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Pulau Tikus · George Town, Penang

Heritage Nyonya cooking, the way Penang remembers it.

Ayam pongteh, assam pedas fish, jiu hu char and a daily Peranakan spread — slow-cooked from a rempah base, balanced between sweet, sour and spicy. One of the city's highest-rated Nyonya kitchens, run from a shophouse on Jalan Moulmein.

Hold a table See the signature dishes →
Google rating
4.8★
Reviews
2,204
Kitchen
Lunch & dinner
Cuisine
Nyonya
Golden fried Nyonya-style chicken with a tamarind-chilli dip, plated on a cobalt-blue Peranakan batik cloth

The heritage

A Peranakan kitchen, not a tribute to one.

Nyonya cooking is what happened when Straits-Chinese households married Malay spice to Chinese technique — tamarind and torch ginger meeting soy and slow braising. At Rasa Sayang, on Jalan Moulmein in Pulau Tikus, that lineage is the everyday menu, not a special.

Reviewers keep landing on the same words: "rich, fragrant, and perfectly balanced between spicy, sweet, and tangy." The ayam pongteh comes tender; the assam fish arrives fresh with a tamarind kick; portions are generous and the table is set to share.

It is a room that fills with multi-generational tables — one guest brought her 91-year-old Nyonya-descendant mother-in-law, who "enjoyed the food so much." That is the whole point: food old enough to be remembered, cooked well enough to be queued for.

From the menu

The dishes guests come back for.

Every dish below is one reviewers named by hand — no stock menu, no guesswork. Photographed at the table.

Assam pedas fish in a tangy tamarind-chilli broth with okra and torch-ginger garnish

Assam Pedas Fish

Stingray or grouper in a tangy tamarind broth — "just the right kick."

Ayam Pongteh

Tender soy-and-tauchu braised chicken — the comfort centre of the table.

Pineapple Pork Lard

"Melts in your mouth" with a sweet crunch — a reviewer's dream-come-true.

Jiu hu char — finely shredded turnip and cuttlefish herb salad mounded on a white plate

Jiu Hu Char

Lou Sang, fish-skin

Their twist: crunchy fish skin in place of salmon — "a really nice texture."

Nyonya kari bak kut — dark, aromatic herbal pork in a deep braising broth

Nyonya Kari Bak Kut

Otak-Otak

A house version reviewers single out as "a memorable highlight."

Butterfly-pea blue fragrant rice beside sambal kangkung and braised beef on a bright Peranakan table

Blue-Pea Fragrant Rice

Butterfly-pea nasi kerabu — "such a nice touch" to pair with everything.

What makes it Nyonya

How a Nyonya table is built.

Rempah
The pounded spice base — chillies, candlenut, lemongrass, belacan. It is why reviewers reach for "rich, fragrant, full of Peranakan flavours" before they reach for a fork.
Assam
Tamarind sourness, the Nyonya signature — "tangy, spicy, and very fresh." It carries the assam pedas fish and the assam prawns.
Gula & sambal
Palm-sugar sweetness against chilli heat — the balance reviewers describe as "perfectly balanced between spicy, sweet, and tangy."
Tok panjang
The long shared table. Portions are "generous and beautifully presented," meant to be passed around — which is how the room fills with families.

Good to know

A few house customs before you go.

Fish skin & tea, on the house

Tables are welcomed with crispy complimentary fish skin and tea — mentioned by reviewers again and again.

Start with the platter

The appetiser platter is the "must-try" — otak-otak, kerabu, sambal and pork lard, thoughtfully curated.

Seatings are timed

It is popular enough to need a time limit per seating to manage the crowd. Call ahead and the table is ready when you are.

Lunch and dinner, daily

Open every day: 11:00am–3:00pm, then 5:30pm–9:30pm. Come hungry — the spread is built to share.

What 2,204 guests say

Penang already voted. 4.8 stars.

4.8/5

across 2,204 Google reviews

"Authentic Nyonya flavors. The dishes were rich, fragrant, and perfectly balanced between spicy, sweet, and tangy. The ayam pongteh was tender and flavorful, and the assam fish was fresh with just the right kick. Portions were generous and beautifully presented."
Lee Gene · Google review
"Probably the best Nyonya food I've had in Penang. The lou sang used fish skin instead of salmon — a really nice, crunchy texture. The bang kuang char reminded me of my grandma's. My favourite was the pineapple pork lard, which melts in your mouth."
cheezo · Google review
"Lovely nyonya cuisine, friendly staff, pleasant atmosphere. The assam pedas stingray, nyonya kari bak kut, assam prawns, jiu hu char, kerabu petai and bubur cha cha are so delicious and aromatic. My 91-year-old nyonya-descendant mother-in-law enjoyed the food so much."
Jessie Toh · Google review
"This popular Nyonya restaurant is well-known in Penang. The menu is extensive and every dish was packed with flavor. The appetizer platter is a must-try; the otak-otak stood out with a distinct taste compared to versions in Malaysia or Singapore. The acar fish is excellent too."
Wesley Wong · Google review
"Authentic Nyonya flavours done right. The nyonya kari bak kut was aromatic and well-balanced, the assam pedas grouper was tangy, spicy and fresh, and the blue-pea fragrant rice was such a nice touch. The sambal kangkung was simple but perfectly done."
kimberly leong · Google review

Every quote here is a real, verbatim Google review — none of it lives on a page you own yet.

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Visit

Find us on Jalan Moulmein.

Address
64, Jalan Moulmein, Pulau Tikus, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Hours
Daily · 11:00am–3:00pm & 5:30pm–9:30pm
Reservations
+60 12-854 8799
WhatsApp to hold a table

Before you come

How much should we budget?
À la carte, shared family-style. Plan for roughly RM 40–70 per person for a full spread; lighter for two. (Indicative — the menu carries final prices.)
Which languages are spoken?
English, Mandarin, Malay and Hokkien — the everyday languages of a Penang Peranakan kitchen.
Do you take reservations?
Yes — call +60 12-854 8799. Recommended, since seatings are time-limited and the room fills fast at peak.
Is the food halal?
No — Rasa Sayang is a traditional Nyonya kitchen and serves pork (a non-halal kitchen), including the signature pineapple pork lard.

Plan your table

Come for the assam fish. Stay for the whole table.

Seatings are time-limited and fill fast — message or call ahead and your table will be ready.

WhatsApp +60 12-854 8799 Call the restaurant
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