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Sunda

Sunda’s industrial fit-out might look unfinished, all scaffolding and boarded floors, but with its knockout arsenal of signature dishes, the menu is fully formed.

Egg noodles, XO sauce, chicken crackling. Picture: Ryan Noreiks
Egg noodles, XO sauce, chicken crackling. Picture: Ryan Noreiks

18 Punch Lane, Melbourne

(03) 9654 8190

sunda.com.au

Sunda’s industrial fit-out might look unfinished, all scaffolding and boarded floors, but with its knockout arsenal of signature dishes, the menu is fully formed.

Khanh Nguyen’s mix of Malaysian, Indonesian and Vietnamese dishes twisted with Aussie native ingredients is embedded in the Melbourne menu.

Like the non-negotiable egg noodles, slippery in XO sauce, punchy with the lingering heat of pepperberry and so generously crunchy with chicken crackling.

Heaven.

Sunda, Punch Lane. Picture: Ryan Noreiks
Sunda, Punch Lane. Picture: Ryan Noreiks

Sunda’s worst-kept (off-menu) secret – the Vegemite roti – does the national spread proud, with a top-knot of flaky buttermilk roti to swipe through a sauce uniting the yeasty black stuff and curry.

It sounds scary, but it’s a compelling flavour bomb.

As is another cross-cultural party, the rendang pie, a puffy, piping-hot sweet bun filled with wagyu on the milder side of spicy.

Cosy communal tables, service that’s casual but know its stuff and a laneway locale in Melbourne’s pumping theatre district make Sunda easily one of the city’s best nights out.

Must-eat dish: Egg noodles, XO sauce, chicken crackling

Cuisine: Contemporary South East Asian

Chef: Khanh Nguyen

Price: $$

Open: Dinner Mon-Sat

Instagram: @sunda_dining

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/delicious-100/sunda/news-story/42ec442edb12b6fa3ba31f326a0d18eb