Mali Takeaway is a neighbourhood takeaway at 356 Tinakori Road in Thorndon, Wellington, holding a 4.9 rating on Google, with a Facebook page in place of a website. The best measure of a takeaway is not the decor but the flow of regulars, since high turnover keeps food fresh and cooked to order. Busy evenings are usually the best evenings, and ordering ahead before the dinner rush can spare you a wait at the counter. A short menu the cooks know inside out usually beats a long one, and it is worth learning within a few visits which dishes a place does best. In a suburb like Thorndon, where most customers live or work around the corner, that reputation spreads quickly. On a stretch of Tinakori Road where Thorndon's quiet streets meet the walk home from town, Mali Takeaway makes an easy stop for dinner on the way through.