LOCATIONEasy to find in the dining mecca that is Fitzroy’s Brunswick Street.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAPenang Affair benefits from its position in Fitzroy’s dining hotspot, but its attentive owner, Peter Goy, and quality Malaysian cuisine is what has guaranteed repeat business for more than 20 years. This is an unpretentious restaurant with an extensive menu of classic and modern dishes. Leave yourself in the hands of the host and a banquet of epic proportions may appear, or choose from the wide variety of dishes on offer. Classic hawker-style dishes such as curry laksa or chau kuey teow are well executed and reasonably priced options, but keep an eye on the specials board for dishes such as sambal okra (they do sambal dishes particularly well), fried chicken or quail with chilli and garlic, or roast duck.
Other traditional offerings such as beef rendang or Gulai Malaysian curries, are also worth a look. Chilli fiends can ask for their dishes to be “Singapore hot” if they want to work up a sweat, then cool off with a selection from the vast array of world beers. It’s possible to eat cheaply and really well here, with a lunch special of an entree plus a main starting at $13.50. Many of the regular menu items are also excellent value. The service is second to none – the staff are efficient but also happy to have a chat with customers. Your Penang Affair will leave you feeling satisfied and very well looked after.
Angela Costanzo