Note: I was invited to dine in at Zhangliang Malatang, however all opinions are my own.
I always walked past Zhangliang Malatang in Acton but never had a chance to dine in, so I was eager to try it out when I received an invite from them. We’re lucky we got there early-ish, around 12 noon on a Saturday so we could grab a table at the end and squeeze the pram in between the tables. As it was my first time there, one of the staff kindly gave me instructions on what to do.
It’s easy.
- Grab a clean bowl and tongs
- Pick whatever ingredients you would like and place it in the bowl
- Go to the counter to have the bowl weighed, pick your soup base, and pay
- Wait for it to be cooked and your number called
- Add your sauces (if you want them) – black vinegar, garlic, chilli oil, peanut etc.
- Eat!
There are two refrigerated sections and so much to choose from. Meats, seafood, vegetables, tofu, all kinds of fish/seafood/processed meat balls (some with fillings inside), dumplings, rice cake, and I’m really impressed with the variety of different noodles. The food labels are both in English and Chinese.
It didn’t take long before our number was called, and our steaming noodle bowls were ready. At the time, Zhangliang Malatang only had a spicy soup base available and I can’t recall exactly what I put in it, but there were three types of noodles (I love noodles) and a little peanut sauce. I also chose the Chinese savoury donut stick but regretted it as it absorbs all the soup and very quickly becomes a soggy mess.
It’s self service for tap water, cutlery, napkins and bibs.
Zhangliang Malatang have recently introduced two new soup flavours – mushroom soup and tomato soup. Overall, great concept for a DIY soup that you don’t need to cook. It’s quick and easy. I’m sorry I don’t know the prices, but obviously the heavier it is, the more you pay. There are a few indoor tables but these fill up pretty quickly.
For parents: I didn’t notice any highchairs (but wasn’t on the look out for them either). Our pram only just fit between the tables, however it seemed spacious enough that you could park the pram in front of the table and chair. It’s still a little awkward unless you’re comfortable with having bub on your lap.
Zhangliang Malatang
40 Marcus Clarke St, Canberra
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