Nyonya — Restaurant in New York

If I want something Asian-homey but with a twist of low-key spice, I would come here. This Malaysian restaurant have been my go-to if I want a sweet pork shank. Warning: need to get cash for this as it is a cash-only place. They do have an ATM at the entrance but you need to pay extra processing fees.

Now to my orders: Roti Telur Not everyone’s go to order for Roti Canai I know, I love their Roti Canai but I wanted to switch to something novel so I had this roti that is filled with onion and egg, served with a chicken and potato curry dip (they have chunks of chicken and potato even in the dip). The curry dip is on the lighter side than the other curry dish I order (will elaborate later), and you can feel roti’s fly developed gluten as you bite into it and feel the resistance on your teeth. The onion and the egg add umami to the butter roti and complimented the dish well. Better eat it hot as it tasted exponentially worse when cold.

Kang Kung Belacan I literally converted my friend into a firm lover of this dish today. We ordered 5 dishes and this is the first one to be gone. The shrimp paste stir-fried Chinese watercress or Kong Xin Cai (literally means empty hearted for the veg’a structural property) is just simply amazing. This is not a home-cooked dish (assume in NYC we have gas or induction heaters) because in order to bring the flavor you need actual 🔥 underneath the wok to create the so-called “wok hei”. The wok hei is the major player in almost smoking the vegetable and gives its flavor in the short amount of time. The umami and distinct flavor of shrimp paste + the perfected cooked slippery watercress = ultimate comfort.

Hainanese Chicken Let me be very frank: the better Hainanese chicken is actually served only a few blocks away. The quality of this dish in this place has fluctuated quite a bit after covid. Still good, just not as good as before. Nonetheless I cannot leave a Malaysian restaurant without getting some chicken. The 1/4 portion are majorly thigh region: I do enjoy cracking on the cartilages with my orthodonticly-perfectly aligned teeth. The chicken is served cold with some cucumber on a thin layer of soy sauce, paired with a spicy and sweet dip sauce. It is tender and light, though I do not appreciate how some chicken skins are missing (lean-fat ratio is important people!)

“Yuan Tai” Pork The pork shank! My friend from Wuxi region from China said this dish tasted like Red Yeast Rice Powered stewed pork ribs from her hometown. I will simply put in this way: the skin and the pork is so tender and meat tasted like it has been marinated and slow cooked with sweet fermented red bean curds for hours. Effortless in cutting as the lean and the skin falls off the fork. The sauce balances with the fatty skin so you taste the collagen without getting over fat-saturated. The chef took off the bones already so what’s on the dish is the shank (lean+fat) + broccoli 🥦 + white bun. I love broccoli in this sauce!

Curry Beef Tripe Casserole A bit saltier than the chicken-potato curry dip served with roti but would be nice to pair with coconut/chicken broth rice. The tripes are slow cooked and they broke often when I lifted them with my fork. Okay dish, not impressed. I think I like Beef Rendang better (drier curry version).

Coconut drink (an entire coconut 🥥) It comes with a true small coconut and once you finish the juice part you can ask to cut the coconut open to eat the coconut meat inside. Yummy, my coconut was good.

The service is attentive and 5 dishes + tip is around 100 with multiple to-go boxes. We underestimated the portion sizes (NYC fine dining portions have ruined me a bit). It is a restaurant I would revisit every year or so (still impressive considering how many restaurants in...

CASH ONLY! Food was good. 1 star for SERVICE.

My friend recommended this place after a long walk in China town. Dine in here with a group of 5, and it wasn’t busy so we were seated right away.

We ordered a lot, a bunch of appetizers and entrees. Shrimp puff was good and came fast Omelette with oyster wasn’t so bad, but the oyster wasn’t fresh and smell wasn’t good. Roti Kanai came after we started entrees but it very yumm and crispy. It’s a MUST to try here, and was my favorite today. Chow Kueh Teow ( my entrée) look totally different from the pictures on the menu. It was tasteless and overcooked with burnt smell. Chinese Watercress with Preserved Bean Curd Sauce was good. Hainanese Chicken was yum, my friend loves it a lot. Beef and chicken curry was also good. Chicken satay taste okay. BUT it came after we finished our food, check with server 2 times during the meal she said it’s coming, then we have to check with another guy and it took more than 5 minutes to arrive!

Drink was bad. No.14 Plum sour drink, it was too salty.

All downside goes for service. Slow service and never came to check if everything was okay. Never fill the water. Lack communication between staff. We have 2 bills. first bill is $140 something second bill is $19 something. We gave the server $180 and asked for $8 back. Another bill we gave $40, we need change for leaving the tip on $19 bill.

Then she came with $8 back and never gave my friend change for $19 bill( Did she think we leave 100% tips ??? we gave you $40) We had to ask for change.

When we were about to leave, another lady came chasing us with the bill of 140 and said we didn’t leave the tip…is everything okay. WHAT!!!!??? REALLY???? Is this how you work!!!???? I was calm enough to explain to her, come on….this wasn’t complicated at all. And really!???when we were sitting there you never came to check on us, but when we left you asked is everything ok!!? What a service!!! We were kind enough to leave you 18% tip which is way too much for...

If you're craving authentic Malaysian cuisine, Nyonya Malaysian Restaurant in Chinatown is a must-visit. This neighborhood staple has been serving delicious dishes for over 30 years and continues to offer a unique and flavorful dining experience.

One of my go-to dishes is the Prawn Noodles , served in a rich shrimp broth. I've heard they use shrimp shells to extract the deep, savory flavors, and it truly tastes like a labor of love. My mom, who loves fish head, was thrilled when we tried the Indian-Style Fish Head Curry . Pair it with rice to fully enjoy the bold and flavorful curry sauce.

Another standout was the Clams with Chili —perfect for spicy food lovers. We also enjoyed the Stuffed Tofu in Curry Sauce , which reminded me of the Chinese dim sum version, but with the added richness of a coconut curry broth.

A must-try is their Signature Hainanese Chicken , slow-poached for a silky and tender texture. Don’t miss the Beef Skewers — dipping them into the satay/peanut sauce elevates the experience. For variety, I recommend the Lobak Combo Platter, which offers a delightful mix of fried tofu, pork roll, shrimp pancake, Japanese ginger, and duck egg.

For dessert, the Coconut Pudding is a must, served in a charming coconut shell, is fresh and fragrant. Another a mildly sweet treat is the peanut pancake — if you're a peanut butter fan, this one’s for you. And of course, no Malaysian meal feels complete without their ABC Shaved Ice , topped with red bean, corn, palm seeds, and rose syrup—a refreshing and unique way to cleanse the palate.

Before the pandemic, Nyonya was one of Chinatown’s most popular restaurants. While it hasn’t fully regained its pre-pandemic momentum, it’s still a hidden gem worth rediscovering.

If you’ve never been, now is the perfect time to explore this culinary treasure and enjoy a flavorful departure from the typical Chinatown fare.

Nyonya is a Chinatown institution that deserves to be visited again and again. Support this local favorite—you...