Review Lao Tuojia - Malvern

One of the less known Uygur restaurant in Melbourne. The owner is very friendly and accommodating. The lamb kebab have the right flavour but too bad the meat is a little chewy. The salad is the star of the whole meal. It's packed a little spicy punch and refreshing at the same time! Food - 8 Service - 10 Vibe - 7 Price - $$

I guess this place for those who have a taste for north Chinese food. I liked the pilaaf as thr lamb was very soft and juicy.. The much talked about lamb skewers were just ok. Wife summarized by saying that the place was ok ok types.. Her way of saying that it was just average. Staff was good and friendly. Its quite relaxing, if you have plenty of time,you would love this place. No paypas or card! But i just had to cross the street to Tab where I could withdraw cash without any charges.

Authentic Uyghur cuisine with quality dishes. It's like Turkish influenced Chinese food so quite different from usual Chinese.

Stir Fried Noodles with Chili, Chives & Lamb 5/5 Stir Fried Black Fungus and Egg 5/5 Traditional Nanh (Bread) with Braised Tender Lamb Ribs 5/5 Tasty and hearty dishes prepared with love. The decor, warmth & hospitality and dishes felt like we were guests at the owner’s home. A proper family run restaurant that cooks and serves with passion and love. Pricing and portions are very reasonable too.

beautiful food, extra ordinary kebabs, and the tea was really nice and light. The customer care and service was exceptional. Me and my friend were 45 minutes early, the owner still entertained us with a smile and wonderful food

We recommend this restaurant to everybody we know. Brilliant and unexpected. Get eight people together, give the restaurant a day's warning, and try the Deep Fried Lamb Leg. If you're in a hurry, try the deep fried lamb ribs.

Change of ownership in May 2018. Menu has slightly changed, we ordered the famous Lao Tjia Chicken Noodle spicy + lamb skewers, they were still as good. New business name: Tarim Diyari Uyghur Spoke to the new owner briefly, they are authentic Uyghur Xin Jiang from Northern China.

China? Been there? North China? If you have ever gone to the orient, headed up north, and tasted their food, you will find it here. A carefree and easy place like this deserves all the stars it is given. When walking into Lao Tiajia it is an unassuming little spot. A collection of Chinese bottles covers the front window. Sit down, relax. To be honest the decor is far from spectacular. Vinyl covered tables abound. Need more room? They will just spring load it from underneath. If you have ever traveled to Northern China you will understand the essence of this place. At first I made the mistake of ordering fried rice. I was told that the specialty is "Spicy Chicken Potato with wide Noodle." Several times I have been back after that suggestion. What you get is a large plate full off noddles to share. (If you are a fancy fanny fart then go away, no one is interested.) The noodles are hand made. Talking to the chef this is a labour intensive process. Hand made noodles, not from a packet, you can't get better. The lady who makes them oversees it herself. The noodles are hand made, so you are eating something really special. What to expect? Northern China quinine. Nothing less. Spicy Chicken Potato with wide Noodle is a divine dish at $19.80 and will easily feed two. The noodles are thick and deliciously hand made. Pull the chicken bones from your teeth, lay them down. There is no reason to get uptight here. Free jasmine tea. What is also popular is the lamb skewers $6 for 2, or $10 for 5. Skewers are prepared and served in the authentic Northern Chinese style. Spicy, hearty, and a great diversity of taste. Vegetarians. Yeah, I have some of those friends too. The baked eggplant was magnificent. It's just eggplant. But, it tasted awesome. They will look after the Veggie's too. There is also a dish on offer that you should try. It is lamb, wok fried and severed on a plate. You then wrap it in a light bread. Around $13.00. Great appraiser. This is a hotspot for the local Chinese community. They know where good food is at. It is like a community center. If you have ever traveled to China, you would love the authenticity of this place. You step into China without going through customs. What I don't like about this restaurant is that you eventually have to walk outside and leave.

You may need to be prepared for a wait, but it will be worth it. They hand make the noodles while you wait and the food is fresh and lovely.

