A Visit to Oma’s Hideaway

I have been a fan of the Southeast Asian dishes interpreted by Chef Thomas Pisha-Duffly alongside wife Mariah since discovering them at pop-ups, then through the successful opening of Gado Gado. And here we are now with this outpost of a Covid-19 pivot of the parking lot of Gado Gado, a takeaway tent (named Oma’s Takeaway) that highlighted more street food, grown up now into its own brick and mortar location on SE Division of the updated name Oma’s Hideaway. The menu here is original in bringing his food memories from his grandmother/Oma and travels together with his own personal touches – its a food adventure you will enjoy whether you are familiar or unfamiliar with the original source inspirations of Chinese by way of Indonesia, Malaysia, and more.
Oma's Hideaway Oma's Hideaway

Cocktails are creative and one of a kind, created in collaboration with Eric Nelson of Shipwreck and then made real by Emily Warden. You can find librations like the wonderfully named “One Thing Led To Another” with tequila, lime, Oma’s ‘should be famous’ pickle brine and cucumber, or the “Oaxaca Meets Malacca” with mezcal, char siu glaze, Cynar, bitters, and five spice.
Oma's Hideaway cocktail of One Thing Led To Another with tequila, lime, Oma's 'should be famous' pickle brine and cucumber Oma's Hideaway cocktail of Oaxaca Meets Malacca with mezcal, char siu glaze, Cynar, bitters, and five spice

On the far right you can glimpse the Bellweather, a bright cocktail with smoke – starting scotch whisky, vanilla, citrus, ginger beer, and Laphroig spritz. I can also vouch for refreshing with a kick Oma’s Watermelon Smash, crafted with hibiscus tequila, watermelon, cucumber, basil and serrano chili. It’s seen here with the White Lotus, made with rums, toasted coconut, soursop, lime, and falernum. Go for full fun with their Moonage Daydream Slushee with tequila, Aperol, pineapple, mint, shiso, lime, and absinthe. You will also find jello shots alongside some zero proof options and beer and wine. You can also see a hint of the beautiful, I tell you beautiful, inside bar.
Oma's Hideaway cocktail of Bellweather, a bright cocktail with smoke - starting scotch whisky, vanilla, citrus, ginger beer, and Laphroig spritz Oma's Hideaway - I can also vouch for refreshing with a kick Oma's Watermelon Smash, crafted with hibiscus tequila, watermelon, cucumber, basil and serrano chili. It's seen here with the White Lotus, made with rums, toasted coconut, soursop, lime, and falernum. Oma's Hideaway - Go for full fun with their Moonage Daydream Slushee with tequila, Aperol, pineapple, mint, shiso, lime, and absinthe.

Roti Canai is a must order here. It’s always on the menu, and always so good. Chef Thomas Pisha-Duffly has put a lot of practice and love perfecting the roti over and over and it shows. The flakey, doughy, perfectly textured flatbread is seved up with a sweet corn curry for dipping with turmeric pickle and puffed sorghum.
Oma's Hideaway Roti Canai is a must order here. The flakey, doughy, perfect flatbread is seved up with a sweet corn curry for dipping with turmeric pickle and puffed sorghum

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Food Highlights of Penang

Next in my recap series from my trip to Penang in October, after sharing my stay at the Blue Mansion and details of my #1 must do recommendation of visiting the street art of George Town, it is time to talk food! During my visit I had a super long eating wish list, and was successful in eating some of it – means an excuse to return right to finish crossing everything off? Here are my food highlights of Penang for you to consider for your list when you visit.
Food Highlights of Penang: Satay - individually ordered sticks of prawn, beef, lamb, lamb black pepper, calamari, and chicken tandoori Food Highlights of Penang: Satay - individually ordered sticks of prawn, beef, lamb, lamb black pepper, calamari, and chicken tandoori
Satay – individually ordered sticks of prawn, beef, lamb, lamb black pepper, calamari, and chicken tandoori at a Satay Specialty shop

In Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur may be the national capital, but Penang is its food capital. Lonely Planet ranked Penang as the #1 Best Food Destination in 2014, CNN Travel named Penang as one of the 23 best food cities in the world last year, and The Culture Trip named Penang one of the best 15 cities in the world for food in 2016.

Street food is such a source of price that the tourism board offers Street Food maps with a list and description of an array of popular street food dishes, along with a handful of recommendations of where to get it, on a free street food map. There are also plenty of blogs by locals with their own lists of where are the top places to get a certain dish.

I divided the foods of my Penang food highlights into two main areas: one is street foods of Penang, which you can usually find at hawker centers or evening markets like Chulia Street, New Lane, Gurney Drive, Batu Lanchang, Air Itam, etc. In this case my intent is to help you recognize some of the food you may see. The other grouping is Peranakan food, which you will have to intentionally search to find where it is offered as it is not as common as the street food offerings.

You might also find some amusement in the WonderFood Museum. It’s mostly lots of plastic fake food, but I was impressed with the first floor in showing some special preparations of a various ethnic cuisines that contribute to Malaysia’s food culture in dioramas along with example visuals of dishes with a legend (like seen below). They also offered an overview of the vast many kind of dishes in Malaysia, even some suggestions on where to go to eat the local dish, and of course, so many silly photo ops. If you’re caught in a rainstorm like I was or just want a break from the sun I recommend an hour here.
Food Highlights of Penang: looking at different Malay flavors and food at a display at the Wonderfood Museum Food Highlights of Penang: food at a display at the Wonderfood Museum Food Highlights of Penang: food at a display at the Wonderfood Museum

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