When the craving for mud crabs strikes, there is a place to go for the cure!

Name: Sambal Kampung Malaysian & Chinese Cuisine

Location: Shop 4, 36-48, Edgewater Blvd, Maribyrnong, VIC 3032

Website: https://www.sambalkampung.com.au/

We trooped down to this restaurant one evening on a weekend and without making a reservation. It was already crowded at 5.30pm. On hindsight, having a table reservation would be a good idea as we had to wait about 20 mins before being seated.

The staff were courteous and quick to take out orders. While waiting, we had already decided to have mud crab cooked in chilli sauce (Singapore style), lotus root soup and a dish of beef with bitter melon slices cooked in salted bean sauce.

The mud crab is sold by weight and we were impressed that before cooking, the staff came to us to confirm the weight of the chosen crab and the final price of the dish.

First to arrive at our table was the lotus root soup in herbal broth.

There were generous pieces of chicken and lotus root slices within the claypot. We could smell the mild herbal flavours, reminiscent of the times when our mothers used to prepare this same dish.

The taste was what we expected and it was good.

The beef dish arrived soon after. The succulent pieces of tender beef with sliced bitter melons was a sight to behold. The salty black bean sauce contrasted well with the bitterness of the melon pieces.

Finally, the star dish of the evening arrived.

We opted for just a medium sized mud crab with a side dish of 6 pieces of fried mantous.

It was very good to be able to satisfy a deep seated craving for mud crab done Singapore style.

We have since gone back to the restaurant a few more times to try their lunch menu. Certainly, it is a place we will come back to again and again.