Auntie Gaik Lean's Old School Eatery

Food review: Auntie Gaik Lean's old school eatery, a Michelin Star restaurant. Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Portion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Service : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ambience : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Value: ⭐⭐ Expectations are high since it's a Michelin star restaurant, so here's my take. It didn't take long for the waiter to come and service my table. I ordered Nasi Ulam and Chicken Rendang to accompany the rice dish and later decided to order the Bee Koe Moy (bubur pulut hitam with longan) for dessert. To my surprise, the waiter served my order within five minutes but then I realised that the food was already pre-cooked and ready to be served. The portion was good for a heavy eater like me and the presentation was up to mark for an establishment such as this award winning restaurant. I particularly enjoyed the nasi ulam as it was as authentic as possible although I'm missing the fish crackers. The sambal belacan (or was it?) was tasteful but mild. There was a healthy dose of herbs mixed into the rice but the rice was served at room temperature. I asked the waiter why and he said it's to preserve the herbs from the heat effect and to keep them fresh. Ok I guess it's a logical explanation for a non-foodie like myself. Moving over to the chicken rendang, while it was flavourful enough, I felt somewhat disappointed as it wasn't like the typical rendang that I'm used to. To sum it up, it tasted mild, lacking some crucial ingredients and more suited to tourists on a business class airline. To me, this was the biggest letdown unfortunately and perhaps other dishes would fare better. On a positive note, I was absolutely blown away by the dessert, Bee Koe Moy and by far it was the most sumptuous and interesting bubur pulut that I've encountered. The creamy texture and delicate taste of the pulut hitam was just awesome! Towards the end I felt the crunchy longan just before emptying the bowl with a satisfying smile. Overall it was an interesting experience for my first visit to any Michelin star restaurant. As to whether I would come again? Well with a two star rating on value for money, I still would but only if someone else is paying!

The food was undoubtedly tasty, and the price was unexpectedly affordable. I also like their bold decoration. However, the service was just passable. They came to take an order of another group before mine although we were the first to let them know that we were ready to order. The server almost crashed to me; luckily, my friend prevented me from standing up (my seat was facing the other way so I couldn’t see). The server noticed that I was ready to leave yet didn’t stop walking although he should have been well aware that the restaurant was packed and had limited space to walk. I’m not sure if this kind of service deserves their Michelin star.

A truly Michelin-starred Nyonya restaurant! The blue storefront is very photogenic. After experiencing Shanghai’s prices, this place feels quite affordable… Even with drinks, the per-person cost was just over 100 RM. Overall, it was decent, but it didn’t quite feel like Michelin-level quality. 👍 Highly Recommended: • Pie Tee (Nyonya Mini Golden Cups) – Very unique and delicious, like a spring roll in a different form. • Nasi Ulam (Herbal Fried Rice) – Super fragrant! Made with perilla and a mix of spices. A must-order! • Nutmeg Punch (Nutmeg Slush) – Extremely refreshing. 👌 Worth Trying: • Curry Kapitan Chicken and Assam Hae (Tamarind Shrimp) – Both have distinct flavors, but they weren’t particularly amazing. ❌ Not Recommended: • Scallop Chap Chye Char (Stir-Fried Vegetables with Scallops) – Honestly bad… It tasted like cafeteria food.

Very nice Michelin level Nyonya Halal food in Penang! Super authentic. The Asam curry style fish is very strong in local spices flavour. The fish is very soft, and no bone. The marinated vegetables sour duck soup is very delicious as well. The sourness is just nice, good for starting up your meal haha. Must try their delicious dessert too! The pulut Hitam is introduced by the boss, he said it is national pride! So I try that. It is actually the sticky black rice with coconut milk. Really delicious!

