Maxim Café, 3/148 Willis Street.

THE food now sold at Maxim Café, was so popular at the Wakefield Street markets, 29-year-old Danny Lam decided to open up a permanent residence.
He’s done that on Willis Street. Maxim Café serves a range of Malaysian and Chinese Cuisine and is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Walking into the dainty café it’s hard not to feel at home with the simple and effective décor, which boasts a flowing sheet running along the ceiling.
We were welcomed by the extremely helpful staff, and settled in a nook around the corner.
The menu has a wide array of reasonably priced Asian goodies perfect for all occasions – a curry on a cold day, a vegetarian dish brimming with fresh veges or a delicious entree for a lighter meal.
We received spring rolls for starters, and upon the first sweet and sour sauce dipped bite, I decided they were some of the better spring rolls I’ve tasted.
For the main, I opted for a traditional Green Curry with green chilli, lemon grass, wild ginger and fresh herbs. It usually comes with chicken, but I cheekily requested prawns, which wasn’t a problem at all. My friend chose vegetarian fried rice.
I could smell the sweet spices of my curry as soon as it came out of the kitchen, and upon my first slurp, I knew it was the real deal.
Deliciously hot, it certainly wasn’t the dumbed down “kiwi medium” cultural food joints often adopt. The prawns were large and succulent and the spices in the curry were infused perfection.
The fried rice my friend selected was large in portion, and she exclaimed it was traditional fried rice how it should be “not that westernised food”.
The meal was made complete with a glass of very well priced house red – and what a good choice.
For those preferring to bring their own, you can also do that at Maxim Café. What more could you want for an evening spent with good company than great wine and food in a homely atmosphere, topped off with friendly staff.