San Francisco was a highly diverse city, which prided itself on its population of culturally receptive gourmands.
While the city featured an impressive array of eateries, with Southeast Asian cuisines such as Burmese, Thai and Vietnamese all on offer, there was only one restaurant serving Malaysian cuisine.
This sad fact drove Goh to act.
“I was reluctant to open a restaurant in the city at first, because I knew it would be hard. But I realised I couldn’t wait for someone else, I had to be the person to do it,” Goh told FMT Lifestyle.
Goh had already built up a name for her cooking, having frequently hosted food pop ups all over the city. She turned to Kickstarter for support, eventually raising US$60,000 through two rounds of fundraising.
After securing extra funds through various means (including a pandemic business loan from the government), it was all systems go. In October 2022, Goh opened her restaurant in Noe Valley, San Francisco. And what better name for her eatery than Damansara, her neighbourhood in Malaysia?
Today, Damansara serves up mouth-watering Malaysian delicacies such as roti canai, satay, beef rendang and cendol to the people of San Francisco.
Laksa, in both assam and curry varieties, is a popular choice, while the Nasi Lemak with Fried Chicken serves as a perfect introduction course for anyone eager to try Malaysian food.
Goh’s personal favourite is the KL Cili Pan Mee, made with homemade anchovy chili.
“There are a few things I refuse to modify for local palates. So our chili pan mee is almost identical to the KL version. I say ‘almost’ because I can’t cook the eggs as soft here. Americans are very nervous about undercooked eggs!” said Goh, who has been living in San Francisco for about 12 years.
Damansara also has a fun selection of cocktails named after Malaysian places: have a sip and savour the Ampang, Brickfields or Langkawi. The yellow mango puree in the Hartamas, evokes gold and “harta” while the Taman Jaya is a root beer infused drink paying tribute to the A&W restaurant in that area.
“Overall, the people of San Francisco have responded to the food positively, and with curiosity. Some people come in wanting a challenge, asking for the spiciest thing on the menu,” Goh said.
“The biggest challenge is mostly getting word out about us, because we’re in a quiet neighbourhood. But as soon as people come in, they usually have a good experience, telling me they’re excited to come back and try more things.”
However, not every dish is welcomed with open arms (or stomachs). One Malaysian favourite sadly not served at Damansara is “kuih.”
Many American diners are unable to wrap their heads around this local dessert, believing it to be something like a cake, only to be baffled by its texture and lack of fluffiness.
As anyone who’s watched the TV show “The Bear” can attest, running a restaurant can sometimes be a mammoth effort: this is especially so in competitive San Francisco, with its cut-throat landscape for small businesses.
Goh, fortunately, has managed to keep Damansara thriving so far, bolstering her usual sales with catering and servicing corporate events, among other efforts.
While things can sometimes be challenging, the job also comes with rewards: the biggest being meeting other Malaysians (and Singaporeans), and hearing their joys at having a little corner of home in a faraway land.
“They tell me they’re glad to have someone here representing them. Where they can have a space showcasing their people and culture, and celebrate special holidays with their family,” Goh said.
“I’d like to inspire other people to open Malaysian restaurants in the city and within the United States, so we can have a community of our own. It will create more momentum for our voices.”
Find out more about Damansara on its website or follow chef Tracy Goh on Instagram.