Auntie Gaik’s Nyonya Restaurant truly lives up to its one-Michelin-star reputation. The restaurant exudes a classy and upscale vibe with its elegant interior, making it perfect for a special dining experience. The food is of exceptional quality, with flavors that are authentic and absolutely delicious. I ordered all the dishes featured in the photos above and enjoyed every single one of them—everything was superb! The owner is warm and welcoming, even graciously posing for a photo with me. Overall, I had a wonderful experience and highly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Penang.

We got lucky and got the last walk in table for 2 pax. Food was generally delicious with 4 out of 6 dishes absolutely incredible! My husband loved the nasi ulam and I loved the sweet potato leaf dish surprisingly! Service was also attentive and friendly. Highly recommended.

Being a 1-Michelin Nyonya restaurant, this place naturally comes with higher expectations. While the spices generally feel a bit more ‘toned-down’ compared to regular Nyonya establishments, the food is still quite tasty in general and is presented beautifully with carefully selected plating dishes set against the vibrant colours of curries, herbs and greens.

The main dish is delicious, but the dessert is just okay. The restaurant is quite famous, you should book a table in advance to avoid waiting time. The restaurant is crowded so the staff is busy and does not serve attentively.

The peranakan food here is so unique that you HAVE to come and try! After being treated to the food here while on a business trip years ago, I knew I had to return when I visit the next time with my family. And so we did and didn't regret it. First and most important tip: make your reservation months in advance! I'm serious. We enjoyed everything we ordered. From the assam prawn to inchi kabin, and nasi ulam to nutmeg punch. The restaurant is nicely decorated and definitely tells you that this is a place for special occasions. It does get a little loud due to how packed the restaurant can get since it is a popular place.

Tried this trendy place in downtown George Town in Penang. This place has been singled out as one of two places in Penang with 1 Michelin Star. Be prepared to wait if you don't have a reservation. We arrived about 10-15 min before opening for dinner and waited about 1 hour of 2 spots at a shared communal tables. We tried the spicy eggplant, curry chicken,tamarind shrimp , and their famous fried rice dish. We also tried both the nutmeg and almond drinks. Delicious local heritage food, beautiful ambience, very friendly and helpful staff , and very affordable for high quality michelin started food. After tax and service, everything was only ~$40!

I've been here twice, the second time was for an event where we got to try almost everything on the menu. It's fantastic, it really is, but I'm still not sure it deserves a Michelin star. Who knows what kind of politics go into these things. The staff is great as well, and the post-Michelin renovation makes for a lovely ambiance. My favorite items are probably the fried chicken and the assam prawns. Their nutmeg juice is fresh and not as syrupy-sweet as others in town. It can be hard to get reservations here now and they are pretty much a must. If you can't get in, know there are other equally good Peranakan restaurants in Penang.

We didn't have a bad meal in Penang but Auntie Gaik Lean's was the best. Everything was super delicious - including the drinks. Service is very quick once you order. You'll definitely want to make a reservation, which is easy and available online.

Top notch experience. Everything we ordered on menu was delicious. Service was excellent. Ambiance is perfect for experience. Prices very reasonable for quality. This is a place to check out.

The food tastes delicious, service was exceptional. I wish I would have made it earlier , because I came just before the kitchen was closing. Didn't get to order other dishes.

The fish curry was delicious, full of flavor, and the fish was so fresh! The acar, nasi ulam, and sambal terung were also fragrantly fresh and pleasing to our taste buds. Add their beautiful decor and ambiance, we were so glad we decided to dine here, and we will definitely come back for more!

The best Peranakan food i've had. Totally authentic. Many spices were used to prepare each dish. Everything was so fresh and so delicious! We had the Capitan Chicken, Sambal Egg Plant and Nasi Ulam. Die die mist try!

