Auntie Gaik Lean's Old School Eatery

Auntie Gaik Lean's Old School Eatery is a one-Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant on Lebuh Bishop in George Town — among the first in Malaysia to earn the distinction, and it has held its star every year since. Chef Beh Gaik Lean opened the eatery in 2013 and cooks Nyonya classics the slow, no-shortcuts way: her gulai tumis curry paste runs to more than eight ingredients, and her nasi ulam is hand-cut from up to ten herbs and leafy greens. The dining room leans into its name with vintage trinkets, a ceiling fan and 1960s music, set inside a heritage shophouse that was once the B.P. de Silva jeweller's — the old strongroom now a private dining nook. Tables are small in number, so booking ahead is essentially a must.