My first meal at Restoran Minah was in the 80s.
The restaurant in distant Gelugor is far away from the beaten tourist trail of George Town.
Homegrown and a beloved of the local working community.
You might bum into a professor or two from nearby University Sains Malaysia (USM).
Memories of Old Minah include me trying to drive my tiny Daihatsu up the steep slope from the highway.
When Kak Izza and I dropped by, that memory came rushing back, so I cautioned her.
“There’s a very steep slope as you turn to the restaurant!”
My memory has a way of doing that.
Izza parked with ease and smiled.
Maybe it’s because I’ve grown taller.
Knowing how to drive correctly helps, I’ve come to realize.
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Penang’s Restoran Minah
There have been many new viral cafes mushrooming in Penang over the years, but old restaurants like Minah stick with tested traditional recipes.
The third-generation owners have been carrying on the tradition of cooking authentic Malay Cuisine since the business started in the 1960s.
Everything is as I remember the place to be, keeping with the old ways.
Restoran Minah keeps its customers returning for more of what’s homey and familiar.
The owners look familiar, as all Penang people sometimes do.
We tend to look like someone related to someone.
I’ve been told I looked like a teacher, headmistress, and recently a factory worker.
My standard reply is, “I sell insurance; you wanna buy?”
That drew lots of laughs from my friends, who know my sense of humor.
No, I behaved well and didn’t try to chat up the owners at lunch.
Being famished is a sound equalizer.
Nice cool and filled with green plants. The kitchen is behind the food counter, and the drinks counter is at one end.
Restoran Minah Ambiance
As I remember, the restaurant was non-airconditioned but cool, bright, airy, and spotlessly clean, with potted plants everywhere, including the kitchen.
You feel lovely walking in, passing the expansive dining area in front to the buffet counter displayed at the back beside the kitchen.
A marvelous array of Malay dishes is laid out in stainless steel trays.
The buffet spread is impressive in an inviting environment.
Minah is a must-visit place for superb brunch or lunch if you like the taste of traditional Malay food.
If you love the aroma and flavor of home-cooked Malay food, Restoran Minahs is where you will enjoy eating to your heart’s content.
It feels like home.
It feels like coming home from school, lifting the tudung Saji (food cover), and finding ready-cooked dishes your mother made early in the morning before leaving for work.
Lots of dishes to choose from, and the counter continues with Deep Fried dishes like Fried Fish and Chicken.
Where to Park at Restoran Minah?
Parking can be a nightmare in the afternoon heat, so my best advice is to go early and double or triple-park at the front.
There’s no car jockey, and the patrons considerably understand each other.
The one leaving will go to their car, open the door and wait.
People are polite here. No yelling. No honking.
So nice and pleasant!
Pretty soon, someone will come out to move their car.
As everyone eats with their hands, it takes a few minutes to clean up first.
So chill, not a problem at all.
Restoran Minah Authentic Malay Cuisine
You can get a decent set of meals with a drink at less than RM10 if you work out a proposal with the restaurant owners.
If you have a lot of people to feed on a budget, a communal eating style is best.
Otherwise, head to the back of the restaurant to self-service the home-cooked-style menu at reasonable prices.
You know the drinks, meats, and seafood cost more.
The buffet counter is in front of the open kitchen, where you can inspect the daily menus and specials.
The variety and freshness are impressive as the kitchen keeps churning out more dishes to replenish.
Some dishes are bubbling in their gigantic cauldrons over the stove, and the rest in clay pots nearby.
If you’re a small eater, go for some hot white rice, freshly fried chicken with chicken sambal gravy, and a side of green ulam.
You can find lots of tempting homemade Lauk (dishes).
I spied at other diners’ plates to see what others were eating.
The Cencaru Sumbat Sambal (Torpedo Scad Fish Stuffed with Sambal) is clearly a favorite.
Cencaru Sumbat Sambal (Torpedo Scad Fish Stuffed with Sambal)
For us, a perfect match with our selection of Lauk is Ulam with sambal belacan (prawn paste).
At Minah, the raw vegetables and Ulam (local herbs) come with Sambal Belacan and Cincaluk (fermented baby shrimp).
There is an excellent selection of tasty herbs and leaves for Ulam with Sambal Belacan.
Kak Izza was in charge of selecting the Ulams as I was “sibuk” (busy) trying to photograph everything as usual.
Incidentally, I will forget one or two pertinent shots, like the dining area and the entrance.
Dory is too excited when she sees FOOD.
