On the Malaysian Restaurant Trail - 10 Questions with Angie from Sri Pinang

    

Sri Pinang
356 Karangahape Road, Newton
Auckland
(09) 358 3886 
BYO
Lunch: Tue – Fri 11.00am – 2.30pm
Dinner: Mon – Sat

Sri Pinang is family operated for as long as I've been in Auckland, we just had to visit, eat and chat with the wonderful and delightful Angie Kaw.  I have dined at Sri Penang twice in the last 3 months, on both occasions with different people, dressed differently, and at different times.  Angie not only remembered me  but also remembered my previous dining companion - a sure sign of a restaurant owner who values her customers.   It kind of makes you feel like family.......quintessentially Malaysian.

We highly recommend you get along to Sri Pinang - an Auckland institution continuously serving authentic, fantastic Malaysian food with family friendly service.   Call them now and book a table (09) 358 3886.



10 Questions with Angie!

1. How long have you been running your business?
Over 21 years and still loving it.

2. What area of Malaysia are you from and what style of food is that area known for?
Penang, known for its Nyonya food – which is a mix of Malay and Chinese cuisines.

3. When did you arrive in NZ and why did you choose NZ?
1987. My husband got offered a job here as a chef. He was a chef for a long time in Malaysia and still cooks in the kitchen today.

4. What was the motivation to open Sri Pinang?
With my husband being a chef and his family in the restaurant industry in Malaysia it was a big influence and I learnt to cook from him!

5. What is your favourite Malay dish and why?
Tough question there are so many, but if I had to choose then 'Penang fish curry' – but it has to be the one my husband makes. I love it because of the tamarind flavour – I love hot and spicy dishes. Tamarind increases your appetite so you fill up but still, you don’t feel too full. It’s a light dish unlike the many coconut cream based Malaysian dishes. Coconut cream is beautiful, it has a lovely flavour, but personally I prefer light, wet saucy curries that you can soak your rice in. Also with this curry you can add lots of vegetables (like okra) and it wont dilute the flavour like vegetables can often do in a curry.

6. Do you think Malay food is getting more popular in NZ?
Yes! 20 years ago people didn’t know what Malaysian was – now, after having travelled to Malaysia they are more aware, and with so many Malaysian restaurants around they are more exposed to the food. Kiwi's travel so much, they have been all over South East Asia and so they know the different flavours and bring this knowledge back home, it's just fantastic.

7. Do you think Kiwis are getting more adventurous with their food?
Absolutely – my customers love the strong flavours of belachan and shrimp paste for example. Back in the day people used to find the taste of shrimp paste too strong – same with anchovies. People love them now!

8. Are we Kiwis getting better at eating dishes with chilli? 
Absolutely – especially in Winter time. We like hot spicy food to warm us up. Kiwi hot is becoming hotter, but Malay food is so diverse, not all dishes have heat, it's all about balance.

9. What dish would you recommend for a first time diner?
Beef rendang, or Nyonya chicken curry with roti. Our Malaysian roti is the best – and these two curries are traditional. And so tasty.

10. What is your favourite cuisine outside of Malaysian cuisine?
Korean and Japanese. Both use different spices well and have lots of interesting flavours but their dishes are not too rich or oily.

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