Literally one of my favourite experiences so far on zomato. It's almost like the restaurant was time warped to the 1980s in HongKong. Definitely the feel of your grandmothers tea room, I would argue the decor is charming and if you speak Chinese the experience is enhanced a thousand fold. 5/5 stars just based on the friendliness and personality. Food is delicious and authentic. Yummmmm will be revisiting very often.

As unpretentious as a place can possibly get. The star here is the food, leaving the decor and service far behind. <br/><br/>Lamb skewers were a highlight.

We always come here for their wide noodles and spicy chicken. The setting of its dine-in is not glamorous, but their cooking is define. I personally prefer take aways from this place.

It's unbelievable that this little restaurant serves very authentic Chinese food in Malvern. We were trying our luck on a number of dishes such as the lamb skewers, cucumber entree, stir fried dingding noodles and the corn cakes. All came out in short time and tasted fantastic. We will definitely be back again!

We had a lunch as a family group of six (two being born and bred in China). Ordered quite a few dishes (see pictures). Service was prompt and friendly, prices - very reasonable. Food, though....I am told that Chinese people rate it in three categories - presentation, smell (aroma) and taste (flavour). A Chinese family member rated well only the flavour. The rest was pronounced average. To me (a laowai) the taste and smell were good, IMHO. Presentation was OK. Overall - not bad, recommended.<br/>P.S. Lamb skewers were fantastic - that was a unanimous vote! )))

This might sound cliche but this place is a hidden gem. The interior and furniture are tacky and outdated but if you are like me and believe that the quality of the food is inversely proportionate to the decor of the restaurant, you know you have hit the jackpot here. The cumin lamb skewers are fantastic - perfect meat and fat ratio (chilli powder is optional but strongly recommended). So was everything we ordered - chives puff, pilau rice with lamb and spicy chicken and potato with wide noodles. Absolutely beautiful flavours. Service was really down-to-earth, one of the lady owners fussed over us like a mother hen. Best of all, no damage done to our wallets - total came up to $53 for 3. Damage may have been done to our tummy though, but we take full responsibility for that.

While the ambient is not that great, the food served at this restaurant makes more than up for it. The staff is super friendly. They even opened up the restaurant on their day off as they saw us waiting at the front door! In terms of food I recommend all their noodle based dishes (all hand made!). Especially the signature da pan ji ("big plate chicken") is excellent.

very delicious food at this restaurant, hearty warmth chinese cuisine that is guaranteed to get you filled up. the lady who server me was so friendly and welcoming. would really recommend the lamb skewers and spring onion pancake. also their noodles are so much better than all other noodle places, they are freshly made. definitely will be returning back this this restaurant.

Anything that this place lacks, is made up for by its sheer authenticity and genuinely welcoming owner-operator. On the Friday night that I first went there, I entered to find myself the only non-Asian (usually a good sign in an Asian restaurant). As I walked in a large table burst into Chinese song, accompanied by one of their number on accordion and a lady performing a traditional dance. All without the slightest self-consciousness. The food is unpretentious, authentic and could not be fresher. A word of warning though for vegetarians: the cuisine is north Chinese / Mongolian, and vegetables are a definite side item. The items listed as "Vegetables" on the menu are predominantly meat-based. Apparently the vegetable ingredients are sufficiently novel to warrant separate listing. Once the owner comprehended that we only wanted vegetables, things went smoothly. You may have to take care to ensure that you are understood. Even after our explanations were noted, we were still offered a side-dish of lamb skewers.

The lady is very welcoming and nice. Had 3 dishes which were recommended on website: lamb skewer, eggplant, chicken with noodles. Love handmade noodles, good texture with a bit of chew. And their homemade yoghurt is very good! Love it. However, overall the dishes are oily which make u a bit sick afterward.

