Penang Culture holds the distinguished honor of being Singapore's first Penang-themed halal restaurant, opening its doors on June 6, 2012, at Century Square Mall before expanding to five strategic locations across the island including NEX, JEM, VivoCity, and Changi Airport Terminal 1. Founded with the ambitious vision of bringing authentic Penang street food flavors to Singapore's Muslim community, this pioneering establishment has successfully bridged the gap between Malaysia's rich culinary heritage and Singapore's diverse dining landscape. Under the expert guidance of Penangite Head Chef Wong Thin Lipp, who brings over two decades of culinary experience from Penang itself, the restaurant ensures that every dish captures the authentic spirit of George Town's legendary street food culture.
The menu at Penang Culture celebrates the bold, complex flavors that define Penang cuisine, featuring signature dishes like their Penang Fried Kway Teow ($10.90) with its perfect balance of spicy wok hei, fresh prawns, cockles, and aromatic chili paste, alongside the fragrant Kam Heong Clams ($18.80) and innovative Penang Fish Skin Rojak ($8.90). The kitchen excels in recreating the authentic taste profiles of Penang classics including Char Kway Teow, Nasi Kandar, and various Laksa preparations, while also introducing creative variations that incorporate modern ingredients like cheese to appeal to contemporary palates. Each dish reflects the restaurant's commitment to value-for-money pricing while maintaining the complex flavor layering that makes Penang cuisine so distinctive.
As Singapore's only halal-certified caterer specializing in Penang street food, Penang Culture has expanded beyond restaurant dining to become a cultural ambassador for Malaysian cuisine, bringing authentic flavors to corporate events and private functions through live chef stations and flexible catering menus. The restaurant's MUIS halal certification has made previously inaccessible Penang flavors available to Singapore's Muslim community, while its presence in high-traffic locations like airports introduces international visitors to the best of Malaysian street food culture. Penang Culture continues to serve as a bridge between Singapore and Malaysia's shared culinary heritage, proving that authentic street food flavors can thrive in modern dining environments without losing their essential character.
Had bad experience at this JEM outlet. My partner and I had the prawn fritters, sambal stingray, sam
Had a bad experience at this JEM outlet. My partner and I ordered the prawn fritters, sambal stingray, sambal kangkong, and deep-fried sweet and sour seabass. Firstly, the prawn fritters were super oily and overfried. We could taste that the oil used was old, and they didn't bother to drain the oil before plating. Refer to the photo for reference. Secondly, the sambal stingray deserves a 0/10. The stingray used was old, the meat was rubbery, and the sambal was seriously underwhelming. Not to mention, they didn't even spread the sambal entirely on the stingray. The sambal kangkong was a little too salty but acceptable. The deep-fried seabass was the best of the dishes we ordered, but still below average compared to other restaurants. The total bill was about $60+. We were totally disappointed with the quality of food served. We didn't have any issues with Penang Culture at the Terminal 1 outlet. Perhaps management should check with the kitchen crew and implement some quality control.
Jian Ming Tan
Penang Fried kueh tiao taste normal, definitely losses to hawkers, what reason?
Here I list out.
1.P
The Penang Fried Kueh Tiao tasted normal, definitely not as good as hawkers. Here's why:
1. The portion was too pathetic.
2. The mud clams were stinky.
3. The fish cake also had a fishy smell and tasted not fresh.
Only the coffee tasted acceptable.
Serene Wong (Clover)
Came on Sat late noon and seated promptly. Order via online and food arrived in total about 20 minut
Came on Saturday late noon and was seated promptly. Ordered via online, and the food arrived in about 20 minutes for the Assam Laksa and Prawn Noodle. I was caught by surprise when a staff member started cleaning the table while we had just finished. I observed other staff cleaning up tables only after diners had left. There were still plenty of seats available, which I found a bit odd. Why did the staff come and clean without asking any questions...
V. Lim
The dining experience was marred by lazy & couldn’t care less young wait staff who refused to open t
The dining experience was marred by lazy and couldn't-care-less young wait staff who refused to open the booth tables for my overseas guest. I had wanted to show them the departure hall from the window, but alas, we were refused point-blank to have those booths. The place wasn't that busy in the first place! I suspect the team was just too lazy to clean up....
Alvin Loo
The food quality was disappointing. As shown in the photo, the lady’s fingers (okra) were so tough a
The food quality was disappointing. As shown in the photo, the lady's fingers (okra) were so tough and rubbery that we couldn't even chew them; it felt like chewing plastic. We had to spit them out. The texture clearly showed they weren't fresh. We informed the staff, and they served another portion, but this time it was undercooked and still tasted raw. On top of that, the food was served very slowly. Overall, I wouldn't recommend dining here.
Positive Reviews
Dawn Lim
Casual atmosphere, seems like a good place for family meals.
Food is not too bad. Tauhu goreng port
Casual atmosphere, seems like a good place for family meals. The food is not too bad. The tauhu goreng portion seems small, but perhaps that's the standard these days.
Ruth Tan
Had my birthday lunch recently during their High Tea promotion. Overall the dishes here were decent
Had my birthday lunch recently during their High Tea promotion. Overall, the dishes here were decent but could be improved in terms of fragrance and taste. A plus point for me in this restaurant is that they hire staff with Down Syndrome, which is quite heartwarming.
Eng Soon Lee
Not bad for a meal but a little pricey. 2 of us have a chao kuey tiao, nasi lemak, fish and veg for
Not bad for a meal, though a little pricey. Two of us had char kway teow, nasi lemak, fish, and vegetables for $60. Taste-wise, it's okay. The environment is good as the place seems very new. Recommended if you like local Asian dishes.
Melvin Tan
I had a missing order from my delivery. Melly from Penang Culture JEM went out of her way to help me
I had a missing item from my delivery. Melly from Penang Culture JEM went out of her way to help me resolve the issue. She provided exceptional service, responding promptly and with genuine concern. She ensured the missing item was quickly replaced. Her professionalism and kindness truly made my day. Thank you, Melly, for turning a frustrating experience into a positive one!
Lim T.
I was pleasantly surprised how GOOD the food was! Ordered the Penang Char Kway Teow, Rojak and Ice K
I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was! I ordered the Penang Char Kway Teow, Rojak, and Ice Kacang, and every item was delicious. The Char Kway Teow was not heavily seasoned but still tasty. The Rojak sauce was to die for; I was so tempted to mop the plate clean. The Ice Kacang ice was fine, with syrup that tasted like those from yesteryears. The kidney beans were crunchy and not soggy. I cannot recommend this place enough.
