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Early Mornings at the Laksa Cafe

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

A mouthwatering and uplifting debut about legacy, tradition, and striking out on your own, set in family-run restaurants between Malaysia and Hong Kong

Every morning before sunrise, Lim Ah Hock opens the shutters of his small kitchen on Carpenter Street, lights an incense stick and prepares the best laksa soup in all of Kuching. According to Lim family legend, the laksa’s secret ingredient – their ancestral broth – was gifted to them by a deity, who promised the family prosperity as long as the broth is passed down through the generations.

But Ah Hock is aging, and the broth’s quality is fading. His only son, Wei Ming, has no interest in the family business, having spent eight years in Hong Kong trying to prove himself as a chef. Now, he's struggling with gambling debts, embroiled in a love triangle, and the restaurant he's been left to run has lost its Global Restaurants Guild star.

Invited home to Malaysia for his father's 60th birthday, Wei Ming sees a chance to escape his troubles. But when old conflicts resurface and a local businessman threatens to destroy the family legacy, father and son are forced to ask themselves what truly matters.

‘Deeply comforting and nourishing' Samuel Burr, author of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers

© Janet Tay 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Contemporary Fiction Family Life Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction World Literature China Feel-Good

Critic reviews

A delicious read with lots of heart. I haven’t enjoyed a novel so much in a while… Definitely a highly recommended read (Shanna Tan)
Janet Tay really brings Asian dishes to life, especially Sarawak laksa… this book truly stands out…The drama really adds flavour to the whole story (Reader Review)
Captures the atmosphere, flavours, and cultural subtlety of Asian family life so vividly... A delightful read for anyone who wants a cozy read, loves food-centred narratives, stories about family dynamics (Reader Review)
The author is masterful at describing mouth-watering cuisine… a delicious read I truly treasure’ (Reader Review)
One of the best books and cosy reads I read this year… I could almost smell the laksa broth, feel the steam on my face, and hear the soft clinking of bowls before sunrise. There’s such a beautiful stillness in the way Janet Tay writes… What I loved most is how warm and emotionally honest the story is… It reminded me that healing doesn’t always need grand gestures. Sometimes it’s found in warm bowls of food, soft conversations, and the courage to begin again... This is a very comforting book (Reader Review)
Janet Tay’s love for Sarawak food, its people and culture is evident in every page of this beautiful story... Grab your copy and a bowl of laksa because trust me, you will want both! (Reader Review)
Beautifully captures the idea that love doesn’t always need to be spoken – sometimes, it’s served in a bowl of food… A tender, comforting read that reflects how food can carry memory, obligation, and care all at once… Small warning: if you’re reading this at night. The food cravings are real (Reader Review)
The descriptions of food are vivid and mouth-watering, clearly grounded in careful research and cultural respect. Food becomes both a point of connection and a battleground, representing love, pride, and inheritance...This is an addictive, thoughtful, and beautifully written book about pride, sacrifice, and the difficult work of reconciliation. It lingers long after the final page, much like the memory of a meal shared at dawn (Reader Review)
Fair warning: do not read Janet Tay’s Early Mornings At The Laksa Cafe late at night, or else you will be desperately craving a piping hot bowl of laksa when all the shops have already closed... Filled with deliciously detailed descriptions of culinary delights that will make your mouth water, Early Mornings At The Laksa Cafe questions whether it’s possible for a father and son with different dreams to set their differences aside and build a future with room for both
A mouth-watering, uplifting and lovingly researched story about legacy, tradition and food
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