OpinionMax VeenhuyzenRestaurant critic and food writerAugust 27, 2026 — 10:53amAugust 27, 2026 — 10:53amHave I told you that I believe, hand on my heart, Perth is home to the best southeast Asian restaurants in the country? Have I told you that we have initiatives such as the Colombo Plan – an anti-Communist ploy launched by Commonwealth nations in 1951 to boost social and economical development across Asia – to thank for the post-WWII influx of students and migrants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and other southeast nations to WA and the effect that this surge has had on the local food scene?Long Chim is one of many highlights in Perth’s Asian food scene. So why do we need to import a pop-up?Shot by Thom(Having said that, the Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie gold rushes in the late 1800s also helped shape our food culture; as did Australia taking over the administration of Cocos Keeling and Christmas Islands from Singapore in the 50s; ditto the Vietnamese civil war; plus the early, pre-First Fleet interactions between Malaysian seafarers and First Nations communities across the top of WA in the 1600s.) And have I told you that I love being able to eat splendid chicken rice, Asian-inspired baked goods, Taiwanese beef noodles and their ilk across P-Town? And to have options for the above? And to be able to have vigorous discussions with mates about where to find top-shelf versions of each?In short, when it comes to scratching Asian food itches, we have it very good out west. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.Sign upWhich is why I was surprised to hear that Crown Perth would be hosting Sum Yung Guys – a “modern Asian fusion” restaurant in Noosaville – for a six-week pop-up in September. What, I wonder, would this temporary restaurant offer to Perth’s food scene, other than revisiting discussions about problematic, casually racist names? (The restaurant’s name is a reference to the 90s comedy Wayne’s World.)But since all of us are busier than ever and there are already other issues monopolising the bandwidth of online commentators, I’ll park that conversation for now. (Still, I’m curious about the message that hosting a pop-up called Sum Yung Guys sends to Crown’s Asian clientele and Thai chef Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij, who is opening a restaurant there next year.) Instead, let’s focus on whether, right now, Perth really needs another modern Asian dining room – never mind a temporary one – when we’ve already got perfectly good modern Asian restaurants, like our parents would tell us, at home. (And that’s before we take into account local Asian pop-ups such as Special Delivery, Phat Rice or Messy Little Table.) Especially when it’s been a challenging winter for existing restaurants. And especially when there are already so many great restaurants that have a track record of bringing much deliciousness to the table. Sure, pop-ups tick the boxes for newness and discovery, but so can visiting (and revisiting) existing places. For anyone keen to experience the breadth of Perth’s Asian dining food scene, consider taking the following for the spin.North 54’s bang-on banh mi.Max VeenhuyzenNorth 54 So it’s traditional flavours given a modern makeover that you want? Set sail for this cheery Vietnamese cafe in Leederville where sharp banh mis, sticky chicken wings and cool Viet drinks rule. Keep an eye out for dinner services and guest chef takeovers. Six StreetsThe rise of fresh-faced, mid-range suburban dining rooms like this reflects Perth’s maturing Thai food scene. (Shout out too to Bicton’s Rym Tarng.) Along with Vic Park’s Bangkok Street Thai Bistro, Six Streets is one of the few places serving gai yang: Thailand’s famous fragrant barbecued chook.Nasi goreng Pattaya at Mamak Goreng.Matt O'DonohueMamak GorengIt’s a heck of a thing to be struck by cravings for fla1ky roti. Thankfully, Perth is home to many a roti puller. If I’m not within striking distance of Thornlie’s Spencer Village and its myriad roti options, I head to Karawara’s Mamak Goreng to scratch my itch. Sprawling, crunchy dosai are another specialty.Long ChimAlthough Long Chim pitches itself as a Bangkok street food restaurant, a healthy chunk of its menu highlights dishes from Thailand’s north. Long Chim is one of Perth’s standout Thai restaurants.One such dish is larp: a jumble of minced meat buzzing with spice. While the incendiary chicken larp is the stuff of legend, a second duck larp now vies for eaters’ attention.Ah Beng IndonesiaRendang – Indonesia’s famous dry-fried meat stew synonymous with the Minangkabau region in Sumatra – comes in all shapes, sizes and spice levels locally. I’m a fan of the version cooked by David Wijaya at this halal 40-seater at Carousel: a little wetter, perhaps, than the Sumatran original, but still rich in savour.The stars of the Yip menu are the house-made “thin” noodles.Duncan Wright Yip NoodlesRare bamboo noodles made by sexagenarian Erich Wong are reason enough to visit, but springy noods are just one of Yip’s draws. Handmade dumplings are a joy, as are slices of fatty char siu barbecued pork: a fine way to pimp a bowl.Little Gan’sFirst there was Foo Wah, a Chinese takeaway in Willetton. Today, this space identifies as Little Gan’s: a pert dining room where chef Richard Gan – son of Foo Wah owners Jocelyn and Steven Gan – cooks mod-Asian bangers unifying east and west. Here’s looking at you, chilli-spiked linguine crunched up with fried prawn’s heads.Goat curry thakali khana at Mountain Mantras, which reflects Perth’s growing Bhutanese community.Jessica ShaverMountain MantrasFun fact: Perth boasts the largest Bhutanese population outside of Bhutan. Many of the local diaspora congregate at this unassuming eatery serving bold, often spicy flavours from home. The rich, mildly addictive (bone-in) goat curry is essential eating.Kalye Filipino StreatsInstead of thinking of oceans as things that separate us, what if we reframed waterways as shared highways connecting nations? This mindset helps explain the presence of soy, papaya salads, crisp pork belly and other Asian flourishes that pepper the menu at this plucky Filipino diner in Northbridge. The space is small but the flavours and volume are big: especially if you’ve taken full advantage of the BYO.Suku Fremantle.Suku Freo Whether you’re pre-gaming for your next Bali trip or want to maintain that post-Denpasar contact high, Fremantle’s Balinese diner has you covered. (And if you weren’t already a slave to the insidious burn of sambal matah – Bali’s famous raw chilli condiment – you will be after dining here.)Bakmi Kochan 88This handmade noodle joint’s honeymoon period might be over, but diners are still descending on Hulme Court to slurp snappy Jakarta-style bowls.Max Veenhuyzen is a journalist and photographer who has been writing about food, drink and travel for national and international publications for more than 20 years. He reviews restaurants for the Good Food Guide.From our partners