Nan Yang Express Chinatown

January 2026: I am a Level 8 contributor (>450 reviews) on Google and provide an unbiased feedback on eateries and experiences both in Asia and Melbourne. I was here in January to check out the Penang white curry noodles. As others have pointed out, the broth is quite diluted in taste compared to versions in Singapore and Malaysia. However, it still tasted good. The portion of noodles was generous. There were also 🐖 blood cubes and canned cockles. The latter was very chewy. Some MSG in the soup because I felt thirsty hours later. *Pork noodles soup* Delicious and there was no MSG in the soup. The pork slices were tenderised well and the minced pork balls were well marinated. They had a subtle flavour. I paid $10 in Feb 2026. *Claypot noodle soup* Delicious and no MSG in the soup. The fish balls were outstanding; not too starchy. The minced pork pieces have too much starch added to bulk it up. Portion is smaller than the pork noodle soup. I paid $10 in Feb 2026. *FIRST REVIEW (Below)* This is a small restaurant in Chinatown on Little Bourke Street between Russell and Exhibition Streets. The nearest train station is Parliament. The seating arrangement feels cramped but I was here for the food. I have a craving for fish🐟 fillet noodle soup and I paid $17.50. It was a huge portion, with 6 big pieces of fried fish. The fish tasted like basa, instead of rockling. The soup has a light creamy texture because of the addition of evaporated milk. I didn't taste MSG in the soup. There were also 2 sour plums which tasted very sour. The ginger was coarsely cut. Overall, I like the taste but would have preferred thin slices of ginger. Taste wise, it's on par with Laksa King's fish noodle soup, but cheaper. A surcharge applies in weekends and public holidays, waived upon cash payments. I waited quite a while for my dush to come even though I ordered before 5 pm on a week day. They have too many online orders. I came back days later on a Sunday to try the Hainanese chicken🐔 rice and rice rolls with sweet sauce. Each dish costs $10, on cash payment. There were many here who raved about the chicken rice. My opinion: the chicken pieces were not as tender as other venues because the ones that were served to me came from the thighs. I still prefer the Hainanese chicken rice at Kakilang. The rice was fragrant and delicious. At $10, this is a satisfying meal with generous portions. The rice rolls were delicious too with fish🐟 cake slices and 2 fish 🐟balls.

Justin Tan

I found this place on TikTok and heard that it’s cheap, so I decided to try it. Turns out the food tastes pretty good, the portions are generous, and most importantly, it’s affordable. The wait (for food) wasn’t long either, perfect for when you’re in a rush and don’t want to spend much lol dried noodles $10 and chicken rice also $10

Rubes

I've been to other Nan Yang outlets and find them to be exceptional value for money. Although prices are undeniably good, it took over 35 mins for my dish to come and I came after the lunch hour rush! The dish that I got (noodles with crispy chicken) was only so so. Noodles were over cooked and under seasoned. I may come back to try another dish, but they need to get a handle on their cooking times if they want to have 'express' in their name.

Daniel Koh

A real treasure when it comes to flavour, portions, and affordability! Their $10 dishes are full of flavour, and we’ve enjoyed everything we’ve tried so far. The Hainan chicken, in particular, was incredibly juicy and tender — just amazing. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!

Joey L

I recently had my first meal here and I tried the pork noodle soup. The portion size is quite generous for the $10 price. It's definitely worth a try! The soup is delicious, with the flat noodles (hor fun) and pork topping; it was very filling for me. The atmosphere of the place is nice and feels homey. I highly recommend eating here, especially if you want a meal straight away. However, if you're looking to hang out with friends or stay for a while, it might not be the best fit. Overall, the offerings are great and perfect for someone looking for a quick bite! 😍💯✨ —updated— I tried another menu from here, - Pork Noodles Dry ~4.5/5; I like the pork noodles dry more than the soup. The pork noodles are dry they come with the noodles dry with flavour and soup separate. The noodles taste good! - Sausage Kolo mee ~3.5/5; taste for me just ok, and the portion just normal - Hainan Chicken Rice ~4/5; Comes with coconut rice, chicken and chilli sauce. It's worth the price - Nasi Lemak Curry Chicken ~4.3/5; I like the nasi lemak curry chicken, which has peanut, anchovies, cucumber, boiled eggs, and chicken drum. I like the curry sauce, it was good. But sometimes, need a longer time to wait 🥲 However overall, for me personally it was good to try, have the cheap option and quick eat😁

Vianney “Vv”