Cult Malaysian noodle shop Lulu’s Char Koay Teow has opened two new businesses: a dessert bar and a takeaway outlet for those who want to beat the queues at the Hardware Lane restaurant.

Lulu’s opened in March 2020 when Chee Wong decided to continue the legacy of his mother-in-law, who runs a char kwai teow hawker restaurant in Penang.

At Pandan Dessert Bar it’s also a family affair, with the next generation of the Wong family leading the charge.

The shop – with green stools and accents that evoke the namesake ingredient, plus indoor and outdoor seating – is right next to Lulu’s on Hardware Lane, providing a logical full-stop after a plate of smoky rice noodles.

Pandan’s menu specialises in Malaysian desserts and ingredients that can be hard to find in Melbourne.

The ABC ice kacang involves rose-syrup-infused shaved ice littered with textural elements such as corn, peanuts and grass jelly. Similar to Korea’s bingsu (now increasingly common in Melbourne), the refreshing dessert is a staple in Penang, where the Wong family hails from.

There’s also Penang-style cendol, a coconut-milk-based dessert with house-made pandan jelly, and taufu fa, a chilled soy-milk pudding.

“When people go to Penang, they will always have cendol − and char kwai teow,” says Amanda Wong, who opened the shop with her siblings Ashley and Mun.

Those getting their CKT fix at Lulu’s can order dessert from Pandan and have it brought to their table, adding to the hawker stall atmosphere the family is building on Hardware Lane.

But it’s not just about summer-friendly desserts − there are two warm, sweet soups perfect for blustery Melbourne days. Gently salted coconut milk is the base for bubur cha cha, which is strewn with chewy, colourful elements such as red beans, tapioca jelly and steamed hunks of sweet potato.

Meanwhile, one block away is a speedy new option for your CKT fix: Lulu’s Express, a takeaway outlet in the Galleria food court.

It’s a slightly condensed menu with fewer soups, but there’s no long queue between you and the duck-egg char kwai teow, hokkien noodles tossed with squid, or the white curry mee noodle soup with prawns, tofu and cuttlefish.

Pandan Dessert Bar open Mon-Sat 3pm-8.30pm at 27 Hardware Lane, Melbourne, instagram.com/pandandessertbar

Lulu’s Express open Mon-Fri 10.30am-3pm at Galleria, 385 Bourke Street, Melbourne, instagram.com/luluckt