Kapitan

"A restaurant in Lincoln Park, Chicago, offering a variety of cuisines including Malaysian and Indonesian dishes." - Ashok Selvam

"Kapitan is Chicago’s only Peranakan restaurant, which makes it special. Peranakans are an ethnic group whose ancestors were early Chinese migrants who settled in Penang, Malacca, Singapore, and Indonesia, merging with Malay culture. The uniqueness of Peranakan history makes Kapitan’s menu diverse and delicious.—  All the meats on the menu are halal with options like the ramly Burger (an egg-wrapped beef patty), nasai lemak which comes in beef, chicken, and lamb varieties, and beef rendang. Also, check out their live chili crab served with the softest fried buns." - Nylah Iqbal Muhammad

"Peranakan cuisine is a mixture of several Asian cultures, and before Kapitan opened, no restaurants in Chicago served this unique cuisine. On a trip abroad, Victor Low realized how much he enjoyed the food and that he wanted to bring it back to his adopted hometown. Beyond serving staple sharable dinner options, Kapitan also offers breakfast, including one Malaysian street food standout: an egg-wrapped sandwich called the Ramly Burger. They’ve also brought over the menu from Serai, a Malaysian restaurant that closed in 2024 in Logan Square." - Ashok Selvam

"Peranakan cuisine — a culinary genre created by the descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in Indonesia, Singapore, and surrounding regions — is hard to find in Chicago, save for the efforts of restaurateur Victor Low (also behind Serai), who unveiled Kapitan in late 2020. The menu leaves ample room for exploration, but the uninitiated can ease into the experience with succulent grilled satay (chicken, beef, or tofu) smothered in rich peanut sauce." - Naomi Waxman, Ashok Selvam

"This brand new Peranakan spot is from the owners of Serai in Logan Square. Unlike Serai, which is casual and more of a carryout operation, Kapitan is located in Lincoln Park and designed to be a sit-down restaurant. And they’re and doing an excellent job with takeout and delivery, For example, the pie tee is packaged with the vegetable filling separately, keeping the pastry nice and crispy. Kapitan serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner all-day, with dishes like chee cheong fun, a whole roasted Hainanese chicken, and kuih that changes every week." - adrian kane