Time your visit for when you have nothing planned later because a food coma is inevitable. The culprit might be char kwai teow.

The signature dish is a generous mix of smoky flat noodles stir-fried with chilli, Chinese sausage, nubs of pork lard and seafood – perhaps prawns, maybe blood cockles. Hokkien mee is the other prime suspect: a tangle of vermicelli and yellow egg noodles in spicy prawn broth that could compete with Penang’s finest.

Service is perfunctory – staff assume diners know the drill, so ordering is largely self-guided – but the spacious, light-filled interior is reminiscent of a roomy hawker stall and happily accommodates all: families, friends, retirees and students. Big afternoon ahead? Snacks such as flaky chicken curry puffs and peppery pork lobak are a low-commitment way to get your street food fix.

Also on Bourke Street in the CBD.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.