Nyonya Willow 柳 娘惹餐馆 — Restaurant in George Town

Please book in advance otherwise it's likely you may be disappointed. I just say my first interaction was amusing. When I asked regarding their recommendation, I was informed every dish was good. And chef recommendations had a little chef hat next to the dishes on the menu, which did not help because there were a lot of them. All I wanted was 3-4 dishes to sample the food. Their reasoning was that taste is personal and example given was one man's meat is another man's poison. 😂. They should have a top 5 dish for those who are uncertain or coming for the first time. As I said, amusing.

Their sambal is amazing. Let's get that out of the way. It will go with anything I think. In my case, it was a welcome accompaniment to the petai omelette. Without the sambal, the petai omelette was tbh a little bland. With the sambal, superb.

The pongteh pork is a delicious dish. The succulent pork is perfectly cooked and breaks down in your mouth easily. Gravy is perfectly seasoned and oily enough to coat and slide the meat into your tummy. The pig stomach soup to me is a must try if you like peppery soup. It comes boiling hot and superbly balanced pepper and salty taste. The pig stomach was also cooked well. Tender and chewy, especially if you dab a bit of their sambal for the spicy kick.

Meanwhile the assam prawn to me was a little dry. Flavour is light but i like my prawns a little wet with sticky gravy. This also didn't have the sour kick I usually associate with assam prawn. As for the lobak, pretty average tbh.

I, however, loved that my dessert bee koh moi came hot. The sticky glutinous rice was cooked superbly. Sticky, chewy, sweet and blended perfectly with the salty coconut milk.

Just a note, food portions err on the smaller portion size and food gets served very fast so it's good for those looking to sample their dishes and don't plan to sit too...

If you’re on the hunt for a place that serves soulful, home-style Nyonya food in a cosy, warm setting; look no further than Nyonya Willow. From the moment you step in, there’s a sense of comfort that wraps around you like visiting an old friend’s home for a lovingly prepared meal.

🌸 The Vibe

The ambience is soft, elegant, and nostalgic. Decorated with Peranakan touches and calming tones, it’s the kind of place you go to when you want a slow, meaningful meal with people you care about. It’s classy but not pretentious; perfect for family lunches, catching up with friends, or even a quiet solo food adventure.

🍛 The Food – Flavour, Heart, and Heritage

Everything we ordered tasted like it was made from a cherished family recipe, passed down for generations. Some highlights:

The Nyonya Laksa is rich, fragrant, and layered with flavour; easily one of the best you’ll find.

The dishes were cooked to perfection; warm, hearty, and deeply satisfying.

Their desserts? Pure comfort.

💬 What Makes It Special Authentic flavours that taste just like home Warm and attentive service that makes you feel truly welcomed Portions are generous, and prices are reasonable for the quality Perfectly balanced between traditional and modern in its vibe

📍 A Place Worth Seeking Out

It may not be smack in the middle of a busy commercial strip, but that’s part of what makes it special; a tucked-away spot that feels personal, thoughtful, and full of heart.

⭐ Final Thoughts

Nyonya Willow isn’t just a place to eat, it’s a place to remember your roots, celebrate culture, and enjoy food made with intention. It’s one of those gems that quietly wins you over and keeps you coming back for more.

Authentic, heartwarming, and beautifully executed. A must-visit for lovers of true...

This was my 4th or 5th visit to this Nyonya restaurant in the last 15yrs. The last visit was before Covid during biz trip to Penang. Decided to write a review as tribute to this restaurant for keeping the taste over last 1.5 decades as the recipe from the owner mother. During my first visit, the friendly owner came over to chat with us after over heard we were from semiconductor industry (where he was from as well before set up this restaurant). He mentioned that the Nyonya recipe were all pass down from his mother, it was too good not to share with the Penangite). Well, time really flies. The owner mother still faithfully helping out his son though time has left some traces, but I was really happy to savor the food I had decades ago). A few dishes that worth mentioning repeatedly: the Otak-Otak (steam version vs the grill version that we used to have), the barbecue prawn (don’t forget the sambal chilies source), the Petai Prawn, the stingray Nyonya curry….. among my favorites. The dinner for 5pax ended with a high note: the black glutinous rice with coconut milk (one point to note, this dessert come two dimension of taste, first is the obvious sweetness, and follow closely by a tab of light saltiness. So good… I will come back again for the Salted Fish version of the Nyonya curry fish, coz our stomach ran out of space this...