Psst! Wanna know a secret? I think I’ve found one of the best laksas in Hobart (but let’s just keep this between us, yeah?).
Tucked off Collins Court, the cosy Dandy Lane is your go-to for lunch in the city. A great spot to meet friends for a pre-work brekky, lunchtime catch-up or a cute coffee date.
Their new winter special is a chicken laksa. I’ve had a few laksas in my time – some would say I’m a laksa lover. There is truly nothing better than sitting down to hearty bowl of noodle soup – especially in winter.
A spicy noodle soup originating from Malaysia, laksa is also found in other South East Asian countries including both Singapore and Indonesia. The soup has a number of regional variations, but it is the rich and spicy coconut broth that is most commonly served in Australia.
Laska can be broadly categorised by its town main ingredients: noodles and soup. So, I knew what to expect – but did Dandy Lane deliver?
They did, tenfold. At Dandy Lane, I was presented with a generous bowl of fragrant soup garnished with coriander, thinly sliced spring onion, slithers of red chili and sesame seeds – giving it an additional layer of freshness, texture, and colour.
The added surprise? The soup was generously topped with pieces of crispy pieces of crumb-coated chicken. I mean, YUM. A surprise indeed, but a welcome (and tasty) one.
Dandy Lane Café owner, Link, explained to me that the team like to add their own Hobart ‘twist’ to more traditional dishes. Chef, Aaron, who is originally from Malaysia, has drawn inspiration from a hometown recipe but added a local twist and has created a lighter broth compared to the more traditional soup base.
“This was developed to counteract the heavier elements of the dish – we already have the crumbed chicken, noodles and fried tofu which make the dish really hearty and filling, so Aaron created a lighter consistency for the broth to balance it out.”
And balanced it is. The spongey fried tofu puffs soak up the broth like sponges which add little bursts of soupy goodness when you bite into them.
And (and this is SUPER important) – there are oodles of noods. Hoikken noodles in fact – a type of egg noodle commonly used in the hawker-style dishes of Southeast Asia cuisines.
The soup also have finely sliced carrot and cabbage – neither of which would be found in a more traditional laksa but have been added to provide extra veg and nutrients – so it’s basically a health food, right?
The laksa is a powerhouse meal in a bowl – balanced and totally satisfying, with just the right amount of spice to clear the sinuses.
“Coming into winter we recognised that we all need a bit of a [spicy] kick – that’s why we created the laksa especially for these colder months.”
This flavourful meal is guaranteed to ignite your tastebuds and spice up your life!
The team at Dandy Lane are gearing up for Dark Mofo, with a number of new menu items and drink specials created especially for the festival season.
Dandy Lane are fully licensed and open from 7 am – 3 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am – 2 pm both Saturday and Sunday.
