Auntie Gaik Lean's Old School Eatery

Was recommended to Auntie Gaik Lean’s by a friend and it was one of the best dining experience I had so far. We stepped in at 6:30pm on a Sunday night without making a reservation, but the owner very kindly found us a seat and recommended some popular dishes to us. Nasi Ulam - one of the best I tasted so far. Each mouthful was welcomed with the taste of freshness from the herbs. Nyonya Curry Chicken - thick and spicy with a tang of sweetness. Beef Rendang - I’d rate this 4/5 as whilst the flavour and thickness of the Rendang were spot on, the meat was a little tough. Sambal Kacang Botol - this is a rare find and so glad they have it here! Delicious! Sambal Fried Rice - explosion of flavour! Flavourful with just the right level of spiciness, the prawns were fresh and plumped. Will I come back again? HELL YES

Nonya restaurants serve a romantic nostalgia of the times when meals were always cooked at home, where mothers slaved in the kitchen, preparing the ingredients, cooking them meticulously to produce a taste that's unmistakably home. However, not all nonya restaurants are equal, just as each home had its own tweak on the basic recipes. Auntie Gaik Lean's endeavours to bring the best of these home flavours to their dishes, and it works, as can be seen by the glowing reviews here. I have known Auntie Gaik Lean for many years now, even when she was a proprietor of her previous shop in Petaling Jaya - The Long Table. Since then, I was already a fan of her cooking and was disappointed when The Long Table closed its doors for good. Nestled at the junction of Bishop Street and Beach Street, it's housed in what used to be BP DeSilva, a jewellery shop. The shop has taken great pains not to remove the glory of the previous tenants and hints can be seen everywhere. The dining area is a comfortably sized room, and large tables with lazy Susans on top of them. An immediate sense of nostalgia hits you as you enter this room, with the window displays of nostalgic everyday items, including a Honda C50. Parking here can be a bit of a problem during weekdays due to its location in the business district of Penang. Weekends offer a respite to this as parking spaces are aplenty along Bishop Street. The extensive menu offers the typical nonya fare, and then some. Do ask if there are any specials that may be on offer, as these items are not on the menu and are truly special one off dishes that are rarely found anywhere else. From the constant flow of guests in and out, a sense of confidence will pervade that you have made the right choice for sampling their nonya dishes. While some complain about the prices, I have found it to be very reasonable - after all, one can't place a price on going back in time and enjoying the fond memories of savouring the home-cooked goodness from the kitchens in our homes. Definitely a winner - and you won't go wrong picking this place as your go to for really authentic nonya dishes. Bar none.

Arrived at the restaurant around 6ish and the restaurant is almost full. It would be good to make reservation before going. Dish portion is good for sharing; Atmosphere is good and not too noisy. The shop consists of two shoplots which one side is good for private event.

What's w all the high ratings? Besides the eggplant, we were disappointed w all the other dishes recommended by the boss. The chicken was so dry and tough. Comimg from KL, sure feels like we wasted a meal here; couldve had much better food elsewhere. Next!

We appreciated the kind gesture from the accommodating manager who gave us a table for early dinner while they are fully booked as we promised to be done beforehand. The restaurant exudes a rather enlivening dining atmosphere. All dishes recommended by the manager are good with some delightful first time surprises ie the Dutch egg being chief amongst them. Nutmeg juice is a must try.

When we are in Penang, we want to eat all the delicious foods that she has to offer that we cannot easily get in other parts of Malaysia and in the world. One of the most sought-after cuisines that we like to enjoy is authentic Nyonya / Peranakan food. This restaurant came highly recommended to us and the reviews speak for themselves! The dining space is well-lit and ventilated making for a very enjoyable dining experience. Food is incredibly flavorful and authentic. The owner is also very friendly and spent a lot of time chatting with us and answering all of our culinary questions! COVID-19 protocols and best practices were strictly enforced and adhered to by all. Definitely highly recommended and for sure we will be back next time we are in town!

Best meal we had in Penang. Lovely room and good service with delicious food. What more do you need? We had a family dinner and everyone enjoyed it. Stylish decor adds some style. Plus there was good air conditioning on a hot day.

Very convivial dining atmosphere and the person taking orders were friendly and gave some good recommendation too. Portion is generous and most dishes are tasty. Out of many, the fried chicken was a little dry. We may have ordered too many (cant help it when everyone wanna try everything on the menu) for a family of 8. Read some mixed review here, nevertheless we enjoyed it and had a great time besides the usual street food.