South Indian · Straits Quay, Penang
South Indian, slow-fired at the quay.
Chef Shankar's varuval, biryani and banana-leaf feasts — the cooking 4,537 Google reviewers keep driving back for. Now with a home online.
- Google rating
- 4.8★
- Reviews
- 4,537
- Open
- Tue–Sun
- Where
- Straits Quay
“Finally got to visit after seeing it all over TikTok — absolutely worth the trip all the way from KL. I’ve always loved Mr. Shankar’s recipes at home; they never fail.”
Google review · 4.8★ · 4,537 reviews
On the table
The dishes diners come back for
Pulled straight from the reviews — the plates named again and again across 4,537 of them. À la carte mains sit at roughly RM 18–38 (confirm the day's list when you reserve).
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Mutton Varuval
The signature. Boneless mutton, slow-fired — “superb tender, juicy and full of flavour.”
House signature -
Chicken Varuval
For the spice-seekers — “the flavours and spices just explode.” Order it if you like real heat.
Bring the heat -
Banana-Leaf Feast
Rice, dhal and a row of varuvals on the leaf — the full South Indian table, the way it's meant to be eaten.
Share it -
Mutton Meatballs & Grills
The meatballs reviewers single out, alongside chargrilled platters built for sharing across the table.
Off the fire -
The House Burger
For the table that wants a crossover — a proper burger and thick-cut fries, made to the same standard as the curries.
Crossover -
Mocktails & Dessert
“The mocktails were amazing.” Finish on the panna cotta — the cool-down to the kitchen's fire.
Cool me down
The headline act
Chef Shankar
The recipes that built a TikTok following are the ones on the pass. Diners who cooked Mr. Shankar's dishes at home for years now drive in to taste them from his own kitchen — and more than once, “the chef himself served us.”
From the floor
“The chicken varuval reminded me of my mother's cooking — comforting and full of flavour.”
“The ambience fits the quay side. If you love spicy food, the chicken varuval just explodes.”
The room
Neon, brick and the marina at night
Exposed brick, string lights and the ‘Fire Me Up / Cool Me Down’ neon — wrapped around a waterfront table at Straits Quay. Warm, a little theatrical, right on the water.
- Hours
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Tue–Sun · 12–3pm & 6–11pm
Sunday closes 10pm · Monday closed - Reserve
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+60 11-3785 6090
WhatsApp or call to book
Before you come
Good to know
- What does a meal cost?
- À la carte mains run roughly RM 18–38; banana-leaf and sharing platters scale with the table. Confirm the day's menu and any set pricing when you reserve.
- When are you open?
- Tuesday to Saturday, 12–3pm and 6–11pm. Sunday 12–3pm and 6–10pm. Closed Mondays. Dinner fills fast at the quay — book ahead on weekends.
- What languages do you speak?
- The team serves in English and Bahasa Malaysia, with Tamil spoken in the kitchen. Message us in whichever you're comfortable with.
- How do I find you / park?
- We're at Straits Quay marina, Tanjung Tokong — unit 3A-G-19, waterside. Mall parking sits right beside the quay; aim for the marina-facing entrance.
Hold a table by the water.
One message books it. Tell us the night and the headcount — we'll have the varuval ready.