Restaurant Review: Kapitan

We’ve all grown tired of the carousel of pick up and delivery options that have got us through the pandemic so far. Pizza, wings, and burgers are great, but many of us long for something different to introduce to our palates. Thankfully, that need is satisfied with the opening of Kapitan, located at 2142 North Clybourn Avenue in Lincoln Park. 

Currently, the only Peranakan restaurant in the Windy City, Kapitan serves up a broad menu of Malaysian-inspired dishes that are sure to offer a welcomed change from the typical culinary fare we have grown all too accustomed to. 

Breakfast is well handled at Kapitan with a plethora of enticing options. Their version of the Ramly Burger does justice to this famous street food sold throughout the neighborhoods in Malaysia. The Bak Kwa Roti featuring Malaysia styled pork jerky, pork floss, and Kapitan’s own special sauce may just take the top spot on your list of favorite sandwiches. Dim Sum fans will rejoice after ordering the Lo Mai Gai starring sticky rice stuffed into steamed lotus leaves. The breakfast is so good at Kapitan that they made it available all day long. 

Moving on to the lunch menu, one can’t go wrong with the three-piece chicken satay skewers marinated with zesty lemongrass and served in Kapitan’s homemade peanut sauce. Likewise, the beef satay, highlighted by savory beef marinated overnight with spices and skewered, delivers terrific bursts of taste. Murtabak, a Javanese style murtabak egg stuffed with delicious beef filling, is a must-try item on the menu. Another authentic Malaysian street food well represented at Kapitan is the fried fish ball skewers. Word to the wise, one order of these yummy fried treats will not be enough. You’ve been warned.

Kapitan brings out the big guns for the entrees, with the chili shrimp being perhaps the most noteworthy on a menu of standouts. Their chili shrimp is stir-fried with ginger, garlic, and chilies in a creamy egg and tomato sauce. And don’t be discouraged by the chili in the name, as this dish is not over the top when it comes to the spice factor. 

The roasted Hainanese chicken is a celebration of flavor and scent with its moist chicken covered perfectly by a golden brown skin that may have you coming back later in the day for another order of this well-crafted favorite among the locals in Malaysia. 

The tomato rice platter served with beef rendang, sambal shrimp, and Kapitan chicken is a great starter to get a taste of what Kapitan has to offer if you are new to Peranakan-inspired cuisine. Of course, an order of the BBQ short ribs should be on your to-do list regardless of whatever else you have at this new Lincoln Park spot. 

Fried noodles and fried rice are available as well, with the stir-fried Mee Siam featuring chicken, scallions, and lime wedges, and the duck fried rice being of particularly outstanding flavor.

So if you are in dire need of something new to introduce to your taste buds, head over to Kapitan for some authentic Malaysian eats that are the next best thing to booking a trip and heading to Asia. 

Kapitan is open for takeout and delivery on Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 am to 9 pm. 

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO