Asian Gourmet

The Adelaide Central Markets bustle with food shoppers and are filled with stall after stall of fresh produce to take home. But Asian Gourmet serves steaming bowls of Malaysian food to eat while overlooking all the madness instead.

This big-flavoured institution is run by husband and wife Doreen and Charles Lo. Doreen runs a tight ship – line up, sit down after ordering, and the system will sort itself out. It's been done this way since 1985. While there’s an abundance of options to try, most market goers come for the traditional laksa that's served in two sizes. Weekday shoppers can try the Friday-only Sarawak special laksa.

The beauty of Asian Gourmet is that it relies on (and cherishes) its steady stream of regulars. Some customers have been slurping these spicy Malaysian delights for almost 40 years. Chiaw maintains that she’s watched some of her clientele grow up in front of her eyes, and that includes some of the now high-powered lawyers rolling in from the adjacent legal precinct.