This Novel About A Laksa Stall In Kuching Left Me Hungry For More

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I didn’t need much convincing to pick up Early Mornings at the Laksa Cafe.

A book set around a family-run laksa stall in Kuching already sounded right up my alley. Written by Janet Tay, the novel draws on her Sarawakian childhood and explores how food, family and tradition become intertwined.

Born in Petaling Jaya, Tay spent close to a decade writing her debut novel. She has spoken about how, growing up, eating out was never just about the food. And that idea sits at the heart of this story, where a bowl of laksa carries far more than its ingredients.

A Family Legacy Served With Every Bowl

Set along Carpenter Street in Kuching, Early Mornings at the Laksa Cafe follows Ah Hock, who hopes his son, Wei Ming, will eventually take over the family laksa stall he’s spent decades running.

Wei Ming, however, has other plans. After spending eight years in Hong Kong trying to establish himself as a chef, he’d rather build a culinary career of his own than step into his father’s shoes. It’s a familiar father-son disagreement, but Janet Tay gives it an interesting twist: this isn’t just about inheriting a business. It’s about inheriting a family recipe with a rather unusual backstory.

According to the Lim family legend, their ancestral broth was bestowed upon one of their ancestors by a deity, who promised the family prosperity as long as they kept it alive and passed it down through the generations. The broth has apparently been simmering in a pot for almost 60 years, with ingredients replenished over time to maintain its flavour. Ah Hock’s father even warns him that the family will be cursed if the broth is ever lost.

Not Everything Has To Stay The Same

What I found interesting about the novel is how family expectations can carry on from one generation to the next. Ah Hock struggles to understand his son’s choices, but he’s also someone who has spent much of his life trying to live up to his own father’s expectations.

There’s a scene where Ah Hock struggles to slaughter a chicken, remembering his father’s advice: “A good cook must know where his food comes from.” I liked this moment because it shows how deeply his father’s words have stayed with him, even when putting them into practice isn’t as easy as it sounds.

I also found Kim Choo, Wei Ming’s mother and Ah Hock’s wife, particularly interesting. She offers a different perspective on tradition and change, telling her son, “Sometimes, we have to destroy everything so we can rebuild.” It’s a line that stood out to me because it challenges the idea that keeping a family legacy alive means having to preserve everything exactly as it is.

A Book Worth Savouring

Overall, Early Mornings at the Laksa Cafe was the kind of read I was hoping for. I enjoyed its familiar Malaysian setting, vivid food descriptions and the complicated family relationships at its core. The pacing could have been tighter, and some of the dialogue felt a little unnatural, but I still found plenty to enjoy.

One thing I particularly enjoyed was how Tay writes about the food. Her descriptions made me imagine the broth simmering away in the kitchen, and I found myself appreciating the amount of work and history that goes into keeping a family-run food business alive.

I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy character-driven fiction, family drama and stories rooted in food culture. Janet Tay’s descriptions make the food feel almost like a character of its own, and if you’re anything like me, you might find yourself craving a bowl of laksa by the time you finish reading.

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