L to R, Ulam, Fish Gulai, and Stir-Fried Vegetables
If you like Fish Head Curry, Restaurant Minah’s version uses more herbs and aromatics and has a lighter taste than the Nasi Kandar-style curries.
I’ve heard the fish is fresher, meatier, and less jelak.
Every time I eat Malay Rice or Nasi Campur, I look for Pajeri Nenas (Curried Pineapple), a dish my dad loved and introduced me to.
He also introduced blue cheese to me 😀
Restoran Minah is a clean, decent place, but you must come early for lunchtime as the business is brisk, and the lunch crowd can be overwhelming.
As the tables are limited, come early to secure a table, especially if you are a large group and want the first selection of lip-smacking goodies.
The service is fast and efficient, and the staff speaks excellent English here.
Restoran Minah Menu
- Grilled Fish
- Fried Fish
- Fried Chicken Pandan
- Sambal Petai with Prawns
- Gado Gado
- Stir-Fried Vegetable
- Kerabu Taugeh (beans sprouts)
- Kerabu Kacang Botol (four-angle beans)
- Kerabu Daun Silom (water celery)
- Beef Rendang
- and many others
Ayam Goreng Pandan (Fried Chicken with Screwpine leaves)
Interesting Finds
- Rasam Soup with Poached Eggs
- Sambal Belacan is made of fresh chilies
- Lamb Shank
L to R, Lamb Shank, Rasam with Poached Eggs and Begedil
Fun Facts:
Bergedil (Perkedel Kentang) is crispy on the outside and soft and savory on the inside.
Perkedel are vegetable fritters with the most common ingredients made from mashed potatoes.
Other popular variants include Fish, Corn, and even Tofu.
For years, Dory has been calling Begedil BERDEGIL (stubborn) 😀
My Memories of Nasi Campur
From the 70s to the 90s, Penangites grew up eating Nasi Melayu before the Nasi Kandar stalls and restaurants overtook the culinary scene.
Nasi Melayu is simple and nice.
Some of the best meals I had when I started working in the 80s were from the trusted eateries around the central banking district in Lebuh Pantai (Beach Street), Penang.
Makcik’s Nasi Melayu stall is a favorite that I patronize on a rotation basis with a Chinese Chap Fun and Friday Banana Leaf Rice meal treats.
The best part of eating Nasi Campur is the steaming super hot rice, ladled with Fish Gulai (gravy only), a small piece of crispy Ikan Goreng, and half a telor masin (salted Egg), and Ulam Rajah with Sambal Belacan.
And when Makcik finds a sweet, ripe pineapple of a specific size, she will make Pajeri Nanas.
“Dory, arini ada pajeri.”
I would tuck in at the little warung with Syed, the taxi driver, and Haris, the car jockey, laughing away in the background.
Nothing is better than the camaraderie of food, Kopi O from Uncle Ah Hin, and listening to gossip.
Later, I would head to Rajah’s stall and buy Hacks.
The Rasam in the bowl with a Poached Egg was an interesting take on Indian soup.
Review of Restoran Minah
Eating with Kak Izza at Restoran Minah feels a bit like home.
The sort of basic food that mom and the makciks make.
Izza: We’re the makcik now, Dory.
Dory: Kannn? And I can’t cook. Maybe I should write about the sort of food our Tok Nenek (great-grandma) makes.
Yes, Restoran Minah has maintained the good old 60s vibes and simplicity that regulars love.
Its traditional Malay cuisine served here will take you by surprise.
With old-school charm, the dining area feels like eating at home rather than in a restaurant.
You pick up a piece of turmeric-marinated fried chicken and mash your rice with some Kerabu, ulam, and Sambal.
Everything tastes light and fresh and lovely.
The good stuff!
You can wash down everything with a refreshing icy cold Ambarella or pickled plum juice.
My choice was always an Ais Sirap, and nowadays, I prefer a hot Teh Tarik to aid digestion.
Today was a bit spiffy, so we ordered Teh Ais instead.
Dory: Kak Izza, it’s true, the makciks take hot drinks after food. We have arrived, and we are glad we made it.
Pro:
- Good selection of home-style Nasi Melayu dishes.
- Nice dining area.
- No flies or cats.
- Clean toilets.
- Wash hand basin in the Dining Area.
Con:
- Parking can be challenging.
- Busy during lunch and dinner.
What do you love about charming old-school eateries in Penang?
If you have an eatery I should review, let me know in the comments below.
Happy Food Hunting and Happy EATING 😛
Restoran Minah
362 S & T, Sungai Gelugor, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah
11700 Penang
Hours: 9.00 AM to 10.30 PM (Closed Mondays)
Facebook : Restoran Minah
