Annie O'Neill, Post-Gazette Sun Penang's Y. Yee Lee holds pangan ikan, barbecued fish wrapped in a banana leaf with the chef's special sauce.

By Elizabeth Downer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Although we tend to think of "fusion" as a modern gastronomic concept invented by creative chefs, it is in fact a centuries-old phenomenon that reflects the blending of cultures as traders or nomads traversed the globe. Where this mixing of populations occurs, we find a natural mingling of flavors and ingredients coming from the various geographic regions.

		Sun Penang 5829 Forbes Ave. 412-421-7600 Hours: Lunch: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily; Dinner: Sundays through Thursdays, 3 to 10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 3 to 11 p.m. Basics: The latest addition to "Asiaville" at the Forbes and Murray axis in Squirrel Hill exposes Pittsburgh to Malaysian cuisine. A great spot for vegetarians with numerous vegetable entrees. Prices: Appetizers, $3.25-$8.95; entrees, $7.25-$22.95; desserts, $3.25. Summary: Nonsmoking; accessible; major credit cards accepted. Parking on street with meters before 6 p.m. Noise level: Low. (Note: All future reviews will grade noise levels in the restaurant: low, medium, high or unbearable.)

Such is the case in Malaysia. Present-day Malays are descended from tribal Malays mixed with those of Indian, Thai, Arab and Chinese ancestry. The Malay culture is also influenced by neighboring Java and Sumatra. For 2,000 years, Malay traders intermarried with Indians, Thai, Indonesians and Chinese. This diversity of races and cultures has resulted in an exotic culinary tradition.

The newest addition to the Squirrel Hill Asian dining scene is Sun Penang, which features Malaysian foods. The menu is vast. Malaysian food is a rich and spicy combination, the result of Chinese, Indian and Thai influences on the indigenous cuisine, and all of them are evident on the Sun Penang menu. Rice and coconut milk are featured ingredients. Lemongrass, ginger, garlic, basil, dried fish and fresh chiles are important seasonings.

The appetizer menu begins with Roti Canai ($3.25), an Indian-style pancake (similar to a dosa) served with spicy chicken curry dipping sauce made with coconut milk. Roti Telur ($4.50) is again a pancake, this time filled with egg, onion and chiles and served with the same sauce. Penang Satay ($6.95) is a special version of grilled meat, with five skewers of either chicken or beef marinated in dry spices, grilled and served with peanut sauce, cucumber and onion. The satay or peanut sauce here is an interesting blend of flavors that is more complex and fruity than the normal satay sauce. The meat was moist and tender and perfectly cooked.

Although soup is not typically a big part of the Malaysian diet, it plays an important role on the Sun Penang menu. Most of what is offered appears to be of Chinese or Thai origin: There are two Tom Yum soups and several wonton soups, but most interesting are the soups served in clay pots. Clay Pot Pearl Noodle Soup ($6.95) is an intriguing stew. I had never before encountered pearl noodles, which are fat and round with a flavor similar to fun, a rice noodle. This soup combines them with minced shrimp, chicken, bean sprouts and egg in a rich, brown broth. The pot is large enough to serve four -- with seconds.

The large selection of fried noodles offers much of what you would encounter at the food booths on Singapore sidewalks. Among 13 fried noodle dishes is Fried Rice Noodles with Salted Fish ($7.95), a sublime combination of noodles with shrimp, chicken, salted fish, vegetables and bean sprouts in a special sauce made with belacan, a signature ingredient in Malay cuisine. It is made from tiny shrimp or brine that are allowed to ferment, cured with salt, sun-dried and formed into a small brick. It is used sparingly but often to season sauces.

As in most countries of Southeast Asia, rice is the staple. Nasi Lemak ($6.95) is considered by many to be the national dish of Malaysia. It is rice cooked in coconut milk flavored with cloves and pandanus leaves and served with dried anchovies cooked in sambal (a paste made from dry-roasted chiles pounded with salt and a pinch of sugar), curry chicken and hard-boiled egg. In Kuala Lumpur, this would be served in a fresh banana leaf and eaten for breakfast, but in Squirrel Hill it comes on a large white plate and is consumed for lunch or dinner.

Beef Rendang ($6.95) is a festive dish offered for weddings, Ramadan feasts and special occasions. The meat is slowly simmered in coconut milk with chiles, cloves and cinnamon and served with glutinous rice. Although pork is not part of the Muslim Malaysian diet, it is found in many Chinese dishes and thus is part of the Sun Penang menu. I didn't get to sample an interesting dish called Golden Spare Ribs ($10.95), described as deep-fried spare ribs in an authentic style, but I intend to sample them one day. Beef and duck entrees are obvious imports from the Chinese culture. There is Sizzling Beef with Oyster Sauce ($12.95) and Ginger Duck ($12.95) or Beef with Broccoli ($9.95).

The 24 seafood items on the menu go from deep-fried or steamed fish to prawns or squid in various sauces. Snow Peas with Shrimp in Malaysian Style ($12.95) is a delicious combination of large shrimp, snow peas and onions in a spicy tomato-based sauce.

For vegetarians there are numerous tofu dishes, vegetable curries, Chinese watercress and eggplant cooked in various sauces and green beans in Malaysian sauce. Tofu in Green Curry ($10.95) is a nice combination of fried tofu and eggplant with bamboo shoots, basil and kafir lime leaves in a spicy coconut curry sauce.

BoBo Cha Cha ($3.25) is a sweet dessert made from yams and coconut milk, and the glutinous rice dessert made from black rice and coconut milk is called Pulut Hitam ($3.25). Malaysian iced coffee or iced tea ($3.25) is similar to Vietnamese iced coffee or tea -- a sweet drink made with condensed milk added to the caffeine beverage.

Sun Penang offers a lunch menu with a choice of nine entrees plus a spring roll and salad for $6.95 with beef or chicken or $7.95 with shrimp.

Wan Wong, the chef at Sun Penang, is a native Malay of Chinese descent who has lived in the United States for the past 25 years. Before coming to Pittsburgh, he cooked in Malaysian restaurants in New York and New Jersey. The restaurant is owned by a group of investors, some of whom are partners in several other Squirrel Hill restaurants serving Asian food.

The walls of Sun Penang are painted in bronzed gold, which is considered a lucky color in Asian cultures. At present, the walls are bare, but the plan is to decorate them with paintings that portray Malaysian scenes. Handsome wood tables and chairs as well as banquettes line the walls. The tables are well spaced, allowing for comfortable conversation and low noise levels. This is a BYOB restaurant; there is no corkage.

Dinner at Sun Penang is almost as good as a stroll through street food booths. The menu is awesome and the execution admirable.