MyLaksa – a Penangite founded and owned chain of restaurants is looking to unify Malaysians from all corners of the country and all walks of life with delicious authentic bowls of Penang Asam Laksa.

The brand is bringing a Taste of Unity to all by taking a dish rooted in multiculturalism and refined over generations and making it more accessible than ever before. So if you are craving the spicy, sour and rich flavours of the iconic Penang Asam Laksa, MyLaksa has exactly what you need – delivering the promised layers of tang, spice, heat and heartiness in every bowl of their Penang Asam Laksa to diners across the country.

The iconic Penang Asam Laksa is not only beloved by Malaysians but is renowned internationally, having been ranked 7th on CNN’s list of World’s Best 50 foods. Originating in the coastal towns of Peninsular Malaysia, the dish intricately weaves the flavours of Penang’s diverse cultures and captures centuries of tradition in a single bowl of hearty noodles and heartwarming broth. It is no wonder then that so many – regardless of race, religion or creed have fallen in love with the tangy taste upon first bite.

Speaking about their focus on Penang Asam Laksa, Daniel Ong, Co-Founder and Managing Director at MyLaksa said, “MyLaksa was built on a foundation of unity and friends coming together over bowls of delicious tangy Asam Laksa noodles. My best friend and now business partner Hee and I found ourselves catching up over numerous bowls of Asam Laksa over the years, it didn’t matter if we were living in Penang or studying abroad. Sometimes we were even willing to grab a bowl of Asam Laksa at the airport. So to us, Penang Asam Laksa is the taste of home, the taste of friends coming together, the taste of unity.”

Living up to their official tagline of #TasteofUnity, MyLaksa expertly brings together the complexity of the Penang Asam Laksa and the simplicity of its ingredients to truly capture the taste of Malaysian culture in every slurp.

MyLaksa utilises a unique mix of ingredients that sets the Penang Asam Laksa apart from the rest. Namely the succulent morsels of mackerel, the hae kor (shrimp paste), the tangy asam gelugor and the quintessentially local bunga kantan that contribute to the unique taste of Penang Asam Laksa.

Each bowl of their Penang Asam Laksa features its signature Asam Laksa soup that has the perfect blend of aromatic flavours to bring about a truly authentic taste. The soup is complemented by the thick white rice noodles that act as the ideal sponge soaking up the flavours of the soup and delivering it through satisfyingly chewy bites. The dish is garnished with freshly sliced red onions, shreds of crunchy cucumber, a handful of refreshing coral lettuce, a sprinkling of red and green chilli slices and a dash of mint leaves.

“At MyLaksa we want to be as authentic as possible with no compromise on the integrity of the true Penang Asam Laksa. Our recipe honours my business partner’s mother’s recipe as well the generations that came before her. We are proud of every single ingredient that we source because each one of those elements represents the different aspects of Penang history. We are proud of our food scene, and we insist on keeping the authenticity, using complex preparation & cooking methods, and not resolving to using a shortcut and artificial ingredients. Through this sincere and authentic approach we are hoping that MyLaska can become a household brand name within this space,” Daniel continued.

MyLaksa offers their signature Penang Asam Laksa in three varieties, the base Asam Laksa KAW KAW, the Asam Laksa KAW KAW Special – which features slices of a hardboiled egg and fishballs and the Asam Laksa Royal which adds even more helpings of the additional proteins.

MyLaksa mirrors the incredible unifying powers of the Penang Asam Laksa through every part of its business. This ambition is exemplified in even the most minute details of the brand, the phrasing and wordage used to describe their authentically Malaysian flavours – Kaw Kaw.

“Unity is at the heart of what we stand for at MyLaksa so when it came to describing our dish we knew we wanted to apply the same philosophy. Kaw is the term for thick in Hokkien but the term is now universally used by Malaysians to describe rich broths or even drinks. This is what makes Malaysians special, we mix, we match, we unite to make something that is wholly unique and suits our lifestyles. Much like the intermingling of languages, the authentic flavours of MyLaksa’s Penang Asam Laksa appeals to taste buds across the country bringing together family, friends and strangers alike to share fond memories over delicious broth and noodles,” Daniel added.

MyLaksa also offers an array of other dishes for their customers. Their Choco Berry Frostee is a popular option to balance out their Asam Laksa. The shaved ice dessert provides the ultimate contrast to MyLaksa’s signature dish, the cold and sweet dessert juxtaposes the hot and spicy bowls of broth with noodles.

There are also snack options that allow customers to enjoy the heartiness of their Asam Laksa flavours without having to order an entire meal. The protein-heavy snacks feature fishballs and eggs along with the signature Kaw Kaw broth.

Since its inception in 2019, MyLaksa has already cultivated a dedicated following of Penang Asam Laksa cravers serving over 5 million bowls of Penang Asam Laksa across their 16 outlets across 8 states. The brand has also echoed its ambition of unity in its approach to partnerships, collaborating with various other brands and organisations including Nilofa Group, Mahnaz Food, CIMB Bank, WokIt, The Hope Branch and Popular Bookstore for business, marketing and CSR outreach efforts. “Internationally, we are on a mission to promote the Asam Laksa to be the face of Malaysia’s vibrant food scene. It uses complex ingredients, hours of preparation, and the taste is rich and unique, and it is fascinating to the travellers visiting Malaysia,” Daniel explained.

MyLaksa is part of the IFV Group – a purpose-driven organisation founded by dynamic Malaysian Food and Beverage entrepreneurs that aims to bring more iconic multi-concept F&B and Lifestyle brands to the region becoming a regional F&B powerhouse. The brand hopes to achieve this by empowering the local F&B ecosystems, helping entrepreneurs in scaling up promising F&B brands leveraging on IFV Group’s expertise and resources.