Hearing about this restaurant through the Michelin guide got me very intrigued, as having such a niche cuisine land a star is relatively uncommon. However, the food was good and the ambiance was great. The building and area has a lot of history, and since I have been eating Peranakan food since I was a kid, it is definitely one of my favourite cuisines. The restaurant is air conditioned and very pretty inside, and located in town. We ordered 3 dishes for two people, and it was definitely enough food. We ordered the nasi ulam, inche kabin, and kerabu kacang botol. All of the dishes were delicious, except the food was just the slightest bit too salty - 8/10 overall. It is not that I don't think this restaurant deserves a michelin star, I just feel there are better restaurants in Penang that serve this type of cuisine, hence the four star review. Nevertheless, the prices here are quite reasonable (under 100 rm for all) especially for tourists.

brinjal in cili is terrific, along with the herbal rice and ayam rendang... portions are small so could have ordered more. the nutmeg punch is nice and isn't overly sweet, and same for the taro&banana in coconut milk dessert. by the way, a few days ago they were awarded a Michelin star

When it happened that both Yelper Tzeko M. and I will be in Penang the same weekend, he volunteered to organize a UYE for Yelpers in Penang. Thank you Tzeko! Our party of six (including Yelpers John Q., Ping L. and her two cousins) were comfortably seated at a rectangle table. The place is decent sized and has both smaller tables and big round tables for bigger groups or families. It was not very crowded when we were there for lunch on a Saturday though there were big groups of families who came in shortly after us. The service was prompt and polite. The Peranakan dishes we had were all very good. assam prawns - love the tamarind taste and sweetness of the prawns. (RM 20 for 6 pieces, we had 2 plates of this) fish curry - a huge portion with both fish head and body. I love how the okra are not cooked together so they are not a big mush though I like that version too. angmo tau yu fried chicken - it just means worcestershire sauce when referring to angmo tau yu. I like the taste of this fried chicken. Juicy and and full of flavor. Winged beans - love the crunchiness of the winged beans. chicken rendang - my least favorite as maybe I am used to beef rendang. The bill came to around RM 240 for 6 dishes and 6 drinks. I am not sure if it is considered a bit on the high side for locals but for tourists with a stronger currency, it is definitely very affordable. I love how the names of the dishes are as spoken in Penang (in Malay, Hokkien and English) and that they do not try to anglicize it or use the English equivalent. The description will be in English though so no worries about eating strange sounding food. E.g. Kiam Chai Ark (salted vegetables duck soup) Assam Hae (stir fried tamarind prawns) Sambal Udang (sambal prawn with cucumber) Prawns in 2 languages (hae in Hokkien and udang in Malay) This place is a good choice for an introduction to Peranakan food in an air-conditioned restaurant setting right in the financial center of Georgetown heritage area. It offers a respite from the heat and yummy street food and is easy to get to if you take the free CAT shuttle.

Pretty good old school eatery located at bishop street, penang within the heritage area. the restaurant has been in the radar for quite some time but i only managed to visit the past week with fellow yelper - carolyn, john, ping and her two cousins. We ordered a fare share of items from the menu so that we could try most of their bestsellers, from assam (tamarind) prawns, assam curry fish, winged bean salad, chicken rendang and fried chicken. and we're all set for a good meal! the assam prawns were amazing, we ordered two servings while curry fish (pomfret) has the sour-ish taste but not spicy enough, i think. both were stellar and would recommend highly. They do take reservation so please make sure you book before coming over to avoid disappointment. six dishes + 6 portion of rice + 6 drinks = RM239, comes up to RM40 per pax. Good deal!

Very flavorful but had better food in KL and Thailand. For the price it's ok. Personally hawker stalls have way better food. They are the best...

Midday lunch and it's already busy here. A very smiley waiter welcomes us into the air-conditioning and shows us to a clean table and immediately gets our drinks order. Swift delivery of menus soon follows and I can already tell that this restaurant is a well-oiled machine. Good English from the waiters but the three things we order off the menu are unavailable today. We order Chicken Chop, Sambal rice and Worcestershire Chicken. Delicious, delicious and delicious. Beautiful, clean flavours with authentic Nyonya spices. The crunchy, Worcestershire chicken and fluffy fried rice are the highlights for me. I'll definitely revisit this restaurant again - great service, delicious food and reasonable prices.