Island Dreams Cafe — Restaurant in Sydney

Alimah Bilda tells the story of her culture and its cuisine beautifully on SBS On Demand’s A Taste of Island Dreams. However you can’t beat the experience of actually eating it at Island Dreams cafe in Lakemba. Painted that impossible shade of aquamarine you only seem to find on tropical islands, the small cafe dishes up the Malay cuisine with Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island influences. These lesser known offshore Australian territories sit a long way off the Western Australian coastline.

Chicken satay ($15.50/5) come with cucumber, red onion and lontong (squares of compressed rice) plus the best homemade peanut sauce I’ve had in many years. It’s made using peanuts rather than the cheat’s method of peanut butter. The hot bar delivers a good selection of curries to build over turmeric rice ($18/2 dishes): chilli chicken and a turmeric-tinged curry chicken both impress with the heat levels amped by a dab of sambal. Cooked vegetables and split eggplants also benefit from a good smear of vibrant red sambal.

We didn’t see the beef rendang hidden away in the second Bain-Marie, but did pick up a couple of takeaway containers with fragrant coconut rice ($15) to enjoy for lunch the next day. Completely cooked in only coconut milk and rendang spices, these super-tender slow cooked chunks of chuck steak are the real deal. There’s a lot of strange and mostly unsuccessful variations on rendang to be found around town, this one will restore your faith in this timeless classic of a dish.

We were treated to pandan rolls to celebrate the retirement of Lesley Unsworth from Taste Food Tours, staunch supporters of this (and many other) small family-run business. On regular nights you can get your sweet fix by buying a small container of pineapple tarts, makmur (round cakes made from powdered nuts, ghee, flour and icing sugar), or...

Been there twice and all only get worst experience, first experience I was asked my husband to buy food in the night because I’m so hungry and I want to eat traditional food, Husband been there at 9 pm, and buy take away 2 or 3 choice with rice. And when the food come at home (only 5 minute drive) the food was smell so bad, and sticky like going to rooten, the second experience was bring another friends to dine in there and we order for mie goreng seafood, the picture in the menu showed with 3 sliced cucumber, we asking where is the cucumber?? And they offer with extra charge!! And I argue with teenager staff and finally they come with small amount of cucumber. Very rudes service and never go back there...

I had read about this wonderful cafe in SBS Food in an article published 3rd Dec 2021. We are from Canberra, but were passing through Sydney and decided it was worth the detour to visit this exciting restaurant. And let me tell you, never have we made a better decision.

The staff were so lovely and very accommodating of our large group (8 people). And the food... To die for. Every dish was perfect and incredibly delicious. The curries had a nice kick and the desserts were lovely. Loved the teh tarik, best I've had in Australia.

Not easy to make it here from Canberra, but a trip I'd be willing to make again.

I would give six stars if I could...