausages, egg, bean sprouts, crispy pork lard, chives and chilli ($16.90)

I paid $17.15 which includes the card surcharge.

REVIEW: It is my third time at Lulu's Char Koay Teow. The first time was during covid, where we had to order takeaway. The second time I had dropped my wallet (I was sitting outside!) and the staff were eagle eyed enough to spot it and hold onto it for me until I realised and gave them a panic call ( 😭  😍 ). The third time is the one I'm reviewing on.

The quantity is generous, especially at the very affordable price point. Lulu's CKT has the smoky flavour you only get from seasoned woks at high heat, with ingredients that are fresh and cooked with skill. I'm talking about savoury chinese sausages and snappy crisp bean sprouts that compliment the tender-hearted flat noodles. Since the noodles aren't incredibly flavoured, you get to eat more of it without being sick of it. 🤤 It was noticeably oily at the end, so it's a good excuse to get some refreshing icecream/yoghurt near by!! I had the mild spice level, and I felt like I could've gone one MORE spice level up to medium. I didn't quite feel any/ much heat. In saying that, my friend did feel like the mild was a good level for her. 🌶️🌶️

We came during peak hour (12:30pm on a saturday) and it was understandably packed. A bit of delay in waiting our food, but when it came out piping hot and delicious I didn't mind. 🕑

Order at the counter, refer to your table number and you're good to go. Water and cutlery are self serve in the corner table, which is close...

📍 Lulu’s ⭑.ᐟ

❤︎ 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝗱-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱: Seeking a warm, nostalgic escape to Malaysia on a chilly day ❤︎ 𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵: Signature Char Kway Teow ❤︎ 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Lovers of wok hei, Malaysia signature food nostalgia, and satisfying lunch cravings ❤︎ 𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗲: Buzzing but cozy—classic kopitiam feel with comforting familiarity

ꫂ ၴႅၴ

There’s something magical about finding a plate of char kway teow that tastes like a memory—and this one absolutely delivered. I ordered Lulu’s signature char kway teow without too many expectations, but the first bite took me straight back to the hawker stalls of Penang. The wok hei was legit—you could taste that charred aroma clinging to every ribbon of rice noodle. It was rich, fragrant, and so perfectly seasoned. The prawns were big, juicy, and fresh, not overcooked, which is such a win.

Surprisingly, I ended up loving the bean sprouts, even though I usually don’t. They added crunch and a freshness that balanced the smoky depth of the dish. What sealed the deal was the generous crispy pork lard sprinkled on top—crispy, savory, and dangerously addictive. Every bite felt indulgent in the best way.

And then, of course, the teh tarik. Creamy, smooth, and thankfully not overly sweet. It had that signature malty pull that made me pause and smile—it tasted just like the teh tarik I remember from my last trip to Malaysia. Together, the food and drink felt like a warm hug from home.

Even though I came just as they opened, the place was already filling up fast—a clear sign I wasn’t the only one chasing this comfort food experience.

ⴵ 𝗪𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲: Food came out fairly quick even with growing crowd 𐀪 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗱: Half full soon after opening, energetic atmosphere ☼ 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱: Weekend lunch 𐂐 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿: Signature Char Kway Teow, Teh Tarik (iced)

𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻? Definitely. This place made me feel like I had a little slice of Malaysia in...

The four cockles was cold and raw.

Lulu’s is always bustling and there’s always a line out the front and we’ve come here a few times.

We placed our name on the list and we waited 10 minutes for a table. We ordered the Duck Egg Char Koay Teow and the Blood Cockles Char Koay Teow at 6:35.

Our order was not complex and we weren’t provided an update at all the whole time and just waited.

We shared a four seated table with another couple and they were done and gone. It was pretty frustrating to see others continue to get their orders first and they ordered similar dishes after ours.

We were seriously about to lose it when we just saw another table get theirs first and we asked twice and expressed how unsatisfactory it was to have to wait 45 minutes and they just said “it’s coming” then avoided us. Food arrived at 7:25.

I bit into the cockle and was so shocked that it was raw. My partner bit into another one and was surprised too. We asked a staff member if they serve it raw and they said it’s frozen and they thaw it and it’s then partially cooked and once mixed in, it’ll cook more. The noodles for ours wasn’t piping hot and it just didn’t cook any further. I’ve had cockles before and it’s never been this raw before, especially from a restaurant.

The flavour of the noodles is ok, a bit soggy and the taste of the noodles didn’t have the wok heat taste. It was salty, soggy and because it’s 95% noodles it becomes bland quickly. I would suggest a little more vegetables or crispy pork lard to break up the flavours. The menu doesn’t have items other than the noddles to break up the meal.

I was so dissatisfied and mad. I wondered what it was that I did to deserve this and wanted to leave shortly after our two dishes...