Into Laksa Norwest — Restaurant in Sydney

If you care about good service, avoid this place like the plague. We visited this place with our kids since our kids love laksa, however given they’re both small eaters, can never finish one serving each and we prefer to also try out other dishes. We ordered 1 prawn laksa for the kids to share plus our own dishes as well as entree to share. We were a party of 4 and had ordered 4 dishes.

When we requested the server for an extra empty bowl so that the kids could share their laksa, as the server was getting us a bowl, the Manager/Cashier snatched it away from the server’s hands and didn’t give us the empty bowl and started asking us to use the tiny bowls that they apparently keep for sharing dishes. Those tiny bowls you find in almost all Asian dining places. We tried explaining that it would be very inconvenient for the kids to share in such tiny bowls, and she then had the audacity to give us those flat plastic IKEA plates saying “oh for kids, they can eat in this”.

Her attitude (like some other reviewers have also mentioned) pissed me off and we decided we wouldn’t eat there. We hadn’t yet touched any of their dishes and got up from there. At which, the manager clearly didn’t care about customer service and immediately said “ok I’ll refund you”. Yes she did refund our bill, but even if she wouldn’t have, I still wouldn’t have eaten there.

We’ve lived in Penang, Malaysia for over 5 years and love Malaysian food. We’ve eaten here before, not the best place for Malaysian food, but was just convenient for us. I’d rather drive further away than step into this establishment ever again.

[EDIT]: I quickly read through the 1 star reviews and every 1 star review is due to the manager’s attitude. I’m guessing she’s the owner/franchise owner, else I don’t see why an establishment would continue employing a person who harms the business this way.

[EDIT 2]: Since I can't reply to your response directly, putting it as an edit here.

We didn't ask for large kitchen bowls, we asked for bowls to dine in, exactly the same type as our Laksa was served in. I would love to see how you yourself would eat Laksa with all the noodles and the seafood etc. served in those tiny palm sized bowls.

Regarding the refund - No, I didn't explicitly ask for the refund, I declared I wouldn't eat there or continue being on your premises any longer given the manager's attitude. I wouldn't care if I got a refund or not, but as soon as I said I'm not eating there, she declared she'll refund the amount - to which I didn't see a reason to decline given the extremely...

I've been eating here since 19/01/2023 and the food has always been great, a stand-out venue for Malaysian cuisine in an area that doesn't provide too many options. I've come back many a time as such, enjoying a variety of dishes. However, it's important for me to share something that happened recently so fellow customers can watch out/be informed if they visit.

[11/02/2024] As usual, the cooks and waiter were practically perfect, serving up beautiful and tasty dishes (the latter that day especially smiley).

The manager however was rude and abrupt, and did not care for the experience of customers. During down time, I asked politely to give feedback, mentioning that every time I visit, the soup of their laksa is lacking; it barely covers the contents of the bowl, which never happens with the dish anywhere else. (If one has literally two or three spoonfuls of it, the noodles are already exposed and each progressive mouthful of ingredients becomes barely moist, which impacts flavour too.) The manager's response was to not only dismiss my experience, saying that I still had to pay for what is THEIR deficiency, she also said that that was how they served it across all their branches and that was that (as if it's a valid argument). She didn't show a shred of empathy or care for a guest's continued negative experience; I had to fight to be heard. At the end when I'd been sufficiently discouraged, she dropped a "I'll let my managers know" and thanked me for the feedback, but it was so obviously fake and insincere after her non-stop arguing up until that point. It may not have been so bad if her manner was better; if she'd just acknowledged my input even if she didn't agree with it. She could've simply been apologetic about not being able to fix the situation, continued to follow the (stingy) rules, and I may have accepted it. My problem wasn't even a make-or-break one. Unfortunately, I walked away from the interaction feeling a lot worse than I did at the start, my appetite lost. I don't know how someone with such lacking people skills made it to a managerial position, but she shouldn't be there. I feel for the people she has to work with -- if she treats guests like that, I can only imagine how she is towards her underlings.

I've been a long-time customer, but don't want to come back if it supports management/behaviour like that. I'll be trying to find other Malaysian eateries to replace it; in the mean time, I would encourage others to...

Ah,"Into Laksa"... where the soup is spicy, but the staff? Even spicier! I walked in, part of the mighty makan group, expecting some warm laksa love. Instead, I was greeted with a look so cold, I nearly ordered ice water just to thaw it out.

The moment I mentioned the makan membership, it was like I declared I’d be eating for free for life. The staff's face twisted up as if I had asked for their ATM PIN. “Show me your card,” they barked, as if they were a border patrol officer and I was smuggling contraband curry. The way they glared at me, you'd think I owed them money from a past life!

And the attitude? Let’s just say they made me feel like I was the laksa’s soggy noodles, being dragged through the mud. It felt less like a dining experience and more like an interrogation scene from a crime drama. “that is the Facebook not the member card! ” they asked, and I half-expected the owner to pop out with a magnifying glass to examine my membership card under a UV light.

Word to the wise: if you’re thinking of flashing your membership card here, DON’T. They'll treat you like dirt, but charge you like royalty.

But hey, if you’re looking for the thrill of being judged, interrogated, and questioned like you’ve just committed a laksa-related felony, then this is the place for you! Just don’t forget your...