Tam Jiak at the Sydney Fish Market: A ‘Greedy to Eat’ Malaysian Surf n’ Turf

Arrival

You don’t so much arrive at Tam Jiak as get swept into it. The new Sydney Fish Market is already buzzing: kids pointing at crabs, couples juggling oyster trays, tourists trying to work out which way the harbour is. Then you turn a corner and there it is Tam Jiak – hovering above the chaos with water views and that smug “you found the good spot” energy.

The name means “gluttonous” in Hokkien, which feels like both a warning and a dare; it sets the tone beautifully. This is the sixth outpost in a seasoned Malaysian family of venues, and you can feel the confidence the moment you sit down. It’s the kind of place where “just a quick lunch” quietly stretches into an afternoon.

The vibe and design

Tam Jiak is all about texture before you even open the menu. Leather banquettes you want to sink into, shell‑style tiles that echo the ocean just outside, and layered surfaces that feel a bit like a Malaysian hawker centre dressed up for a date. There’s a softness to the lighting and a bit of sparkle in the fixtures – enough polish for a long lunch, but relaxed enough that you won’t feel silly in sneakers.

From almost every seat you get a slice of the markets and the water, so the choreography of boats and seafood boxes becomes part of the theatre. It’s street‑food spirit translated into restaurant comfort: the chaos stays outside; the flavour party happens in here.

Chef, story and style

Tam Jiak sits under the Ho Jiak umbrella, the Malaysian group that’s spent the last few years lifting the food of their childhood from Penang street corners to proper sit‑down dining rooms across Sydney and Melbourne. The kitchens are led by Malaysian talent who grew up on smoky char kway teow and laksa before turning that know‑how into a restaurant mini‑empire. Here, that history shows up as confidence rather than ego, dishes are bold and nostalgic, yet delivered with gourmet tight technique.

This is street food, uplifted. Think hawker flavours: sambal heat, wok char, curry leaf and mala nudging your senses awake, layered with cheffy touches and a clear respect for the produce, especially seafood. The “gluttonous” name is really a manifesto: food for people who want to taste everything, preferably at once, and don’t apologise for it.

The Menu: A textural seafood playground

The lunch special nasi goreng arrives as a generous, wok‑kissed mountain of rice, generously studded with prawns (actual proper chunks, not a token scattering), fragrant and deeply savoury. It manages that magic trick of being full‑flavoured and satisfying without leaving an oil slick on the plate and at $25, it’s the kind of dish that makes weekday lunch feel like a small win.

For the longer lunch option we tried the Teow Chew Soy Sashimi. Boasting wild caught quality Tasmanian salmon, the dish is designed to accentuate this delecacy. Clean, silky slices of fatty fish given a boost in depth from the cured egg yolk and a subtlty in the soy dressing that doesn’t overpower the plate.

Next we endulged in the Squid Biryani. It’s your true surf‑and‑turf moment: tender squid (again left to speak for itself) paired with perfectly balanced spiced rice, with enough richness from the entwined lamb and cumin to strike that glutonous balance. Every mouthful swings between chew, fluff and spice. This dish makes you sit up a little straighter and quietly plan your next visit.

Whilst the chilli mud crab is a crowd pleaser – we opted for ginger shallot pipis. Excellent quality clams in a familiar, comforting flavour profile; they’re less showy than some of the other plates, but still impeccably fresh and gently briny.

For a side (or a vegan main course) – Crispy eggplant steals the show, and it’s basically a turf dish in disguise. The pieces are smoked, crisped and sauced to the point where they channel slow‑cooked beef ribs. Deep savoury notes and satisfying heft, just without the cow. The mala pepper dusting brings that addictive numbing tingle.

Seasonal greens are where Tam Jiak proves it doesn’t phone in the veg. This is not a sad token plate; the thick, glossy sauce clings to every leaf, making it a full dish in its own right rather than a side concept. Lotus root slices add crunch and contrast, so you get freshness, snap and richness on your textural adventure. – the pause that refreshes between all that seafood, but still worth ordering on its own merits.

For dessert, the soy pudding arrives like a mini art installation. A softly trembling pannacotta‑style base is topped with a delicate jelly rose, turning familiar soy notes into something almost ethereal. It’s an artful bit of textural play: silky, bouncy, wobbly panaccotta paired with spice and hardness in the jelly.

The “we’ll be back for” list

If you like a bit of excess with your snacks, the prawn toast is your siren song. Two types of shrimp create a uniquely layered texture – part ultra‑smooth purée, part generous chunks – all packed onto toast and deep fried to a shattering golden crunch. It eats like the glow‑up of your childhood takeaway favourite just more glutonous and texturally elevated.

There’s a through‑line to everything: generous protein, big flavour, and an almost obsessive attention to texture. Whether it’s squid in biryani, eggplant dressed up as beef, or vegetables given main‑character energy, the plates feel like little adventures in contrast.

Tam Jiak, Shop E1A Sydney Fish Market, 1 Bridge Rd, Glebe NSW 2037
SUN – THU: 11AM – 9:30PM, FRI – SAT: 11AM – 10PM, PUBLIC HOLIDAYS: 11AM – 9PM