GEORGE TOWN, Aug 3 — A few decades ago, it was quite common for many Peranakan families to sit down to a meal where dishes like stir-fried cuttlefish with jicama, babi pongteh or even fish stomach assam curry were served.

Today, many Peranakan families do not serve up these Baba Nyonya classics that require hours of chopping, dicing, slicing and marinating except on special occasions.

For fashion designer Richard Rivalee, cooking such dishes is a hobby. Expanding on his passion in preparing authentic Baba Nyonya meals with a touch of Thai influence, he opened a cafe early last year in his atelier.

The Richard Rivalee Restaurant is decorated according to the Baba Nyonya theme.

Before long, his cafe became a hit among locals and his regular clients.

In just over a year, Rivalee, who now calls himself the "designer chef”, has expanded his small cafe into a restaurant at M Mall.

True to the designer’s style, he officially opened his restaurant, which is simply named after him, with a fashion show.

Richard Rivalee officially opened his restaurant with a fashion show within the restaurant.

Models showcased Rivalee’s latest designs of 24 sets of formal and casual wear for men and women along with jewellery by Amee Philips.

"I personally designed the decor for this restaurant, I bought Baba Nyonya antiques for the decor and I added the wooden staircase to the mezzanine floor for extra space upstairs and also for this purpose... to have fashion shows,” he said.

Rivalee also expanded his menu from the four basic set meals at his previous cafe.

He had previously introduced private dinners in his cafe for customers who want to bring bigger groups over for a Peranakan meal.

"I was almost fully booked most of the time so I was looking around for a bigger space to expand and that was when I was offered this space,” he said.

Designer and chef Richard Rivalee poses in his newly opened restaurant.

Now, with more space and more kitchen helpers at his disposal, Rivalee can finally expand his menu to include the dishes that he used to only offer for private dinners.

He has also expanded his set meals menu for those who wish to grab a quick lunch or dinner.

"It took me weeks to tweak and finalise this menu because I wanted my customers to enjoy my food and go home full and happy,” Rivalee said.

His set menus now include the pigs’ trotters vinegar set and nasi pongteh on top of the pea flower rice, chicken kunyit rice, Baba nasi lemak and nasi ulam set.

Larger groups can order a la carte dishes such as braised pork belly in soya sauce, assam prawns, sambal petai with prawns, stir fried cincalok pork, fish belly assam curry and peppery pig’s stomach soup.

If you are hankering for some laksa, he still offers up a thick, rich Nyonya-style laksa that’s spicy for added oomph.

Nyonya desserts... steamed sago (left) and bubur chacha.

Dessert is the chewy steamed sago dipped in gula Melaka and his bubur chacha is a must-try.

Richard Rivalee Nyonya Restaurant

79-G-45 Ivory Tower (M Mall)

10150 George Town

Penang.

Time: 11am-10pm (daily)

Tel: 011-1649 6399