Wee’s Cozy Kitchen

Editor's note: Wee's Cozy Kitchen has moved into a new space Downtown with a similar menu. We'll update this when we've had a chance to check it out.

Most of the time that we’re “dining at a gas station,” we’re really just grabbing a hot dog and a bag of Doritos and convincing ourselves it was a real meal. But head into the Shell at 24th and Rio—right in the heart of West Campus—and you’ll find Wee’s Cozy Kitchen, a Malaysian restaurant operating out of a small open kitchen in the back.

Wee’s has been in business for a little while now, but it wasn’t until late 2022 that the Malaysian dishes made their way onto the menu—first, as off-menu weekend specials, and eventually becoming mainstays that quickly stood out against a large menu of burgers, wings, and Chinese-American classics. But these days, instead of ordering off a hand-scribbled menu, you can just point to anything on the “Traditional Malaysian” section of the menu and know exactly what you’ll be getting. Grab an order of nasi lemak for a mound of rich coconut milk rice with a fiery anchovy sambal, fried peanuts, and cucumbers, then work your way through the menu of curry laksa, char kway teow, beef rendang, and kaya toast. The Malaysian menu is pretty small—basically a greatest hits list of Malaysian classics—so bring some friends and just order the whole thing.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

To call the dining area a “dining room” would be somewhat of a disservice to classic restaurants everywhere. At the same time, there’s nowhere we’d rather be sitting than on a metal folding chair next to the coffee machine in the back of a Shell when we’re enjoying Wee’s food. Because dining here feels like you’re part of a small, secret society made up mostly of Malaysian families and lucky college kids who didn’t know what they were getting into when they stumbled in for a beer run. And the next time we’re on a road trip reaching for a hot dog and a bag of Doritos, we’ll just be thinking about how much better things could be.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Seafood Nasi Lemak

Nasi lemak is the national dish of Malaysia (and also of our hearts), and here you can get it on its own or with seafood (both come with fried anchovy). The rice picks up some rich, fatty flavors from the coconut milk it gets cooked in, and there’s a generous portion of shrimp and squid in a rich chili sauce on the side that balances it all out. Mix in those anchovies, peanuts, cucumbers, and a fried egg, and you’ve hit textural bliss.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Beef Char Kway Teow

We love almost any and all stir-fried noodles, but we especially love the wok-fried noodles at Wee’s. They pick up some color and char from the soy sauce and high heat, with tender chunks of beef adding in even more savory pops to an already rich, almost smoky mound of noodles.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Chicken Curry Laksa

When the temps drop just a little bit, Wee’s curry laksa is our blanket. The broth is creamy and spicy, and just thick enough to coat the pile of noodles below.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Beef Rendang

Beef rendang takes a notoriously long time to make, so it’s not always available at Wee’s—so if you see it, make sure to order it. Because all those hours of slow simmering beef in toasted coconut and chilis means you’re about to dig into some meat that’s slightly sweet, very spicy, and incredibly tender.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Kaya Toast

Kaya toast might be more common in the morning hours in Malaysia, but until Wee’s starts opening for breakfast, we’ll keep ordering it for dessert. The jam is made from eggs, palm sugar, coconut milk, and pandan, and picks up an almost custardy texture as a result. And when it gets spread on a toasted croissant, it’s a difficult breakfast (or dessert) to beat.