Munch

Guy van Egmond

Little Penang

What: Nyonya (Chinese-Malay-Javanese fusion)

Price: $8.00-$17.00

When: Open for lunch and dinner, Monday–Saturday

My one true love, my ride or die. The place to go for a hug on a plate. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

God bless Little Penang and its delicious, liberally–portioned plates of Peranakan perfection. This shining beacon of a restaurant will be 15 years old this year, but might as well have existed forever. There’s something that I can never quite pinpoint that makes the place feel incredibly homely. Nostalgia, I’m sure, plays a big role. On weekends, they sell a lot of the same kue that my oma will serve on her coffee table: little coconut cakes and pandan jellies like dadar gulung and kue lapis. For many Malaysian students and migrants, Little Penang and those who run it really are a home away from home (check out The Spinoff’s article on owner Tee Phee for the full backstory). Trying my best to remain objective though, Little Penang has had some rock-steady meal deals that I turn to time and time again for their value and full-on, addictive flavours. 

First off the bat are their curries. Starting at $8.00 for a standalone curry and capped at $17.00 if you want to add roti and fragrant coconut rice, these are a lunch or dinner go-to for the masses. They’re a beautifully capsulated meal: served on metal trays, your curry, rice, roti, and sambal each have their own sections. If you can’t decide from the menu description, pop up to the counter where the curries are on display, simmering away. It’s quaint and efficient, but don’t be fooled by the canteen-style servings, these curries are anything but humble. 

My regular order is the Kapitan: tender chicken pieces in a rich yet bright kaffir and lemongrass gravy. It’s a mild affair and very easy to enjoy. The classic Nyonya curry, however, with chunks of fluffy potato and a hint more heat, is the most filling. Add a side of rice and you’ve got a quality meal for a tidy $14.00 ($12.00 if you pick the masak merah, but know that it packs some breath-quickening, forehead-sweatening spice). 

However, curries aren’t all that I can vouch for. Reminding me once again of my little Indo oma, the kitchen here feeds you well. I took my aunt and uncle for dinner once, who began ordering starters with a financial freedom that I hadn’t witnessed in years. 10 minutes later, a platter arrived at our table that was close to overflowing with vegetable fritters. What vegetables they were, I couldn’t tell you, but it was a glorious mix. Soft and succulent, and roughly torn to form lots of deliciously fried edges. For $9.00, the vegetable fritters could almost be a meal unto themselves. 

While I haven’t tried it myself, it wouldn’t surprise me if their Nyonya Platter of fritters, spring rolls and deep-fried tofu would be a struggle to get through (maybe not if you share—it is $15.00 for a two-person serving). Their other starters, like the Taukua Sumbat, Kerabu Salad, or even the Otak-otak side dish, would make a very decent meal paired with a bowl of jasmine rice. 

No matter what I’m hungry for, no matter what my budget is, no matter the occasion, Little Penang is always a great option. I’ve had birthday dinners here, I’ve gone on dates here, I’ve popped in for a warming lunch when the wind was bitingly cold outside. They serve a range of great food at kind prices, with a lovely atmosphere in a central location: on Victoria Street, in line-of-sight of the Guzhnee St bus stops on the way to Kelburn campus. For those at Pipitea, Sri Penang serves a similar menu as well as breakfast from the Parliament end of The Terrace. Their kaya toast and soft-cooked eggs might lure me down that end of town soon, but there’s something about Little Penang that I know will call me home, time and time again. I wanted to share this beautiful place early and I hope you can fall in love with it like I, and so many others, have.