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.
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...
Nurul Insyirah
Neli is very friendly and helpful. Love her service. However, we noticed that the ingredients in our
Neli is very friendly and helpful. Love her service. However, we noticed that the ingredients in our food were lesser compared to last time. As for the ice kacang, the bowl is too small and I feel it should be in a bigger bowl.
Ee Sook
The food is really so so… flavour not so authentic, quite adjusted. The assam laksa lacks punch and
The food is really so-so. The flavour isn't very authentic, quite adjusted. The Assam Laksa lacks punch and was served lukewarm. The Penang Fried Kuay Teow lacks sweetness and soy sauce flavour. The rojak has dough fritters that are so hard you can't pierce them with a fork; they need to be picked up with chopsticks or scooped with a spoon. So, I think the dough fritters aren't fresh. For the salted egg mantis prawn, it seemed like a lot of batter. The flavour is great, but I don't know how much prawn there is because we can't see the prawn after biting it open. Overall, I won't be back for this price point and quality of food. Also, I saw the staff actively approaching clients to give them reviews on Google. Perhaps that's why they have so many reviews.
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.
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!
Kopi O Peng Kosong
Although there was no queue when visited on 18 June 2023 at opening time of 11 AM, there were alread
Although there was no queue when I visited on 18 June 2023 at opening time of 11 AM, there were already five groups of diners seated. Ordering was via the QR code printed for each table. Drinks arrived shortly after ordering, while the food took a little while longer. I had actually reserved a table via Oddle, but strangely, the staff informed me they had no record of my booking. Other than that, it was a pleasant experience.
Mariah
Just had my lunch here,tried their tahu goreng,hokkien mee and finished it with a cold beverage...sa
Just had my lunch here and tried their tahu goreng, hokkien mee, and finished it with a cold beverage. It was satisfying. The tahu goreng was crispy but soft inside, soaking in a very tasty peanut sauce with strips of vegetables. The hokkien mee was great, with just enough sambal to make it sing, and the prawns were fresh, not from a frozen bag. All in all, I would recommend this place at Jem Jurong, Penang Culture. Try it if you happen to be in Jem Jurong. Friendly staff and okay service.
