Restaurant Review: Chef Lagenda

Location: 16 Pin Oak Crescent, Flemington
Phone: 03 9376 2668
Cuisine: Malaysian Hawker
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

When it comes to restaurants competing, it doesn't get any more aggressive. Abiding by the saying, 'keep you friends close and your enemies closer', Chef Lagenda has placed itself competitively next to its rival Laksa King. Rumour has it that the original chef from Laksa King is the owner of Chef Lagenda. Whilst I cannot verify this rumour (and am probably further perpetuating a rumour that may be completely false), I love a little cat fight between restauranteurs.

So, "whose cuisine reigns supreme?"

J, R and I venture down for an eating adventure at Chef Lagenda to see how it would compare to Laksa King. We decided to base the winner on their curry laksa. Afterall, that is what Laksa King is ultimately famous for.

After a couple of good and authentic tasting entrees, our 3 bowls of curry laksa arrived.

Upon initial inspection, it was clear how generous they were in terms sizing. There were a lot of noodles, meat, seafood, yongtofu and plenty of broth to go with it. To the restaurant's credit, every protein in that bowl was cooked well. The prawns tasted juicy and sweet and the chicken was beautifully tender. The broth itself, however, lacked heat. There was also a lot more coconut cream in this laksa which meant that the spicyness of the laksa broth was further masked. That said, the broth had a lovely flavour. It was a pity that it was not spicy enough.

In terms of how it compares to Laksa King, we all agreed that the Laksa King broth itself had more depth of flavour and its chilli content, was far more on the money. However, in terms of the toppings that went inside the curry laksa, Chef Lagenda's was far more generous and also cooked their toppings very well. 

Here is what Malaysian food expert, guest blogger, R had to say:

"In terms of authenticity, I  would give Chef Lagenda a 5/10 (with a score of 10/10 being eating in a good hawker stall in Malaysia). Firstly, there was mint and eggplant in the curry laksa. The mint, in particular should either have been omitted or been present in a far more subtle manner. The satay sauce we had was too smooth and it was not served with the traditional ketupat."

The desserts were lovely. I highly recommend their sago dessert (pictured below).

If you prefer a milder curry and want value for money, I would highly recommend Chef Lagenda. However, if you like your curry laksa with a bit more kick, the laksa broth at Laksa King will do the trick. As much as we enjoyed dining at Chef Lagenda, we all agreed that when it came down to the laksa broth itself, Laksa King is still, well, the Laksa King.

Read Gastrology's Laksa King review here!