Lately we get to see a lot of bungalows in Penang being renovated and turn into restaurants and cafes. A heritage bungalow opposite The Gurney Hotel in bustling Kelawei Road has since been renovated into a restaurant. This new outlet, Perut Rumah serves Nyonya cuisine or better known as Peranakan Food. This type of cuisine is getting more and more popular in Penang. My in-laws went with us for dinner to try out the Nyonya cuisine of this restaurant.
A sense of nostalgia enveloped as soon as you drive into the drive way of the building.
The restaurant is very charming and tastefully decorated. The walls are adorned with black and white family photos, clock and framed mirror. In a corner stands a cupboard with collectibles. Seating was vast and comfy while cleanliness takes the top spot. All these gives the place an upmarket appeal.
The manager of the restaurant gave us a warm welcome and sat us down. Soon we were going through the menu. There is so much to choose from and we ended up ordering these dishes that most Nyonya food lovers will know.
We started the meal with a spicy and sweet salad of Kerabu Bokyee (black fungus)....very appetizing dish.
Hong Bak .... pieces of lean pork stewed until tender with spices and potatoes which was very flavorful with the sauce being absorbed into the meat. Recommended !
Cincalok Pork - pork slices are stir fried with cincalok (a sour and salty shrimp based condiment), chillies and onions for that savory taste.
The main ingredients of Joo Hoo Char consist of cuttle fish (joo hoo), yam bean (sengkuang) and carrots. All these are cut into fine strips and stir fried for a longer time to give it a drier texture hence bringing out its flavour. Best eaten with some sambal belacan.
Nyonya Fish Curry....the curry gravy is less aromatic. I would have prefer it with more of the laksa flower.
Packets of Hu Pau (otak-otak) .... pieces of fish marinated in spices wrapped in banana leaf and served steaming hot.
Speciality dish of Perut Ikan - hubby commended there was only a few pieces of the pickled fish stomach thus finding the taste a bit flat but it is still worth giving this a try.
We rounded up our meal with the sweets. The sweetness of this bowl of coconut milk with orange/yellow colour sweet potatoes, yam, beans and jelly starch is just right. The coconut milk is a bit light, as I prefer it to be more richer and lemak.
The food are fresh and not over spicy as they do cater to foreigners who were seen occupying two tables besides us on that night. This meal for five cost RM130 which is quite acceptable as this type of food requires a lot of preparation work.
The ambience and atmosphere of Perut Rumah makes it a suitable place for entertaining friends and visiting guests. The business hours are from 11am to 10.30pm.
Address :
No. 17, Jalan Kelawei, 10250, Penang.
Tel : 04-2279917
11 comments
this is the one that I can't find it in Kelawai Road. cuz, I read somebody's post before your review. it's another nyonya food restaurant.
I miss those old time when my mama processed own raw "perut ikan". Mama will cook a big pot of perut ikan with lots of ingredients, like "perut ikan", pineapple, brinjal, long bean, prawns, "lun kar do", and of course the sour spicy fragrant soup base with lots of bunga kantan. Mouth watering now.
I like Nyonya food very much. Will figure out this restaurant.
New Kid on the Blog - It's on your left when you are travelling on Kelawei Road heading down to Tanjung Bungah... a few doors down from Sri Pangkor apartments. You won't miss it.
Little Inbox - I too miss my MIL receipe for the perut ikan dish. She used to marinate the fish and keep it in the glass bottles ... looks weird and geli but once its cook, it is so fragrant and tasty.
Still harbouring over her version that has so much perut :(
Perut Ikan involves a lot of work and ingredients to prepare...hard to get real authentic ones which our mums use to cook....
Sweet Jasmine -that's true... looks like not many of us manage to pick up the cooking skills from our mum...no time and no patience.
At least we did enjoyed real authentic food cooked by them when we were young.
Oh it looks great! Particularly the Hong Bak, the cincalok Pork and the perut ikan. Definitely the next Nyonya stop for the family!
Cool... at least I know how the interior and food list are. Quite typical Nyonya food I can see here. I went there twice for dinner but the main door was closed without any vehicles as well. Maybe they had not open for business yet. I will try the food there soon. Thanks for sharing :)
http://crizfood.blogspot.com/
p/s: when you plan to go for the magic show?
Criz Lai - Try giving them a call at 2279917 before you make your journey all the way there the next time.
I have just come back from dinner at Perut ....verdict: good ambience, excellent decorations, good service from the Chinese-speaking Indian maitre-d. The food was commendable and, I would say, better than the other nyonya places in Penang. Beware their prices, though. Many items are charged 15 to 25% higher than their menu-listed rates.
Penang Boy - Thanks for sharing your food outing at this restaurant. Glad you had a good evening there.
Have a Happy New Year ahead.
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