One of the favourites among us all was this glossy, silky and luscious eggplant dish. Imagine thinly sliced eggplant that's been cooked (I think it was steamed or braised - I'm not sure) and smothered in this gorgeous salty, umami-rich gravy. This was fantastic with a bowl of rice, and I could easily wolf down this dish on my own. We also loved the presentation of the eggplant. I would go back just to eat this again. Another crowd favourite was the spicy salt deep fried lamb ribs. Big Fil loves these and I can totally understand why. They're an absolute calorie bomb. You can imagine a Xinjiang farmer, who's spent the day out in the fields, hunkering down with these fatty ribs to keep him going through the bitter winter. Pleasantly fatty with a nice amount of meat, the ribs are incredibly moreish. The batter is thin and crispy and the salty coating (plus the optional aromatic chilli powder) just makes you want to eat more! (Lemon water and fasting to follow the next day).

This is a very great and unique restaurant located across the road from malvern station in melbournes inner city suburbs. I think it's Xin Jiang style influence which is located north west of China and is mostly based around Lamb dishes, some beef and chicken but I don't think there are any pork dishes. <br/><br/>The restaurant has a very authentic taste and atmosphere, it doesn't vibe off as your average asian fine dining or your standard uptight overly expensive/strict restaurant either, it has a very homely feel, as if your visiting a relative for dinner or so. <br/><br/>The place isn't small nor big but cosy and welcoming. There is a small struggle in communication with the staff when ordering food however the staff are very friendly and very polite as is the friendly lady who seems to be either the owner or manager. I feel like the people are genuine and the food authentic which is why I personally rate this establishment very highly. <br/><br/>Another thing, because sometimes I find it hard to communicate with the staff (which also adds to the authenticity(not catering towards your average joe)), you might want to come with a open mind and try ordering things not by recommendation but your own interests. <br/><br/>I've had quite a few dishes and am glad that I took a risk to order things that usually wouldn't seem appealing otherwise would have never tried the lamb pie, Egg & Tomatoe noodles, Egg Plant & mince dish. Other dishes like dumplings, meat buns, spicy chicken noodles or Lamb Skewers are all delicious and I would definitely say are some of there many authentic/signature dishes. <br/><br/>All in all great place to have dinner especially if you want to be able to enjoy a glass of wine with a friend or few, or if you want to swing by quickly to pick up some take away due to the fact that they're generally very quick to prepare (if they aren't a full house).

Amazing. It was a bit tricky because our Mandarin is zip and the menu is unclear. We agreed with the delightful owner on rice noodle soup. Hot, spicy, and generous the soup combined home made rice noodles, ground lamb, a bit of spring onion, tomato and chilli. Clearly made with love. Recommend.

Most Underated Place in Malvern. When going to Lao Tuo Jia, there is a simple way to order, if the meal is for two.<br/><br/>Order the lamb skewers. Two pieces or five pieces. Spicy cardamon flavour. Served on metal skewers.<br/><br/>Then order the large plate of Spicy Chicken and Potato Noodles. The noodles are hand made, and according to the chef, take a long time to make. This is an authentic meal that you will not find anywhere else. Traditional from North China. Very tasty. <br/><br/>Mama will most likely come out and greet you with a smile, speaking a little English, but Mandarin. She is a kind woman who shows respect for all. As the TV is on in the corner, you will feel like you are in her living room. <br/><br/>Also, try the lassi (yoghurt drink). Free tea.<br/><br/>EDIT: On a return visit we discovered the PUMPKIN DUMPLINGS. Divine. An unsung member of the menu. Mashed pumpkin with roasted garlic, cooked until the skin is the perfect crispiness on the bottom.

The most authentic northern Chinese restaurant I have found outside of China- the food is just amazingly good and the owners are so delightful, it's like you are eating in their own dining room- the spicey chicken with noodles is their speciality dish - it's divine. Just perfect in every way - authentic China is Malvern

What a find! Very good Xinjiang food, delicious hot sour eggplant, pumpkin potstickers (with ginger) - vegetarian friendly; cheap, cheerful and you can watch Chinese TV while you eat. We tried 5 dishes, 68 to go....

