Hawker food culture is a culinary force to be reckoned with. With its roots coming from a storied Asian lineage, its appeal is undeniable. Gone are the days when food labeled as such can only be found on the streets and food courts. It has garnered such a huge fanbase that it has reached Illinois in the form of Hawker Delights Cuisine, or HD Cuisine for short.
Rave Reviews Galore
We chanced upon this cool restaurant in Wheeling, Illinois, just a few weeks ago. Rave Yelp reviews and online recommendations ignited our curiosity, and the 40-minute drive was worth it.
Malaysian Roots… and More
A Malaysian restaurant by default, with resident Chef Tony Tan at the helm, HD Cuisine prides itself on bringing its trademark dishes, with other Asian delights added to the menu for a wonderful Southeast Asian food experience. Their Mi Goreng, Pad Thai, and Milk Tea are to die for, and don’t get me started on the vegetable fried rice!
A Must Visit
To be in the Illinois area and not to visit this gem of a restaurant would be an injustice. The homey atmosphere, the warm vibe, and the overall experience are a refreshing escape from your usual food fare. The best thing about it is that you don’t need to book a flight to Malaysia to experience such a food trip!
We struck up a conversation with owner Lin Randazzo, and here’s how our conversation went…
How did Hawker Delights Cuisine start out here in Illinois?
Our family lives in the Northwest suburbs. Since there aren’t many Malaysian restaurants in Chicagoland, we saw an opportunity to set up shop here.
What sets HD Cuisine apart from the other Asian restaurants out there?
We focus on introducing more Malaysian dishes and sharing our cultures and traditions.
We take pride in our origins in Penang, Malaysia, where you can find some of the most interesting and complex flavors in the world.
What are the regular favorites among your dishes?
Our top appetizer: Lor Bak
For Rice: Nasi Lemak, our Malaysian national dish, and Hainan Poached Chicken.
For Noodles: Penang Char Koay Teow and Mee Goreng.
For Noodle Soup: Penang Hokkien Mee and Penang Assam Laksa
Coming from Malaysia, we see you adding other Asian dishes to your menu, like the Pancit Canton. Can you share trivia about it?
Pancit Canton is originally from Canton, Malaysia, and is known as Yee Fu Mee, one of our hawker street foods.
What is Penang’s trademark in food? Can you describe to us what keeps people coming back for more?
Penang’s Trademark is mainly Hawker food; we’re proud to bring it here.
Chef Tony brings the real taste of our authentic cuisine. He has 35 years of experience as a Sous Chef on a 5-star cruise ship.
Message to our Hello Hapi readers?
Come and explore the real taste of Malaysian street food. Your taste buds will explode with flavors!
HD Cuisine is located at 27 Huntington Lane, Wheeling, Illinois. You can also follow them on @h.d.cuisine on Instagram.
