Ma Chim review: New Rosalie diner offering $50pp ‘feed me’ three-course meal

In a perfect move to suit hungry locals feeling the pinch, this new Thai street eatery in a booming inner-Brisbane suburban location offers genuine value for money.

Ma Chim new Thai-inspired restaurant in rosalie owned by Bowyo Muangsong and her brother Yew Muangsong. Photography David Kelly

On a cold weeknight with wind biting at our ankles we don’t hesitate long before choosing an inside table at Rosalie newcomer Ma Chim.

The Thai street food restaurant opened in April on the former site of long-time seafood eatery and takeaway Fish Lovers at the suburban precinct in Brisbane’s inner-west. The small shopping village has boomed in recent times with the opening also of Lulu Ramen, Tapri, an Indian street-food restaurant, and Patio bar and beer garden by Range Brewing on the site of what was once Moga Japanese.

Ma Chim comes with a strong pedigree and is the work of Bowyo Muangsong (co-owner of Newstead Thai success story Ping Pong and executive chef of Yolk and Morning After) and her brother Yew Muangsong, who’s head chef.

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The menu covers a lot of ground from snacks to salads (including pork jowl with roasted ground rice, chilli larb spices and herbs), grilled meats, noodle soups and hot pots, curries from red duck to Penang, mains from fried soft shell crab with dry curry sauce to prawns with a sweet and sour sauce, noodle dishes and fried rice.

Snacks span turmeric pork satay skewers and baos, the usual spring rolls, coconut prawns and curry puffs and fishcakes ($13 for four), which prove to be an excellent version. Snapper and basa fillets are blended with red curry paste with notes of kafir lime and are topped with crispy basil, sweet chilli sauce and crushed peanuts.

Given the chilly evening we also opt for a tom yum soup with prawns ($15), with the piping hot lemongrass, galangal and lime-accented broth beefed up with mushrooms, wedges of tomato and a scattering of coriander and it feels almost medicinal in its warming qualities.

Ma Chim’s Tom Yum Mama Hot Pot. Picture: David Kelly

Perhaps mention it if you don’t want all your dishes arriving in quick succession, as while we are eating our starters the table is soon populated with beef short rib ($28) that arrives swimming in a deep bowl of steaming thin, sweet brown sauce perked up with Chinese five spice, with bok choy added for soothing contrast. A large plate of sizzling pad cha talay ($30) is quickly there too. This melange of prawns, scallops, squid, clams and snapper seems very good value and packs some heat in its deeply flavoured chilli and garlic sauce that’s further beefed up by peppercorns and herbs.

Roti bread ($6 for two) is useful for mopping up the sauce but while it’s okay it’s not as flaky and delectable as we’d hoped.

Ma Chim. Picture: David Kelly

A value “feed me” $50pp menu (for two or more) that includes three starters, three mains, rice, roti bread and dessert covers those not wanting to choose and there’s a $12 kids menu.

There are a couple of other occupied tables in the restaurant’s small, 20-seat interior (the number rises to 50 when including those on the patio fronting the carpark) with the tables well-spaced. The interior is simply but appealingly adorned with a neon sign at the back, framed posters, potplants, marble-look tables and banquettes running the length along both sides.

Ma Chim’s Garlic and Pepper Whole Barramundi. Picture: David Kelly

The drinks list offers six cocktails including a mango sticky rice option, Singha makes the three-beer selection, and there’s a stack of non-alcoholic options from a coconut frappe to Thai lemon iced tea. An $8 corkage fee per bottle makes BYO wine a reasonable option (there are two bottleshops in the precinct) and there’s a tight, 12-strong wine list, topping out at $59 for a Tar and Roses Heathcote Shiraz, and six of the mainly Australian selection are by the glass.

Dessert offers more possibilities than you might expect, from a crispy bao with roasted coconut ice cream, to black rice and sticky date pudding. Roasted coconut ice cream ($6 for two scoops) is basic, studded with small pieces of icy coconut and toasted desiccated coconut on top.

Ma Chim offers good value, pleasant service and strong flavours in dishes that cover the standards but also move into fresh territory, in a welcome addition for the booming locality.

Ma Chim

165 Baroona Rd, Rosalie

machim.com.au

Open

Daily 11am-2.30pm
and from 5pm

Must try

Street fishcakes

Verdict

Food

3.5 stars

Service

3.5 stars

Ambience

3.5 stars

Value

4.5 stars

Overall

3.5/5 stars

delicious.com.au/eatout