What a gem! Such a lovely lady, always so warm & friendly, makes us feel at home every time. Lamb skewer is a must! So succulent, tender & unbelievably moist! Spicy chicken noodle is so yummy (not spicy at all), the hand made noodles are amazing. The beef fried rice... OMG, so home-cooked & the best we had tried! What an heart warming & satisfying meal, can't wait to return for more ;):):);)

Good food and nice owners. The lamb skewers are amazing, tender and juicy and full of spicy goodness. the deep fried lamb ribs are also plentiful and melt-in-your-mouth. the owners were nice too, a bit hard trying to attract the auntie's attention since she's so friendly and chatty with the other patrons, but once she saw us it was all smiles and laughter. gave us a $2 discount too to make it a even $50 :D

Fantastic lamb skewers. We have been here twice and can easily go back for these lamb skewers which come in two flavours-hot and not hot. Our 5yrd loves them and their yoghurt drink which is slightly sweet and salty, but deliciously fresh and great to cool the mouth after the hot lamb skewers! Decor is basic, with missing light bulbs, so cute. The owner and his wife were the only people working the night we went so we had to help ourselves to drinks, cups etc but that was ok, gave us something to do whilst we waited for the food which didn't take long. It's very affordable and the owner's wife was charming. Can't wait to try out more Xinjiang specialties.

Walked in on their day off (Tuesday) Owner was kind enough to let us in and dine. Very hospitable folks. Had lamb skewers (item 29, highly recommend) spicy chicken (item 1 on menu) lamb pie (item 17) all also very yummy. Good wholesome meal. Affordable.

I love this place, who can beat home made noodles?. I found this place by chance when my boyfriend lived in Caulfield a few years ago. Now, I drive from the other side of the city just for one dish. I love the spicy chicken with potato and flat noodles. I can eat very very spicy but if you like mild, just tell them. Also it is a very messy dish so if you are not skilled with chopsticks don't wear white ;) The people that run the restaurant are fantastic. Give it a try.

My top10 favorite restaurant. Me and my partner both like Lao Tuo Jia very much, not just abut the food there, the owner who is the staff as well is always so welcome and friendly. It has been almost three years since we move into this area, and we kind of have to go back regularly once in a week. And i have been recommended and took friends to there enjoy the food.Always worth it.

Recommend the spicy chicken noodles YUM

It's a really good Chinese restaurant. Very delicious food. My friends and I really like it!

Nobody really understands you but the food is better than all the other Chinese places ive been to!!

Lovely experience. I really love coming here. We are always warmly welcomed, the food is great and the portion sizes are generous. My favourite dish is the egg and tomato noodles - staple, comfort food for most Chinese families, but this is easily the best version I have ever tasted. Like carbohydrate crack.

Hands down best restaurant in Melbourne. The staff aren't rude they just can't speak English fluently and come across rude. Best food. Eating there tonight, can't wait. Favorites and recommendations: lamb skewers, lamb noodle soup, da pao ji.

Good Xin Jiang Cuisine. We come here often to have the spicy potato noodle (大盘鸡), lamb skewers and lamb bone soup. The old lady who owns the restaurant is very friendly. Food is great and the place is clean ... not sure why the other reviewer thought otherwise.

The food was nice but the environment was yucky. Very old and dirty feeling. The waitress weren't friendly enough.

Another day another style of Chinese food not commonly found in Melbourne.  Lao Tuo Jia Restaurant specialises in Xinjiang style food, food from the North West of China. Style wise its very different from your typical Cantonese, heavier and from what I could see very lamb focused, although that could reflect my personal meat preferences.  The restaurant itself is basic, with plastic topped tables for I assume ease of wiping and a small TV playing Chinese soap opera in the corner.  Staff appeared quite friendly and helpful.  It's obviously a family run place though so I wouldn't describe service as professional quality and speaking Mandarin Chinese would probably make communication a lot easier. Having visited a few times now I'd recommend three things from the entrees menu.  First of all, some of the best lamb skewers I have had.  Not so much because of the tender meat, but because of the good strong lamb/mutton flavours brought out through the use of cumin - a much underrated spice fo