PappaRich, Chatswood

On a street between Chatswood Westfield and Chatswood Chase, there lies a Malaysian restaurant next to a notable tutoring centre (oh the memories...) by the name of PappaRich:

PappaRich Sign

When my friends first mentioned this place, I kept getting this place confused with PappaRoti (are they related??), which opened years ago at Macquarie Centre and I have still yet to try it. Fast forward to the present day, I've been to PappaRich a few times so there's no more confusion.

Anyway, after conquering the potential queue at the entrance and led to a table, you can take your time pouring over the large volume of menu options before ordering. Ordering at PappaRich is different from other restaurants as you are required to write down the codes for the food items that you want to order onto the provided paper and then hand it to a (scarce) waiter.

Chicken Skewers with Roti

The chicken skewers are served with a satay sauce, (raw) purple onion and chopped cucumbers - serving size is rather small but I guess suitable as an entrée. The roti here just isn't as good as the one served at Mamak, which are light and fluffy.

Ipoh Koay Teow Soup with Steamed Chicken

This dish is similar to the Chinese Hoi Nan Chicken, which also involves a steamed chicken immersed in soy sauce that is normally accompanied by steamed rice. At PappaRich, you can opt for a noodle soup instead - thin flat rice noodles in a boiled chicken and prawn head broth, topped with chives, red chilli and bean sprouts. Traditionally the broth is made by cooking a chicken carcass and prawn heads in water for a long time until the juices/flavour seeps into the liquid to form the flavoursome soup but I think this one may have had some added 'MSG'.

Curry Fish Fillet Noodles Soup

I previously tried the fish curry under the recommendation from a fellow MSGer and absolutely loved it so I ordered it again. The fish is usually served on top of the curry noodles but I prefer it to retain its crunchy texture when I eat it, so I set it aside to prevent it from drowning (yet soaking up the spicy red curry). Inside the curry are thick chunks of tomatoes and deep fried eggplant, which help cut through the spiciness of the curry, as well as fried tofu puffs and bean sprouts on top of a bed of thin vermicelli noodles. The curry itself is rather spicy but is so good that it makes you want to drink more and more of it. This dish is rather large so you had better have a big appetite or be prepared to share.

PappaRich is usually plagued with long queues during peak times so it's best to eat really early or late to avoid the crowds - I arrived just before 6pm and majority of the tables were already filled. However, if you're persistent, you'll be treated to delicious meal. I would definitely recommend sitting in the small courtyard area towards the main entrance/street if the weather is warm as it allows for a a wonderful cool breeze from outside, whereas it was noticeably warmer if you sat closer towards the kitchen/bathroom area. At the Chatswood branch, there is also a small playroom area with play equipment, toys and a TV for kids but not sure how safe it is inside.