I’ve heard good things about Ivy’s Nyonya Cuisine in Penang – the restaurant is reputed to serve authentic Nyonya dishes that also got them listed in Michelin Bib Gourmand. The restaurant is operated by a husband-and-wife duo where the wife mans the kitchen while the husband handles front of house.
Ivy’s Nyonya Cuisine
Perhaps we dined during their peak time (New Year’s Eve) but I found the service to be quite curt, albeit informative. The husband would walk you through their menu and highlight their specialty dishes. Ivy’s Nyonya Cuisine also has a set menu for either 2 or 4 pax where you get to try a range of their signature items.
We opted for the 4 pax set menu (RM175) and added on an order of perut ikan (RM45 per portion) for good measure. The set comes with Nyonya assam fish, joo hoo char, hoo peow thng (fish maw soup), chicken (choice of inche kabin, kapitan chicken or tau eu kay bak), Nyonya delight (otak otak or hae bee sambal) and dessert of the day (black glutinous rice with coconut milk or red bean soup).
Assorted Nyonya kuih
Good thing we called ahead to book a table as it was New Year’s Eve, and the crowd started coming in by 6.30pm. Food took about 15 minutes to arrive and while waiting, you can opt to try some Nyonya kuih (RM3 per box) available at the front of the restaurant.
Inche Kabin
Inche kabin was a hit among the kids, including our toddler. I like how the exterior is crispy without being too flour-y, and the chicken flesh itself is well marinated. We got five relatively large pieces of chicken which I feel is sufficient despite comments saying portions are small.
Nyonya Assam Fish
The Nyonya assam fish comes with an option of seabass, garoupa or cod – the latter two requires a top-up. We went with the basic seabass, which was good enough in my opinion. Fish is fresh and meaty, while the kuah assam is thick and smooth with a good balance of sweet, savoury and tangy flavours.
Hoo peow thng (fish maw soup)
Otak otak
I didn’t care much for the fish maw soup (hoo peow thng) though I get that it’s a common item at many Penang Nyonya households. The otak otak is decent; the egg and spice mixture is creamy and aromatic from the coconut milk and belacan.
Joo hoo char
Joo hoo char isn’t particularly mind-blowing for both Jien and I. Perhaps it’s because we’re used to the Melaka Nyonya version where it has a deeper and richer flavour from the cuttlefish. That said, this is good enough for most people. The belacan chilli that comes with the joo hoo char packs a wallop so go easy on the amount.
Perut ikan
I rather enjoyed the perut ikan as the gravy is adequately thick and tangy. I like my perut ikan stronger in flavour, so this one is up my alley. Jien however, prefers his perut ikan to be less thick and a tad tangier.
Black glutinous rice with coconut milk and red bean soup
Desserts were not as sweet as I expected them to be, in a good way. The black glutinous rice with coconut milk is creamy with a savoury finish since a bit of salt in added for depth. Ang tau thng is lighter in texture so if you want something less rich to finish off your meal, go for this.
Food for 3 adults and 3 kids
Overall, I find the food at Ivy’s Nyonya Cuisine decent, but not outstanding. Perhaps my expectations are higher since they are in the Bib Gourmand category, but I only enjoyed the assam fish and inche kabin from the set menu.
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Ambiance: 6.5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 6/10 (halal)
Verdict: The set menu allows you to try a variety of signature dishes but if you’re already familiar with Nyonya cuisine, ordering from the ala carte section might be better.
Do you have a food recommendation? Tell us!
Ivy’s Nyonya Cuisine
100,102, 104, Jalan Kedah,
George Town, 10050,
Penang.
Tel: 013-433 7878
Business hours: 11.30am till 3pm, 5.30pm till 9pm
(closed Monday)