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Early Mornings at the Laksa Cafe

Every morning before sunrise, Lim Ah Hock prepares the finest laksa soup in Kuching. According to Lim family legend, the laksa’s secret ingredient – their ancestral broth – was gifted to them by a deity, who promised prosperity if 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, struggling with gambling debts and his own work troubles, Wei Ming sees a chance to escape when he’s invited home to Malaysia for his father's sixtieth birthday.

As 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

About Janet Tay

Janet Tay is the author of Early Mornings at the Laksa Cafe and the forthcoming Late Nights at the Donabe Diner. Janet 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.
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Details
  • Imprint: Vintage
  • ISBN: 9781529958836
  • Length: 352 pages
  • Price: £10.99

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