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Praise
About the Author

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.
“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
Janet Tay is a Tin House Winter Workshop alum, and her short stories and journalistic pieces on literature, food and parenting have appeared in various collections and magazines. The first act of her full-length play Reunion was longlisted for The Windsor Fringe Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing. She lives in Kuala Lumpur with her husband and son. Early Mornings at the Laksa Café is her debut novel.

Authors

Early Mornings at the Laksa Café