Trying Chicken Laksa at “KK Malaysian Cuisine,”a Malaysian Restaurant Loved by Auckland Locals(Gourmet Exploration Series – Laksa Bowl No. 1)
Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Chietomonji, a gourmet writer based in Auckland.
Today, after quite some time, I visited KK Malaysian Restaurant, a Malaysian restaurant loved by local Aucklanders, to enjoy their chicken laksa.
I first encountered Malaysian cuisine during my university days, and since then I’ve been a big fan. KK Malaysian Restaurant, however, is a little far from where I currently live, so I hadn’t been visiting as often. This time, I happened to have an errand in that area, which gave me the perfect excuse to return after a long break.
As always, one thing I worry about when going out to eat is parking.
The restaurant is located near the intersection of Manukau Road and Greenlane Road, an area with quite a few eateries, so I was a bit concerned about finding a parking spot. Luckily, my worries were unfounded—I found parking just two streets away, about a one-minute walk from the restaurant.
KK Malaysian Cuisine
I arrived just before 6:00 p.m. Since it was a Friday, I expected the place to be crowded, but to my surprise, I was seated right away without any wait.
Now, on to my target: chicken laksa. The first time I ever tried laksa at a restaurant was about 14 or 15 years ago, at a Malaysian restaurant called Cinta (which used to be) on Dominion Road in Auckland. Since then, I’ve been hooked on laksa’s coconut-cream-based, richly flavored soup. It’s creamy, full-bodied, and completely addictive.
Chicken Laksa
I ordered the chicken laksa along with a small entrée of Malaysian-style grilled chicken skewers, Chicken Satay. After about a five-minute wait, the chicken laksa arrived first, followed shortly by the chicken satay.
The noodles were thick, and the coconut-cream-based soup clung to them beautifully, delivering a deep, satisfying flavor. The fried tofu soaked up the soup well, releasing a burst of rich flavor with each bite.
The chicken came in four or five generously sized chunks, which I enjoyed as I slurped the noodles.
Shredded cucumber added a refreshing contrast to the otherwise rich and hearty flavors.
The dish wasn’t particularly spicy, and the soup was so good that I ended up drinking almost all of it.
The chicken satay appeared to be oven-roasted or nicely char-grilled, with just the right amount of browning to whet the appetite.
Dipping the freshly grilled, still-hot chicken into the peanut sauce, I found the meat incredibly juicy—so good it almost made me stop and think for a moment. This is definitely another dish I’d like to order again.
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
The atmosphere was just right—not too noisy, not too quiet—making it a comfortable place to enjoy a relaxed meal and conversation with friends or family. Highly recommended.
I also noticed the wonderful aroma of fried rice coming from other tables. Next time, I’d love to try their Malaysian-style fried rice.
The total bill for the two dishes came to $33.
- Chicken Laksa (Small size): $25
- Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce (6 sticks): $18
The restaurant I visited this time:
KK Malaysian Cuisine
463A Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland 1023
https://kkmalaysia.co.nz
