Glorious Food: Nyonya food

Nyonya cooking is peculiar only to the Chinese of Penang, Malacca and Singapore. In a nutshell, the Peranakan culture is itself a melding of two distinct groups, namely the Chinese who settled in Southeast Asia in the 19th century and the local Malays. Out of this intermixture came forth interesting customs and traditions hitherto non-existent. Much of Nyonya cooking is inspired by the rich spices of Malay cooking featuring local herbs and ingredients. However, in Penang, Nyonya cooking also has a very strong Thai influence, borrowing soury and fiery flare from their neighbouring country.

Their distinct curries and spiced salads like acar and kerabu are simply delicious. Typical Nyonya savoury dishes include otak-otak, ayam pongteh, devil's curry, tauyu bak, pai tee, assam pedas, kari kapitan, inche kabin, roti babi, babi chin, kangkung belacan, assam laksa, laksa lemak, ayam buah keluak masak assam, geram asam and itik tim. Nyonya desserts and cakes are also hot favourites.

Cendol/Chendul

Cendol is a favourite dessert among locals. It is easily identified: green pandan-flavoured noodles, kidney beans in white coconut milk with palm sugar. Sweet heavenly stuff – super cheap and ultra good.

For good cendol (in no particular order): Teochew Chendul off Penang Road, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, Taman Free School food court and Lorong Selamat coffee shop.

Laksa

Penang laksa is extremely popular, especially among locals for its wonderful balance of spicy, sweet and sour flavours. This is strictly a hawker treat, as one is unlikely to find great laksa in a fancy restaurant. It is basically made out of coarse rice noodles in a sour fish in assam-base gravy, plus a robust combo of onions, sliced chilli, cucumber, pineapple and bunga kantan (ginger buds); topped with a swirl of thick, black shrimp paste sauce. There is also an alternative variant called Siam laksa, which has a coconut milk-based soup instead of assam (tamarind).

Available at most hawker centres in Penang. For delicious laksa (in no particular order), try:

• Ayer Itam Laksa beside the wet market | 11:00 am – 8:0 0pm
• Kim’s Laksa at 20, Jalan Sungai Air Putih, Bandar Baru Air Putih, 11000 Balik Pulau | +6012 428 6235 | 11.00 am –5.00 pm | Closed on alternate Mondays and every Tuesday
• Café Ko Cha Bi Balik Pulau at 110, Jalan Balik Pulau | 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
• Bee Hooi Restaurant at 415, Jalan Burma | 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Cecil Street wet market and hawker centre | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Gurney Drive hawker stalls in the evenings
• Kek Seng Coffee Shop at 382 & 384, Jalan Penang | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Kedai Kopi Sin Hwa at 329, Jalan Burma | 10:30 am – 4:30 pm
• Laksalicious at 123, Hutton Lane, 10050 George Town | 11:30 am – 7:30 pm
• Laksa Tempurung Ombak Damai at Jalan Gertak Sanggul, Kampung Suluk | (Monday –Thursday) 3:00 pm – 7:30 pm (Saturday & Sunday) 12:30pm – 8:00pm (closed on Fridays)
• One Corner Cafe at 4-8, Jalan Bawasah | 7:00 am – 2:00 pm
• Penang Road Famous Laksa at 5, Lebuh Keng Kwee, Off Penang Road | 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
• Shell Station Laksa @ Farlim at 1-G-01, Jalan RU 1, Bandar Baru Air Itam | 11:00 am – 7:00 pm (closed on alternate Tuesdays)
• Taman Emas Laksa at 1, Jalan Gottlieb | 12:00 noon – 5:15 pm (closed on Mondays)

Loh bak

Loh bak is a pork roll wrapped with bean curd skin and deep-fried until crispy. The filling includes strips of pork marinated in five-spice powder and various ingredients such as water chestnuts, jicama, carrot and onions. Loh bak is available at most hawker centres throughout Penang. Alongside loh bak, you would be happy to find other companions on offer too such as prawn fritters, spring rolls, fish fritters, fried bean curd, baby octopus as well as century eggs with pickled ginger. Select what you fancy and a plate of these scrumptious delights would be served with sides of freshly cut cucumber and starchy soy-flavoured and chilli dipping sauces. 

For the best loh bak in town (in no particular order):

• Kafe Ping Hooi at 179, Lebuh Carnarvon | 8:00 am – 2.30pm
• Kheng Pin Cafe at 80, Penang Road | 7:00 am – 3:00 pm
• Taman Free School Food Court at 75, Jalan Trengganu | 1:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Tan Jetty Loh Bak at 90-A, Tan Jetty, Weld Quay | 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
• Chulia Street Night Hawker| 6:00 pm – 12:00 pm
• Joo Hooi Café at 475, Jalan Penang | 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
• Hon Kei Food Corner at 45, Kampung Malabar | 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 12:00 am
• Kedai Kopi Seng Thor at 160, Lebuh Carnarvon | 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Nyonya kuih

Nyonya kuih include a wide selection of colourful, dainty bites such as angku, bee koh, kuih talam, kow chan kuih, seri muka, pulau tai tai, abuk abuk, onde onde, kuih kosui, pulut inti, rempah udang, kuih tayap, kuih koci and kuih bengka.

For the best Nyonya kuih in town (in no particular order):

• Nyonya Kuih stalls at Ayer Itam Market, Batu Lanchang Market, Cecil Street Market
• Kuih Nyonya Moh Teng Pheow at Jalan Masjid (off Chulia Street) | T: +6012 415 2677
• Mama Kuih at Apollo Market, Jalan Raja Uda | T: +6012 489 8368
• Genting Cafe at Lorong Delima 3, Taman Island Glades

Nyonya dishes

Must try Nyonya dishes are kiam chye boay, joo hoo char, otak-otak, sambal boreng, acar awak, perut ikan, asam prawn, asam pedas, nasi ulam, kerabu beehoon, kerabu kacang botol and curry kapitan.

To sample some of the best Nyonya dishes in town, try these restaurants: 

• Auntie Gaik Lean's Old School Eatery: 1, Lebuh Bishop | T: +6017-434 4398
• Bibik's Kitchen Nyonya Cuisine: 73, Jalan Sri Bahari | T:+6012-669 7488
• Little Nyonya Kitchens: 179, Lebuh Noordin | T: +604 261 6731
• Ivy's Kitchen: 58, Jalan Chow Thye | T: +6013 433 7878
• Kebaya Dining Room: Seven Terraces, Lorong Stewart  | T: +604 264 2333
• Mama's Nyonya Cuisine: 31-D, Lorong Abu Siti | T: +604 229 1318
• Putri Nyonya: 168 Lebuh Mcnair | T:+6010-249 3684
• Nyonya Breeze Desire: 3A-1-7, Straits Quay, Tanjung Tokong | T: +604 899 9058
• Nyonya Su Pei Private Dining: 53, Jalan Padang Victoria | T: +6016 410 6116
• Richard Rivalee Nyonya Cuisine Restaurant: 62 & 64, Lorong Macalister | T: +604 227 4888

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Written and photographed by Adrian Cheah © All rights reserved
Updated: 23 December 2022

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