Asian Homecook
2739 W. Devon Ave., West Rogers Park
Perfect order: Roti telur, nasi goreng kampung
Asian Homecook is a testament to the resilience of the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim ethnic minority. Primarily based in Myanmar, many of the group have fled to Malaysia over the years to avoid persecution. Toyuba Amer Ali’s Rohingya parents were among them. Amer Ali was born and raised in Malaysia, where she learned to cook. After she moved to Chicago with her kids in 2024, she started Asian Homecook with meals she made and sold out of her home. This March, she took the next step by opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant in West Rogers Park.
The unassuming spot (the exterior still bears the name of the previous restaurant, Khaja Darbar) serves halal Malaysian homestyle classics like roti telur, a crispy egg-stuffed flatbread with lentil curry for dunking ($3), and sweet-savory-spicy mee goreng mamak, stir-fried egg noodles with sambal and soy ($9). Weekly specials showcase dishes like nasi kerabu, a striking blue rice specialty from Malaysia’s east coast. The standout, though, is nasi goreng kampung ($9), fried rice with chiles, fried anchovies, and fermented shrimp paste. Dubbed “village style” because it’s made with humble ingredients, the umami-rich dish is a rustic taste of home.
Titus Ruscitti is a freelance writer for Chicago magazine.