I’M so glad that my search for the best nasi ulam in Penang led us to Winn’s Cafe.

It was as I expected – rice scented and stirred up with finely julienned herbs like daun kadok, kunyit and kencur, kerisik or toasted grated coconut, dried shrimps and topped generously with shredded bunga kantan. For good measure, there was sambal belacan to add to its utter deliciousness.

The friends I was eating with thought I was mad to insist that two plates should be ordered for the nine of us but I did have my fill of good nasi ulam (RM16.90) to last me till another trip to Penang.

Other dishes worthy of mention at Winn’s included kiam hu kut gulai (salted fish bones curry), kerabu kacang botol, kapitan curry chicken, asam tumis garoupa, ju hu char and otak-otak.

The aroma of fried salted fish came through in the kiam hu kut curry (RM30) cooked with prawns, cabbage, eggplant and long beans.

It was a rich curry with a lot of oomph and so lovely eaten with rice, relishing the vegetables in it while hitting on a salted fish bone or two.

In between we savoured kerabu kacang botol (RM19.90) or four-angled bean salad with the finely cut vegetable, lemongrass, shallots and bunga kantan tossed together with lime juice, kerisik and even fresh grated coconut. It had a delightful balance of sweet and sour.

I have had some rather ordinary kapitan curry chicken through the years, but that at Winn’s was outstanding, with its fragrant rempah in a thick, rich curry embracing the chunks of tender chicken (RM29).

This almost overshadowed my all-time favourite Nyonya dish, asam tumis ikan. Still, it held its own, with its hot and sour curry emanating the fragrance of daun kesum, lemongrass and bunga kantan.

The garoupa was firm, fresh and sweet, adding to our enjoyment of it, together with the ladies’ fingers and eggplant in it.

From the sour I went to the sweetness of ju hu char (RM26.90), julienned yam bean simmered with cuttlefish strips and shiitake mushrooms and eaten in a lettuce wrap dabbed with sambal belacan.

The otak-otak (RM15 for two pieces) made creamy and fragrant bites touching the fish within, releasing the scent of the ever-present daun kadok.

While I was also on the lookout for a good perut ikan in Penang, I did not find it at Winn’s.

We chanced upon fairly large pieces of fish stomach though, which was a plus point. I wished the curry (RM29) was less diluted and had more flavour.

We also had the ark O or duck braised with taro (RM34.90), which would have suited a child’s palate.

The taro or yam had almost melted in the stew, making it thick and mushy.

It’s hard to go wrong with the sambal petai (RM32.90) here, fried with prawns in a yummy sambal with a lot of onions. Just the thing to eat with the rice tinged blue with bunga telang, as were the curry dishes.

I had expected a more flavourful cincalok pork – it probably lacked a proper braising with the strong, fermented shrimps. The asam prawns turned out well, with the thick asam sauce hugging the fried prawns.

Dessert was bubur pulut hitam with longan, thick, gooey and laced with santan which we liked, and sago pudding.

Winn’s Cafe is at 2 Jalan Irrawaddi, George Town, Penang. Call 019-4511631 to book a table at this popular restaurant. – July 2, 2022.

* Eu Hooi-Khaw has been writing about food for the longest time, covering all aspects, from restaurant reviews to cooking and recipes, as well as the healthy side of it. She has written for major newspapers and magazines, published the cookbook Fresh Ingredients, and also writes for her website hooikhawandsu.com.