To relieve some of our travel withdrawals without having to leave the country, Penang Culture has teamed up with Datuk Chef Wan to offer a taste of his special culinary creations for a limited period.
From January 15 to February 28, the Malaysian celebrity chef, whose real name is Datuk Redzuawan Ismail, will be offering a range of uniquely Malaysian menu at all Penang Culture restaurants islandwide.
This collaboration also marks the F&B brand’s 10th year anniversary, a celebration-worthy milestone for the restaurant that initially served famous Penang culinary delights, but has evolved to offer a variety of other Malaysian cuisine throughout the years.
Can’t go Malaysia? Let Malaysian food come to you
According to a press release and in a closed media event, Chef Wan noted that he was particularly pleased to collaborate with Penang Culture, praising the restaurant as “a shining spot of Malaysian food bridging two nations” and noting that he is excited “to be on this journey to promote Malaysian cuisine together.”
Due to travel restrictions, the affable Chef joined media representatives from his home via Zoom. Despite the long distance, he was visibly very bubbly, a trait that many have come to love him for.
Chef Wan, who has family and friends in Singapore, expressed how he missed travelling and connecting with his fans here. By partnering with Penang Culture, it is “a splendid opportunity for me to continue serving up my delights to fans residing in Singapore,” he said.
“Travel to Malaysia may not be on the books right now due to Covid-19, so why not let Malaysian food come to you,” he joked.
Well, here at The Halal Eater, we opine that experiencing food at its country of origins is incomparable to dining in restaurants here, but we’ll just have to make do.
And by making do, we mean gorging our faces with these Penang Culture x Chef Wan signature dishes.
The dishes
The special menu features 5 dishes that can be savoured ala carte or as a set. They are:
1. Mackerel in Spicy and Sour Gravy (Gerang Asam); S$28 / *Editor’s Pick*
This fish dish, which we feel is a cross between curry and asam pedas, certainly packs a punch in spice as well as tanginess from the kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and laksa leaf cutting through the fragrant dried shrimp paste base.
With the persistent rainy weather that’s going on, we often seek for hot and soupy dishes, and this one certainly hits the spot. Well, this and hot white rice.
2. Stir Fried 4-in-1 Vegetables with Sambal (Sambal Goreng Empat Sayur); S$18
A medley of long beans, petai beans, eggplant and ladies fingers lends a crunch factor to this dish, which is prepared in a heady concoction of red chillies, dried shrimp paste, and stir-fried with shallots and dried prawns.
3. King Tiger Prawn Rendang (Rendang Udang Galah); S$28
With each King Tiger prawn averaging around 60 grams, seafood lovers will appreciate the sizeable portion of this dish. The prawns are cooked in a rendang base until it is reduced to a fragrant dry stock, allowing the sweetness of the prawns to shine through.
4. Massaman Beef (Daging Massaman); S$28
This dish takes inspiration from the traditional Thai beef curry dish where beef is simmered to flavourful tender pieces with spices like coriander, fennel, cinnamon and star anise. In Chef Wan’s version, evaporated milk and peanuts are added, lending a distinctive richness to the dish. One of the signature characteristics of Massaman Curry is tender fall apart meat, and we’re happy to report this dish did not disappoint.
5. Mum’s Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng Emak); S$18
Chef Wan brings a taste of his home in this one. Despite using only simple ingredients like anchovies, eggs and kang kung, this is actually a very homely plate of fried rice. Goes to show that the simplest of dishes sometimes carries the biggest flavours.
Promotions
The Penang Culture x Datuk (Dr) Chef Wan Signatures are available for purchase ala carte, or a set menu at 25% OFF the usual price.
The full set of five dishes go for S$90 (U.P. S$120) and it is enough to feed 4-5 pax.
Fans of Chef Wan can also get a chance to participate in Chef Wan’s Cooking Masterclass. Customers who purchase the full set menu will be entitled to join Chef Wan’s live cooking demonstration conducted via Zoom on a later date, while seats last.
Prices quoted are subjected to service charge and prevailing GST. Product photographs are by Penang Culture and for illustration purposes only.
The Penang Culture x Chef Wan Signatures are available across all Penang Culture’s outlets from 15 Jan to 28 Feb 2021.
Penang Culture is a halal-certified establishment.
